Kimchi the way my favorite Korean restaurant makes it

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 1 Chinese cabbage, fresh, approx. 1 – 1.2 kg
• n. B. Sea salt, fine
• 100 g carrot(s), cut into fine strips of 3 cm length
• 150 g radishes, cut into fine strips
• 2 m.-large spring onions, cut into fine rolls
• 1 m.-large shallot(s), cut into fine strips
• 1 piece(s) ginger, fresh, hazelnut-sized
• 2 garlic bulbs, Chinese, alternatively about 8 cloves of normal
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, freshly chopped
• 200 ml water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¾ tbsp glutinous rice flour, alternatively potato or cornstarch
• 40 ml fish sauce, Korean, from the Asian shop
• 30 g sweet paprika powder, finely ground
• 30 g chili flakes, Korean, not extremely hot
• some fish sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest period approx. 10 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 10 days 2 hours

I got the recipe after hard negotiations from the chef of my “Korean”

First, prepare the Chinese cabbage. Wash thoroughly, remove any wrinkled outer leaves, and cut the very end of the stalk. The stalk stays attached, though. Now quarter the Chinese cabbage lengthwise. First, salt the outside of the cut sides, then carefully fan out each layer and season generously with salt. Always ensure that all the leaves remain firmly attached to the stalk. Once all four quarters have been treated, place the cabbage pieces in a large bowl and let it sit for 3 hours. Turn every 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the marinade for the kimchi. In a pot on the stove, whisk the water and glutinous rice flour together well, then bring to a boil. Add the sugar, mix thoroughly, remove from the heat, and let cool. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrot and cut into fine 3 cm sticks. I use a julienne cutter for this and then trim to the appropriate length. Remove the tops and roots from the radishes and also finely chop them. Clean the shallot and slice into thin strips. Finally, finely chop or mince the spring onions. Roughly chop the remaining ingredients—ginger, garlic, and coriander—and add them to the food processor along with the fish sauce. I always like to use Chinese garlic in bulb form because it’s easier to clean. Alternatively, use about 8 cloves of regular garlic. Chop the ingredients thoroughly into a thick paste. Once the water in the pot has cooled, add the paste and stir thoroughly. Now add the paprika and Korean chili powder. Add the chopped vegetables and stir everything together again. Let it marinate until the cabbage is cooked. If you’re starting out with kimchi, please start by buying mild chili from an Asian store and gradually work your way up to your personal comfort level. It’s primarily about the chili flavor, not about overheating. That’s just a way to ruin your food, and those stupid spicy food records are for others to set. After three hours, thoroughly rinse the Chinese cabbage with running water to remove most of the salt and place it on a tea towel to drain. During all these activities, always ensure that the cabbage leaves remain attached to the stem. Now the marinade and cabbage are “married.” Tip: I first divide the marinade into four small bowls or cups so that each cabbage portion receives the same amount. Carefully cut the first drained cabbage quarter lengthwise again to create eighths. Now carefully fan out the cabbage and rub each layer with the marinade. Tip: Wear latex gloves when doing this, as paprika and chili turn your hands red, and the capsaicin in the chili powder is very damaging to the skin. Washing your hands won’t help, as the substance isn’t water-soluble. Finally, rub the outer edges. Either pour the kimchi into recycled jam jars or “tupper” it into airtight plastic bowls. Whichever you use, disinfect the container and lid with boiling water beforehand. Before sealing, I always add a dash of fish sauce to the top of the cabbage. Now process the last of the cabbage in the same way. Tip: I always use containers of different sizes so that I always have the right amount available for later use. Now let the kimchi stand in the kitchen at room temperature for 3 days to allow fermentation to begin. Lift the lid off occasionally. Then let it mature for another week in the refrigerator or a cool pantry. Then it’s ready to use and will keep for at least another 3 weeks. The kimchi is a great side dish for fish, meat, poultry, and tofu, but also a real hit in soups or as a salad. Kimchi is also wonderfully suitable for cross-cooking, for example, as a pizza topping. The sky’s the limit. Holistic medicine practitioners also recommend fermented foods such as kimchi, miso, or sauerkraut as a supportive therapy or preventative measure against inflammatory processes in the body.