Kimchi is a living food. It is a traditional Korean dish of fermented vegetables, the most common of which are napa cabbage and daikon radish.
- 1 medium-size head Napa cabbage
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 lb. daikon, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
- 2 green onions with tops cut thin
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 to 2 tsp Korean red pepper or cayenne
- 2 teaspoon organic sugar
- 1/2 packet Culture Starter from bodyecology.com
1. In a the bottom of your jar mix 4 oz warm purified water with 1/2 packet culture starter and the sugar to feed the probiotics in the starter set aside for minimum 20 minutes.
2. Chop up all veggies, I like to cut mine up small so it is easy for the kids to eat. You can also run through your food processor but I prefer texture from being cut up. Place in a big bowl.
3. Grab a handful and put in the blender with 8 oz water and blend. Pour into jar with the culture water and add sea salt and red pepper or cayenne and stir.
4. Start packing in your veggie mixture pressing down with your fist packing it tight when you have 1/2 inch from the top add some more purified water until veggies are covered with wate. You may need to add some extra purified water in if it isn’t submerged top. Then put 2-3 whole cabbage leaves on top to hold the vegetables under water and close shut.
5. Place on top of your fridge or somewhere it will be undisturbed, cover with a towel if your house is on the cold side. Let sit for 5-7 days in the winter. Mine usually cultures in 4-5 days in the summer and 5 -7 in the winter just depending on how warm your house is. You can tap it after 4 days and see if it still fizzes or bubbles, if it does it is still culturing if not then they should be done and you can place them in the refrigerator. Pull the full cabbage leaves off and if everything isn’t submerged in water add a little purified water. Stir, taste and put in fridge. Should stay good for about 8 mths but they are so good probably won’t last longer than a couple of weeks.
