This is the quintessential Korean dish. Served with plain rice this was often the entire meal. Some versions are extremely hot and are served as condiments to other dishes. Kimchi …
...So spicy you will be prohibited after eating it from taking your cabbagy flatulence aboard a commercial airliner?

The benefits: A standby for centuries in Korean culture, this spicy fermented cabbage dish acts like a tonic for your gastrointestinal tract and immune system. Add kimchi to organic mashed potatoes, rice, or salads if the distinctly sour, krautfare isn’t appetizing to you on its own.

Try this: Ozuké’s Kim Chi 

Common Ingredients: Napa cabbage, yellow onion, green onion, shallot, ginger, garlic, chile powder, cayenne pepper, paprika and sea salt

1 lb. Chinese cabbage,  Napa or white*, cut crosswise into 2″ sections and then into 2″ pieces
1 large carrot, sliced diagonally
1/4 lb. white Oriental (Daikon) radishes (optional)
2 – 4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. honey or the same Tbs. of  brown sugar
3-4 Tbs. cider vinegar
3-4 cloves garlic or more!!

3 to 4 hot red peppers, dried, 2 inches long, split and chopped or the equivalent heat from Korean chili paste. I would guess the same teaspoons worth. Some wimps prefer using sweet red peppers! (Say 1/2 red sweet pepper … AND the chili paste!) OR: use 1 tablespoon Korean crushed red pepper (sweeter than and not as hot as the other). If you really like it hot, add 1/2 tsp. of Tabasco hot-pepper sauce, or Mongolian Fire Oil.

Process: Slice the white cabbage lengthwise into quarters. Remove the inner core and then slice the quarters into 1 to 2 inch-long pieces. Layer the cabbage in a large plastic or glass container with about 2 Tablespoons salt and 1 Tablespoon of sugar and let sit up to 1/2 day or overnight. Close the container securely, shake to mix and turn a couple of times. 

Empty the cabbage into a sieve and rinse under cold tap water.  Drain and press leaves between your hands to remove excess water. Taste to see how salty it is. One may need to rinse and drain again, several times. Empty into a large bowl.

Then:  Mix the vinegar, hot water (fish sauce if wanted), ginger, pepper, garlic and remaining sugar. Pour over the cabbage.

Slice the carrot and radishes diagonally into 1 -2 inch-long sections. Slice these sections into very thin strips! Add to the cabbage, then toss the cabbage, carrot and radishes with the scallions. . Cover loosely and let refrigerate for at least 24 hours.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for as long as several weeks.

Generally I loosely cover this mix with a lid and let sit at cold temperature for 3 to 5 days to ferment. The liquid will bubble and the flavor will become sour. YES!!! Refrigerate the Kim Chee for 3 to 4 days. The cabbage will become translucent and will be ready to serve. I will more garlic.

 Garlic, Chili and Sauerkraut — sort of. YUM!

MORE: The salt water ration is about 1/2 cup coarse pickling salt to 1 quart water and 3 Tbs. of dried hot red chilies such as Pequin’s.

NOTE: the Kim Chee keeps safely for several weeks.In my own abode for months! Usually found when I take the flamethrower out and clean the fridge!

Bok Choi could also be used, so would 1 1/2 cups sea salt — more garlic, for this vegetable, Japanese horseradish Wasabi might be thrown in as well. Vinegar can also be Rice vinegar for a different taste treat! 3 Tbs. of Vietnamese fish sauce may also be added. Totally different result.  

Kimchi, is similar to sauerkraut. One difference being that the vegetables are sliced, not shredded or chopped.

–any thin-sliced firm vegetables you like, typically cabbage based, but added carrot, beet, daikon, leek, apple, cucumber, citrus, onion, horseradish, etc is fine. Almost anything that can be pickled pickled can be kimchi’d.
I tend to insert very thin sliced fresh ginger!
One can cheat by using store bought sauces such as Vietnamese hot red pepper sauce.
Small amounts of  beef, fish, shrimp, can be added for protein

Most important being that you stuff the sliced raw veggies fairly tight in jar(s), add the liquid to cover, then keep it in the fridge to ferment until it is pliable but not mushy. Burying was used before modern refrigerators, and obviously brings in some risks/techniques for not killing yourself with botulism and other microbes.
Don’t skimp on the garlic or the spices! This is supposed to clear your respiratory system as well as your Colon. A throat to anus clearance recipe.

by Herb Senft