dear fellow crumbsnatchers,
fall is finally here! while we break out hoodies and crockpots stateside, this time of year also signifies chuseok, which is korean thanksgiving. like most agrarian countries, chuseok is a celebration of the good harvest. during this time, koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of korean traditional foods and treats. my mother would dress my sister (left) and I (right) in traditional hanbok for many special occasions. the photo on the right is from one of my birthday celebrations. party like it's 1994, right?!
while different tastes, seasons, and regions allow kimchi to assume various forms, no korean table is complete without it. kimchi is a salted, fermented vegetable - think of it as the spicy sibling to sauerkraut - that is a balance of sour, bitter, salty, sweet and spicy.
my omma (mother) always made the best kimchi. i remember large tubs of vegetables in the kitchen being washed and salted and then stuffed into onggi, a traditional korean earthenware crock, to ferment into kimchi. i was fortunate to live is places near korean markets to buy the infamous half-gallon and gallon jars of standard kimchis - napa cabbage (tongbaechu-kimchi 통배추김치), cubed radish (kkakdugi 깍두기), ponytail radish (chonggak kimchi: 총각김치), and cucumber (oi-sobagi: 오이소박이). but my favorite kimchi was my omma's broccoli kimichi, where she sliced broccoli stalks into flower-like coins for a crunchy, spicy delicacy. on the best of days and on the worst of days, a warm bowl of rice and kimchi is one of my favorite comfort foods.
omma's kimchi recipe
crumb confession: my mother uses the same kimchi base no matter the vegetable. i was shocked to learn that my mother's kimchi base is the same regardless of the vegetable. she omits or adds ingredients, but the base is the same. kimchi is relatively easy to make but i like to make it in batches every 2-3 months, depending on how much and fast we eat the current supply. usually i'll make napa cabbage, radish and cucumber but this time i included broccoli stalks too. when making your own kimchi, you can control the amount of salt used and i find it stays crisper than the store-bought versions. #winning
my mother taught me to look closely at the korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) label. gochugaru should be a product of korea, but often times what is stocked in the stores are products of china. to make the best kimchi, be sure your gochugaru is a product of korea. it costs a bit more but is totally worth it. and don't worry if you have leftover kimchi base. my mother taught me that you can freeze it until you are ready to make another batch. this recipe will make 1 gallon of napa cabbage kimchi, 1 half gallon of radish kimchi, 1 quart of cucumber kimchi and 1 pint of broccoli stalk kimchi. please note my omma's kimchi is not vegetarian or kosher.
cuisine: korean
prep time: 3 hours
cook time: 15 minutes
serves: 30-40
ingredients
vegetables:
1/4-1/2 cup coarse sea salt
2 medium napa cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 medium korean radish, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
4-6 kirby cucumbers, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded carrot
4-6 large broccoli stalks, sliced into coins
kimchi base:
1 cup korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru 고추가루)
2 tbs anchovy fish sauce (mulch aecjeot 멸치액젓)
2 medium white onions
1 large gala or honeycrisp apple, peeled and cored
24 garlic cloves
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
3 bunches scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces
additional seasonings:
1 tbs light brown sugar
3 tbs fermented salted baby shrimp (saeujeot 새우젓)
directions
in a large mixing bowl, prepare napa cabbage kimchi. alternate adding a handful of cut cabbage with a sprinkle of sea salt. continue layering until all cabbage is salted. cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.
in another large mixing bowl, prepare radish kimchi. place cubed radish in bowl and toss with 2 tbs of sea salt and 1 tbs of light brown sugar. cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.
in a small mixing bowl, prepare cucumber kimchi. place sliced cucumbers in bowl and toss with 1 tbs of sea salt. cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.
in another small mixing bowl, prepare broccoli stalk kimchi. place broccoli coins in bow and toss with 2 tsp of sea salt. cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.
in a medium mixing bowl (glass preferred), add hot pepper flakes and anchovy sauce. using a food processor, finely chop onions, apple, garlic and ginger and to hot pepper flake. add chopped scallions. combine into paste and set aside. this is the kimchi base.
starting with the broccoli kimchi, add one spoonful of kimchi base at a time until coated. wearing food-safe gloves, i mix with my left hand (non-dominant hand) and add with my right hand (dominant hand). be careful - the kimchi base will stain. set aside.
continue with cucumber kimchi. drain water from cucumber kimchi bowl and add carrots. add one spoonful of kimchi base at a time until coated. set aside.
add baby shrimp to remaining kimchi base and mix.
continue with radish kimchi. drain water from radish kimchi bowl. add one spoonful of shrimp kimchi base at a time until coated. set aside.
finish with cabbage kimchi. add one spoonful of shrimp kimchi base at a time until coated. set aside.
place different kimchis in individual jars, pressing down to remove air bubbles (1 gallon jar for cabbage kimchi, 1 half gallon jar for radish kimchi, 1 quart jar for cucumber kimchi and 1 pint or quart jar for broccoli stalk kimchi).
close jars and store in fridge.
technically, you could serve kimchi immediately; however, i like to wait at least 48 hours to let it develop its signature fermented, sour taste. kimchi contains a high level of dietary fiber, is low in calories, helps with digestion, and increases immunity and circulation. it's the korean daily vitamin and probiotic! no matter how you like your kimchi - pancakes, soup, or as a simple side dish - you can bring a taste of korea to your table today. happy chuseok!
love and crumbs,
christina & gypsie
p.s. did you make this recipe? be sure to drop us a crumb on instagram at @crumbsforgypsie and hashtag it #crumbsforgypsie.