how to make the korean KIMCHI. what are the ingredients.?

(m)

What is kim chi? Typically, you'll hear it described as pickled or fermented cabbage. Although this is the most popular kind, there are many different ways of making kimchi, and you can experiment as much as you want. Sometimes, kimchi is spelled kimchee, but it's the same food.

Kimchi is similar to the sauerkraut of Germany, the paocai of China, the tsukemono of Japan, the achar of India, and the pickles of other regions.

Koreans serve kimchi at almost every meal, and few Koreans can last more than a few days before cravings get the better of them. Despite a reputation for being spicy, most people usually develop a taste for it, and many foreigners also find themselves missing it after returning to their home country.

A plus about Korean kimchi is that it keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, and still tastes fresh. The garlic and vinegar are natural preservatives that keep the raw vegetables and fruits tasting great, even though they are cut up into pieces you can easily nibble on.

Another little known fact about kimchi to westerners is that kimchi is a very healthy food. Because of the basic ingredients in kimchi, garlic, scallions and vegetables, kimchi helps to eliminate cholesterol and promotes intestinal health.

Korean Kim Chi

2 Chinese cabbages

5-10 spring onions

Sea salt or other non-iodized salt, at least 100 g

4 heaped tablespoons (about 20 g) Korean chili powder

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoonfuls sugar, any kind

Tablespoonful kim chi sauce

Small piece of ginger (5 g), crushed, or teaspoonful powdered ginger

Half an onion (optional)

Method:

Rinse the cabbages, then quarter them lengthwise, discard the stems, and then chop the cabbages laterally, which should leave you with the largest pieces measuring perhaps 5 cm on a side. Don't get too carried away while doing this.

Now that we have lots of little bits of cabbage, it's time to salt them. Place the cabbage in a clean plastic bag or equivalent and sprinkle salt over each layer. The best kind of salt is sea salt, although non-iodized table salt will do. This will create a brine solution with the cabbage juice.

To ensure the cabbage is properly salted, sprinkle salt onto your wet hands, then rub it into the cabbage pieces. Press the leaves in your hand to squeeze as much water out of them as possible. Once finished, tie up the bag and set it aside for 5-6 hours. Check it after three hours to ensure that everything is all right, stirring the mixture if necessary.

Take the cabbage out of the salt solution and rinse it if necessary. It should be a lot softer than it was. Again, remove surplus water. Place cabbage in a sealable plastic box. Add the spring onions, chopped into small pieces. Crush the garlic and ginger in a press and mix in. You may also add half an onion, finely diced, if you wish.

It is also recommended to add kim chi sauce. This is the only ingredient that you can't always buy at a non-Korean supermarket. There are several different kinds, many of which contain fish or other seafood such as oysters. You only need one tablespoonful.

Add the chili powder. It is possible to use other kinds of chili powder; if you use hot chili powder, you should reduce the amount. Add two tablespoonfuls of sugar.

Mash the chili powder into the leaves as you did in much the same way with the salt. If the color doesn't seem dark enough, add more chili powder. It's a good idea to wear gloves while doing this.

Put the containers aside for three days.

Finally the kimchi is ready. It should be soft in consistency, but not too mushy, with a little crunchiness left in the larger pieces. You can eat it as is, or use it in your favorite Korean recipes and it makes a great stir fry, too.

"Mat-itkae duseyo!"- thats korean for "enjoy your food!"

KIMCHI

The favorite kimchi vegetable is Chinese (or Napa) cabbage. The Koreans ferment it in enormous quantities. They then pack the kimchi into huge earthenware jars, bury the jars in the ground up to the neck, and cover the lids with straw until the kimchi is needed. Kimchi almost always includes hot pepper, usually dried and either ground or crushed into flakes. Because the ground dried hot pepper sold in Korean markets is generally fairly mild, Koreans can use generous quantities. Some of the Mexican (and New Mexican) ground peppers now sold in supermarkets are comparable. If you can't find ground pepper with a moderate heat level, you might combine sweet paprika and cayenne to suit your taste.

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pickling salt 6 cups water

2 lbs. Chinese (Napa) cabbage, cut into 2-inch squares

6 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths, then slivered

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons Korean ground dried hot pepper (or other mildly hot ground red pepper)

1 teaspoon sugar

Makes about 1 1/2 Quarts

1. Dissolve the 3 tablespoons salt in the water. Put the cabbage into a large bowl, a crock, or a nonreactive pot, and pour the brine over it. Weight the cabbage down with a plate. Let the cabbage stand for 12 hours.

2. Drain the cabbage, reserving the brine. Mix the cabbage with the remaining ingredients, including the 1 teaspoon salt. Pack the mixture into a 2-quart jar. Pour enough of the reserved brine over the cabbage to cover it. Push a freezer bag into the mouth of the jar, and pour the remaining brine into the bag. Seal the bag. Let the kimchi ferment in a cool place, at a temperature no higher than 68° F, for 3 to 6 days,until the kimchi is as sour as you like.

3. Remove the brine bag, and cap the jar tightly. Store the kimchi in the refrigerator, where it will keep for months.

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/appetizers/pi...

I hope this is what you are looking for.

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of Chinese or Napa cabbage

4 teaspoons non-iodized (kosher or pickling) salt

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated

dried chili flakes

2 1/2 cups cold water

PREPARATION:

1. Wash the cabbage and remove any wilted outer leaves. Split the cabbage in half, then cut it into 1 inch pieces.

2. Mix the water and the salt together. Add the cabbage pieces. Place a plate or another weight to keep the cabbage pieces submerged in the water.

Leave it to soak overnight.

3. Drain the salt water, but save it in a separate container.

4. Mix the cabbage thoroughly with the remaining ingredients and put it in a clean quart jar. Press down the mixture in the jar until salt water rises. The cabbage should be submerged. If not, add some of the brine you saved.

5. Add a weight to keep the cabbage submerged. You can use anything that fits into the jar, but it must be sterile and be suitable for food preparation.

6. Check on the cabbage daily. If it's not submerged, open the jar and use a spoon to push down the cabbage.

7. The jar should be left in a warm place, such as on the kitchen counter for about a week. After that it's ready to eat, and can be stored in the fridge.

it is pickled vegetables and will create a strong odor. It is easier on the house and you just to buy it from a korean grocer. If you don't know what it is, might be better to start with a jar first