651234 Wed Sep 09 13:34:00 -0700 2009 9 31 Home Cooking 0 5017095 I have made kimchi a number of times and am trying to perfect my recipe. I notice that some people salt the cabbage when it's quartered, while others cut the cabbage into smaller pieces before salting, so there's no chopping of salted cabbage required. What do you do? What is your recipe? Any recipes welcome, even if they diverge from the common napa cabbage kind. Wed Sep 09 13:34:00 -0700 2009 19782 Full tummy 1 5018094 i am not a kimchi expert but do make it quite regularly, and have learned from my mom so very little precision of ingredients are involved. here are some things i have learned over the years: for me, the size of the cabbage varies depending how long I want to store the kimchi: if I am doing a long term kimchi, jars that will keep for few months with slower fermentation time, I cut the cabbage in half or quarters, salt, drain then pickle with chili paste-garlic-fish sauce. if I am doing a kimchi that i want to eat within days, i cut the cabbage into bite size or tear them into strips before salting to wilt, then pickling, as i find these ferment faster (also helped by keeping it outside the fridge for a day or two) if I am doing the larger cabbage halves or quarters, i have found it is enough to soak them in a warm-water-salt brine for a few hours without the need to salt them overnight (as that was traditionally done, by my mom anyways); i make this by taking boiled hot water, adding salt, then adding more water to make enough to cover the pail/bowl of prepared (washed/cut) cabbage; it should be as warm but not hot (smthg like the heated milk bottle you would give to your baby) as to the amount of salt in the brine, i have found that it is enough if the tastes just right to your tongue ie. not as salty as dill pickles, say, but like a nicely salted chicken soup broth - that usually signals enough salt for my kimchi. for more precise recipes, i recommend www.maangchi.com whose instructions are very easy to follow and usually accompanied by a video i usually use the same kimchi seasoning recipe to make the following kimchis: cucumber, radish, rapini, perilla leaves, green onion have fun! Wed Sep 09 19:30:01 -0700 2009 5017095 19661 berbere 1 5018100 For cabbage kimchi we always salt the halved heads, then depending on what type of cabbage kimchi we are making will cut after brining, http://www.chow.com/recipes/13608 http://www.chow.com/recipes/11596 http://www.chow.com/recipes/11544 http://www.chow.com/recipes/11302 http://www.chow.com/recipes/11297 http://www.chow.com/recipes/11293 http://www.hannaone.com/Recipe/yeolmumulkimchi.html Wed Sep 09 19:32:10 -0700 2009 5017095 93805 hannaone 2 5018136 Some pics of my wife's kimchi making Wed Sep 09 19:45:21 -0700 2009 5018100 93805 hannaone 2 5018146 Oh wow, thanks!!! Your wife is quite the kimchi queen!!! Wed Sep 09 19:50:19 -0700 2009 5018100 19782 Full tummy 1 5018497 Are you supposed to wash off the salt, or just not put too much on so that it will not be too salty? Thu Sep 10 01:54:55 -0700 2009 5017095 118120 luckyfatima 2 5018502 We always rinse the cabbage after brining and prior to seasoning. Thu Sep 10 02:17:14 -0700 2009 5018497 93805 hannaone 3 5018517 Ah, okay. The recipe I used a couple of times didn't mention what to do at that step. It came out really salty the first time, but I used less salt a few other times. I will try rinsing next time I make it. By the way, if I don't havde brined baby shrimps or sand lance sauce available, what other subs can I use? I thought a Thai fish sauce would be too weak, but Thai fish paste is available where I live...would that suffice or what else should I sub? Thu Sep 10 03:08:48 -0700 2009 5018502 118120 luckyfatima 4 5018913 I use fish sauce with my kimchi and make a paste using onion, ginger, garlic, and hot pepper powder. Thu Sep 10 07:29:45 -0700 2009 5018517 19782 Full tummy 4 5019996 Fish sauce or fish paste are both good subs. Just be sure to taste as you go since different brands have different strengths. Thu Sep 10 12:51:53 -0700 2009 5018517 93805 hannaone