Kimchi is a fermented food which is commonly made with Chinese cabbage or radishes, fresh seafood and spices. Description of many different types of kimchi can be found on my kimchi page. Kimchi is currently the "ambassador" of Korean food, spreading the knowledge of Korean cuisine, as it is exported not only to Japan but also to Europe, Africa and many other parts of the world. The Korean government is making a great effort to publicize kimchi internationally.
Ingredients
10 heads Chinese cabbage(approx. 2 kg each)
2 large white radishes
5 cups coarse salt and red pepper powder
1 bundle (200g) tchoka(thread scallions)
2 bundles (100g) kat (Indian mustard leaf)
2 bundles (200g) minari (watercress)
2 cups saewu chot (pickled baby shrimp)
10 bulbs garlic
100g ginger
5 scallions
2 cups fresh oysters
table, salt
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Make a brine with 3 cups of the coarse salt and 20 cups of
water and soak the cabbage sections and the trimmed green outer leaves in the brine. Drain, sprinkle with the remaining salt and let stand overnight or until softened.
Slice the radishes into thin julienne strips. Add 2 cups
warm water to the red pepper powder and let stand to make pepper paste. Add pepper paste to the radishes and mix well until the red colour is set.
Slice the scallions diagonally, mince the garlic and ginger, trim the Indian mustard leaves, watercress and thread scallions and cut them into 4 cm long pieces.
Wash the oysters in brine and drain. Chop the pickled
baby shrimp and save the juice.
Combine all the ingredients from steps #3 and #4, along with the juice from the shrimp, to the radishes and mix well. Toss the mixture with the oysters.
Rinse the cabbage thoroughly in cold water and drain.
Pack the stuffing from step #5 between the layers of the cabbage leaves and firmly wrap the stuffed cabbages with the outer leaves. Stack them in a crock. Cut some large pieces of radish and insert them between the stack of cabbages.
Cover the top with some of the trimmed green outer leaves and sprinkle coarse salt over it. Let it sit until fermented.