HOW TO : homemade vegan kimchi

so i’m finally sharing my kimchi recipe – feels like i’ve been waiting forever to share it with you !
it’s one of the recipes in my cookbook, so i thought it best to wait with the recipe until the book came out.

this might be the best recipe ever in my humble opinion, since no fish or other sea creatures have had to say bye bye to life for this to be made. instead i’m using nori seaweed (you know the one you use for sushi rolls) to get a slight oceany flavour.
i’m using the korean chili powder gochugaru, which is used in traditional kimchi, but if you can’t find that where you live – just use your favourite type of chili. i think paprika works quite well as a replacement.

kimchi can be used for so many things. i like it on rice, as a soup base, with my pasta, as topping on salads, and in grilled sandwiches. and i can’t wait to find new ways to use it – experimentation game on !

watch the video for more info !

here with best friend – miss sauerkraut.

vegan kimchi
1 napa cabbage head
2 000 ml / 8.5 cups water
200 ml / 0.8 cups salt (iodine free)
2 tbsp gochugaru (korean chili powder, find it in asian supermarkets, or use other chili powder)
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
5 cm / 2 in ginger, grated
1 nori sheet, finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
1 tsp agave syrup
1/2 carrot, julienned
3 cm / 1.25 in daikon radish, julienned
3 spring onions, sliced

– wash your hands and equipment thoroughly.
– make a 5-7 cm / 2-2.75 in long cut in the napa cabbage root. gently pull apart. repeat on both halves, making the head split in 4 pieces.
– place the pieces in a large bowl. mix the salt (iodine-free, since iodine is anti-bacterial and hence can mess up the process) with the water and pour over the cabbage pieces, so that the cabbage is covered by water.
– cover with tin foil and place something heavy on to top to keep the cabbage submerged. let sit in room temperature for 2-3 hours.
– mix the gochugaru with garlic, ginger, nori and agave syrup. fold in the carrot, daikon, and spring onions.
– remove the cabbage from the water, discard the salt water, and rinse the bowl. put the cabbage back in the bowl and add the chili mix. gently massage the cabbage with the chili, making sure that all cabbage leaves are covered.
– carefully roll the cabbage as tightly as possible and place in one big, or a couple of smaller, glass jars. make sure the jars are completely clean. leave in room temperature, without closing the lid completely (gas needs to be able to escape). after 2 days the kimchi is ready, but it’s of course possible to ferment it longer in room temperature for a stronger flavour.
– it should smell sour, not dank when ready. keep in fridge for up to… well months and months. i’ve never had mine long enough to go bad. the longest i’ve kept a batch is probably 6 months.

me and my kimchi.

do you like these how to recipes ? let me know if you want to see more of these from scratch recipes !
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love // jenny