Make Kimchi Yourself – That’s How It Works

Kimchi recipe: ingredients at a glance

Kimchi consists mainly of fermented cabbage. Similar to sauerkraut, the lactic acid bacteria provide a sour taste after some time of fermentation. The following recipe is classic kimchi. If necessary, you can vary the vegetables according to your ideas.

• 1 Chinese cabbage
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 1 small head of ginger, no more than 4 cm long
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 sheet of nori seaweed
• 180 grams of salt
• 1 tablespoon Korean Gochugaru (or regular chili powder)
• 2 teaspoons paprika powder
• 0.5 tablespoons agave syrup or rice syrup
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 juniper berries
• Mason jars or jars with screw caps

Instructions: Make kimchi yourself

In the following bullet points, we explain how you can easily make your own kimchi.

1. Halve the cabbage and remove the core. Cut the cabbage into strips about 2 cm thick.
2. Put the cabbage in a bowl with the salt. Add enough cold water to completely cover the cabbage. Stir briefly so that the salt dissolves in the water.
3. Now leave the cabbage for 2 to 4 hours. It is best to put the bowl in the fridge for this.
4. Remove the cabbage from the bowl and wash with cold clear water to remove the salt. Pour off the brine first, you will need it later.
5. Slice the spring onions, chop the nori sheet into small pieces and finely chop the garlic. You can use the kitchen grater to slice the ginger and carrot into fine slices.
6. Add the vegetables to the cabbage and fold in the spices. Mix everything vigorously. Use a spoon or your hands. However, due to the chili powder, you should wear gloves when doing this.
7. Now fill the kimchi into glasses. You should sterilize the jars beforehand so that no germs can form in the kimchi.
8. Press the kimchi down with each layer you fill to prevent air from forming between the layers. If the vegetables are not covered with liquid at the top, add some of the brine.
9. Place the lid on the jar, but don’t close it completely. Leave the jar at room temperature for at least two days. The longer the glass sits, the more intense the flavor will be.
10. To stop the fermentation, you can close the jar after two days at the earliest and store it in the refrigerator for several weeks.