Vegan Vegan Kim Chi!

It is here!  The long-awaited kim chi post.  It has now been fermenting in the fridge for 15 days, and it is delicious!  I can't detect a difference in taste over the past week of fermentation, but we'll see how it does in the next week when kim chi recipe writers warn of its growing pungency.  The only concern is that there may not be much left for the taste test!

This recipe is super easy and only requires time.  The kim chi is so tasty, and we've been eating it with so many different things. I reduced the amount of sugar in David Chang's recipe, so the chili flavor is super mellow and secondary to the nosy tingle of the fermented vegetables.  I cut the daikons and carrots into ribbons, and left the garlic and ginger in slices, so that they could be enjoyed for themselves in addition to adding to the over all flavor.  The garlic slices are a real winner!  Although the ginger is a little overpowering for me.  There are many for whom I know that would be a real plus though!

It's amazing to see the pictures from when all the vegetables first went into the jar to the vegetables now! From this:

To this!:

Can't wait to hear about your experiences trying this great recipe! 

Enjoy!

Kim Chi

adapted from David Chang's Momofuku recipe

Takes 1 hour active time, 2 days to 2weeks fermentation time

Makes about 1 liter kim chi (about 1 quart)

1/2 of a large head of napa cabbage, discolored or loose outer leaves discarded

2 Tbsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup of sugar (I used palm sugar, which I had left over from making the fish sauce)

1/2 cup Korean chile powder (if you don't have it, some combination of hot chile powder and paprika would work--Korean chile powder isn't that spicy.  Armenian, or Kashmiri chile powder would work too)

1/4 cup fish sauce (or vish sauce)
1/4 cup light soy sauce

2 teaspoons vegetarian shrimp paste

20 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

20 thin slices of ginger (about 2 inches of ginger, peeled)

1/2 cup 1-inch pieces of scallions (about 8 scallions)

1/2 cup carrot ribbons, sliced with a peeler (about 3 small carrots)

1/2 cup daikon ribbons, sliced with a peeler (about 6 inches of a daikon)

Cut the cabbage in half, lengthwise, and then cut each hemisphere into 1-inch wide pieces.  Separate the leaf-pieces and toss in a large bowl with the salt.  Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Combine chile powder, fish sauce, soy sauce, shrimp paste, and sugar in a large bowl.  Add 1/3 cup of water to make a thick, salad dressing-esque liquid.  Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, carrots and daikons.

Drain the cabbage, and add to the big bowl.  Stir thoroughly.  

Place it in a large jar (I used a 3 liter jar), and press the mixture down to release the juices of the cabbage.  I found this slotted spoon best for the pressing.

Make sure as much of the vegetables are under the brine as possible.  Cover and refrigerate.

Will keep indefinitely, but good luck keeping it beyond 2 weeks!

Kim Chi Update--Day 5

Readers of my last post on vegetarian fish sauce will know that a big jar of kim chi has been brewing in my refrigerator.  Today is Day 5, and we took a little out today to eat with our hot lunch--whatever's in the fridge jap chae!

I will post a recipe for this bowl of yummy sweet potato noodles as soon as I remember to write down what I did, but in the meantime, the kim chi is amazing!  I will post a recipe for that soon too, but I mostly followed David Chang's recipe, veggifying it.  It's so good!  Not too spicy or too salty, and just starting to develop that awesome fermented flavor.

We ate it on little fried tofu squares, too.

So good!!!

The Last of the Winter Cabbage

Readers in the northern hemisphere, maybe you too have been struggling all winter to cook the cabbage that comes in your CSA boxes, that is the only local vegetable in the market, that is cheap and fresh-looking in a sea of expensive and sad vegetables.  I have been experimenting with cabbage recipes all winter, and have to say, have not been excited with the results.  There was cabbage in Japanese-inspired soups, a failed attempt to make sauerkraut, and all varieties of curries!   At last though, an unqualified cabbage success!  Here is a great cabbage and lentil curry that is so yummy and satisfying with rice, with some of Manjula's parathas, or even, thinned out as soup.  Now that other vegetables have returned to the northern hemisphere, the recipe is, perhaps, a season too late.  Because cabbage is cheap and available, it has a reputation as a vegetable of last resort, but, undeserved!  You could save this recipe for next winter, or better yet, even though there are other, more exciting vegetables in the market, choose reliable, delicious cabbage.

Cabbage Curry with Lentils

Inspired by Plantain Leaf's Andhra Cabbage and Channa Dal Curry

Makes 6 servings

Takes 1 hour

1 1/2 cup channa dal

salt

turmeric powder

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

asofetida

10–12 curry leaves (from one sprig)

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

1 green chili, sliced lengthwise

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 a giant head of cabbage, washed and chopped (easily 2 pounds or about 6 big handfuls)

red chili powder

garam masala or sambhar powder

Soak the channa dal in water for about 30 minutes.

In a sauce pan, bring channa dal, some salt (1 teaspoon for now), and some turmeric (1 teaspoon) and a lot of water to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until channa dal has softened (they will still retain their shape and be a little tough in the middle.  this is ok).

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan or a stock pot, heat some vegetable or canola oil (to cover the bottom of the pan) on high heat.  When it's hot, add the mustard seeds.  When they begin to pop, throw in the cumin seeds.  When those begin browning, add a couple of shakes of asofetida and the curry leaves.  Let saute for just a minute and then add the onion, garlic and ginger.  Saute until soft and let sit for a bit so that the bottom begins to brown, it makes it better!

Add green chili and tomatoes, some turmeric and chilli powder to taste, and saute, until the tomatoes break down, making sure to scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

Add the cabbage, some salt, and one cup of water, carefully stirring the cabbage into the masala.  When it is all combined, lower heat, cover, and let simmer until the cabbage is softened, 10 to 15 minutes.  Keep checking and turning the cabbage to make sure it cooks evenly.

Check on the chana dal.  Once it is ready, add the dal, and as much of the dal water as necessary to the cabbage to make a saucy curry.  Add more dal water if you would like to eat as soup, a little less if you are eating it with rice or parathas.

Stir it all together, check for salt and spice.  When you are happy, sprinkle with garam masala or sambhar powder, whichever you prefer (I used sambhar powder).  Top with cilantro if you have it.  Enjoy!