Mak Kimchi

I got this authentic mak kimchi from a Korean friend’s mom and I love it because it only takes about two hours to make and it lasts for at least 4 months! You can have it plain with rice, make soups, and my favourite of all, Kimchi Fried Rice. It’s always a good standby when guests drop by unexpectedly for dinner and it’s too late to prepare an extra dish. Kimchi will even transform your instant ramen noodles into an appetizing, spicy meal.

Authentic homemade mak kimchi ferments naturally on its own thus giving a smooth, spicy and sour taste unlike the sometimes overwhelmingly sharp tasting ones you get from the grocery stores. When the kimchi is new, it is crunchy and sweet. Its taste changes over time to a pungent and appetising  sour pickle,

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 head wong buk [napa cabbage) – quartered lenghtwise, discard the core and cut into 2” pieces

1 daikon radish – julienned

1 carrot – julienned

2 leeks – sliced

2 scallions – chopped

10 chives – cut into 1 1/2” length

1/4 cup salt

 

Sauce ingredients:

10 cloves garlic – peeled

2” ginger – peeled

1 1/2 to 2 cups kimchi pepper flakes

1 cup fish sauce ( I use nam pla )

1 large white onion

1 1/2 cup sweet kimchi paste (recipe below)

 

Sweet kimchi paste:

2 cups water

1/3 cup glutinous rice flour

5 tablespoons sugar.

Mix all ingredients well in a mixing bowl, making sure that there are no lumps and transfer to a saucepot.

Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, keep stirring for 3 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick and and shiny.

Leave to cool.

 

METHOD:

1). Soak wong bok in water mixed with 1/4 cup salt. Mix and turn the wong buk every 30 minutes. Soak for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2). Rinse wong buk under running water to wash away the salt solution.

3). Drain and gently squeeze out excess water from wong buk.

4). Blitz all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and transfer to a big mixing bowl.

5). Mix in all the vegetables and make sure that all the veggies are evenly coated with the kimchi sauce.

6). Pack the kimchi into a clean container and press make sure there are no air bubbles trapped inside the kimchi.

7). Cover and leave in a cool dark place for 36 hours and then store in the fridge.

8). The kimchi will be ready to be eaten after 4 days.

 

Note: Serve kimchi with a sprinkle of sesame seed oil.