Kim Chi From the kitchen of Colonel Chun's Mother-in-Law

Be sure to shop at a Korean or Oriental grocery for the most authentic ingredients! Don't be shy, ask for things if you don't spot the translation on the bottles, bags, and jars.

• Saltwater brine (see recipe below)
• 2 small or 3 large Chinese Cabbage ("Petchu")
• 1 bulb fresh garlic
• 1 cubic inch piece of fresh ginger root
• 7 green onions
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 ½ TBL Anchovy Sauce (sometimes called "Fish Sauce")
• 3 heaping TBL Red Pepper (coarse ground)
• 2 ½ TBL granulated white sugar
• 1 to 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt

DAY ONE:
Cut cabbages in half lengthwise. Spread leaves and sprinkle between stalks lightly with fine sea salt. Place cabbage in brine for 12 to 24 hours, turning and dipping occassionally.

DAY TWO:
Rinse cabbages in fresh water 3 to 4 times. Spread leaves and stems to rinse out salt and brine. Squeeze cabbages to remove as much water as possible being careful not to mash stalks.

Break apart garlic bud and soak in water briefly. Peel garlic and ginger root and mince/grind/puree in a food processor. Cut green onions in half length-wise and chop into 1 ½-inch pieces. Cut yellow onion in half and slice thinly.

Combine all ingredients in a large plastic mixing bowl or tub. Mix well, turning and gently squeezing ingredients to distribute spices evenly. Wearing plastic food preparation gloves is recommended - watch out for the peppers, fish oil, garlic, ginger, and onions!

Pack firmly into a 1-gallon glass jar with an air-tight lid. Seal jar and let stand at room temperature (but below 75° F) for up to 24 hours. After this fermentation period, move jar to the refrigerator. The Kim Chi is now ready to serve and can be divided into smaller air-tight jars at this point. The Kim Chi will continue to grow in strength and flavor for several weeks. Consume within 3 to 4 weeks, before the cabbage becomes very soft.

In warmer weather, Kim Chi is placed directly in the refrigerator, and will be ready in 3 to 4 days.

Serving Suggetions:

Korean meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are typically centered around rice as the main staple. The accompanying side dishes are intended to provide flavor to the rice. Kim Chi provides a spicey, crunchy, light taste. Other side dishes could include a variety of meats and sauces, and steamed or stir-fried vegetables.

The recipe above is a mild one. For more "zing", add more of the chili pepper and garlic (up to double)!

Saltwater Brine:
Saltwater brine for cabbage is 3 quarts of water and 4 ½ TBL coarse sea salt. If you boil the brine (not required for Kim Chi), be sure to cool it completely before soaking cabbage.