It's Kimchi, Not Land Mines: Asian Cold Pickling I

When I told my friend Barb, also a CSA member, that I had made kimchi (Korean sauerkraut, more or less), she reminded me that there was an episode of M*A*S*H in which the 4077th thought the locals were placing land mines around the hospital camp, but in fact they were burying jars of kimchi. Well, I decided for safety's sake I wouldn't bury my kimchi; I stored in the refrigerator. Turns out that in Korea, there are kimchi refrigerators now, just for storing this stuff. I think it's the national food.

I made my kimchi when the Chinese cabbage was coming in fast and furious a couple of weeks ago, and we finally got around to eating some tonight (it has to ferment). WOWSER! This is some hot stuff. It's pretty tasty, too; it reminded me of calamari, weirdly enough, but much, much hotter than any octopus I ever ate. It keeps for weeks, so you might see some at the next potluck. Take tiny bites!! If you want to try this at home, here's the recipe I used. (I found the fish sauce and chili paste in the Asian section of the local Bigg's store.)

Korean Kimchi

1 large Chinese cabbage
1 gallon water
1/2 cup coarse salt
1 small head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup chili paste
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths, including the green part
1 medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 strips. Cut away as much of the tough stems as you can. Then dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container and submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate (or a pot of water, which is what I used) on top to make sure they stay under water and let stand for 2 hours.
Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry. Now mix it all up. You might want to wear rubber gloves if you use your hands, but a really large spoon works, too. Pack the kimchi in a clean glass jar large enough to hold it all and cover it tightly. Let stand for one to two days in a cool place, around room temperature. Check the kimchi after 1-2 days. If it’s bubbling a bit, it’s ready and should be refrigerated. If not, let it stand another day, when it should be ready. Once it’s fermenting, serve or store in the refrigerator. Eat the kimchi within 3 or 4 weeks, or it can get too fermented. Unless you bury it in the backyard, I guess . . .