Kimchi

Cafe Society
1

I just made about 200 lbs of kimchi.

All Homer Alaskan grown veggies. On the bluff with rich volcanic soil.

Carrots, Celeriac, rutabagas, diakon, several varieties of cabbage, leeks, green onions, turnips, kolrabi.

Seasoned with: Ginger, garlic, Korean Chili, fresh brine shrimp, Gray Celtic sea salt and a bit of other chilies.
It is great already and will be amazing in a few days/weeks when fermentation starts. Lots of work hauling from the root celler and cleaning everything but it is worth it. Processed about three hundred lbs of veggies

I can give kimchi tips if requested.

2

Whoa. :slight_smile: I’ve done about 5-10 pounds of kimchi at a time, but 200? Hats off to you.

3

Just an aside- I learned what Kimchi is from an old MASH episode. Frank saw some Koreans burying a Kimchi pot and thought it was a bomb. He goes out with a metal detector / mine sweeper and when he finds it Hawkeye just opens it and explains what it is.

He then asks Frank if he should keep it a secret. Frank not understanding says, “What?” to which Hawkeye responds, “Don’t you understand man, you’ve struck coleslaw!”

Really old, late 70s, when the show was still funny…

4

200 pounds? That’ll last a long time unless you have a big family. I don’t like kimchi that’s more than two weeks old; it gets too sour.

Did you pickle your hands while making it? :wink:

5

I am a professional chef and have great knife skills. We did it in my commercial kitchen. So a bit more ergonomic. Just me and a farmer. 8 hrs or so. Lots of work.

I agree hat kimchi is best around two weeks. But I will eat it many months in.

6

Plus the old kimchi is what you want when you’re making something like kimchi jjigae. Mmmmm…

7

I was thinking of buying this in the store. What does one put it on?

8

You can eat it on its own (which is probably the most common way of eating it), you can put it in a stew (the kimchi jjigae I mentioned is my favorite), you can stir fry with it, you can make an omelet with it, etc.

ETA: Here’s a number of suggestions.

9

I don’t want to hijack a perfectly good thread, but I have to tell of my first and last experience with Kimchi.

I was stationed in Seoul in 1987-88, and that October of 87 was a really warm Indian summer on the penninsula. The Airport at Kimpo was under huge remodeling for the upcoming Olympic games, and we were hearded into customs several floors from the main part of the airport on a huge frieght elevator.

Probably close to 100 people on this elevator that proceeded to get stuck between floors, with temps reaching 85 degrees. We were there for about 45 minutes. After about five minutes, I started to smell something like B.O., but slightly sweeter and stronger. As people began to sweat, the odor grew and grew until it was like a physical thing in the elevator with us.

I was the only migook in the place, and couldn’t belieive that no one else was bothered or even noticed the smell. After about a half an hour, the smell was making my eyes water, and I thought my throat was going to slam shut from the abuse.

The doors finally opened, and we moved out into blessed fresh air, and a very apologetic airport staff. That night, after getting settled in to my room on the base, my sponsor decided to take me out for a real Korean meal on my first night. I was really excited, and couldn’t wait to tuck in.

When the waiter brought out the first few dishes, I was in hog heaven, Bulgogi, kimbop, and some of the best fresh vegetables I’ve ever had. And then he brought out the Kimchi. I leaned over and took a big breath and all I could smell was that stupid elevator.

I’ve never been able to stomach the stuff since then. It’s a shame, too, because from what I understand, people love it.

10

The first time I made the stuff, I was helping a Korean housewife. I wasn’t wearing gloves and the contact with the chilie kept my hands warm for the better part of a week.

11

Kimchi jjigae is one of my favorite things in the whole world. 넘 넘 넘.

12

What are you storing it in—a barrel? At room temperature? If I took my commercially made kimchi and left it out at room temperature, what would happen?

13

I am storing it in a few large fish totes. Imagine a super heavy duty Rubbermad container.

It is in large fridge now. Although I could speed up the process by leaving it in room temp. If you took your store bought kimchi and set it on the counter the bacteria would grow more rapidly. I don’t think it would make you sick as I do this all the time. I have a large jar on my counter at my cabin. I like when it gets sour. But your tasets may vary. I have a special jar in a fridge that is over 6 months old there is a bit of mold on the rim of the jar. I love it and savour a piece now and again. No ill effects. I imagine at room temp you would get it to that point in a couple weeks. The mold seems a non isssue and only shows when it is really old. I seem to always get a bit of mold when I make saurcraut. I just remove it.

My room temp is likely much colder than yours. So Just watch and taste it daily to get it were you like then slow it down by refridgeration. .

14

Ah yes, that lovely secondhand kimchi effect!

I used to work with an attractive young lady from Korea. She was in the habit of munching kimchi directly from the jar while driving to work…her favorite breakfast. Then she would come to my desk to discuss the day’s project, lean over close to talk (she spoke softly, & I am hard of hearing)…and the blast of kimchi-breath would almost literally knock me backwards out of my chair…

15

Do you use any sort of fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance) in your kimchi? I tried making vegan kimchi once, and while it wasn’t bad, it just lacked that certain something that the fish sauce provides.

16

I use fresh salted brine shrimp I get from a Korean market when I make it to anchorage. And some Three Crabs fish sauce.

So good.

17

Yes, shrimp is essential to perfect kimchi.

I love old kimchi. Here they serve 3-year-old kimchi was pork and it is to die for.