One of our gorgeous friends Simo from Sunshine and Health declared this as "The best Kim Chi Ever!!" We couldn't agree more and we love keeping a jar of this handy to spice up our meals. It's full of flavour - a little too spicy for Jali so we keep it all for ourselves!
Ingredients for 1 litre/1 quart jar
1 Chinese (wombok) cabbage, roughly chopped
3 radishes, grated (use daikon or regular)
1 carrot, grated
2 spring onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 or more hot chillies (depending on how spicy you like it), finely diced
1 small bunch of coriander leaves, stems, roots and all, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
Instructions
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and set aside.
As you chop, grate and slice all the vegetables into a large bowl, sprinkle on the salt and mix through.
Massage, squeeze and work the vegetables with your hands to release all the water.
Pack tightly into your jar/vessel of choice. Press down hard as you go with your fists or a tamper. This again helps force water out of the cabbage.
You should have just enough liquid to cover the vegetables. If you don't you can top up with a little water but don't add too much as it may become soggy.
Cover with the outer cabbage leaves and a small weight (jar, shot glass or river stone) if you have it to help keep the cabbage submerged.
Place the lid on and put in a spot out of direct sunlight.
Leave to ferment at room temperature for about a week. In the first few days when most of the action occurs, periodically press down on the weights to help force more water out and keep the cabbage submerged.
Refrigerate when desired ferment time is complete and taste is to your liking