Vegan Kimchi

Photo: Down to Earth Recipes
A spicy and sour traditional Korean fermented side dish.
Yield
20-30 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 medium napa cabbage, sliced (save one outer leaf)
  • 6-8 scallions, green parts finely chopped, white parts reserved
  • 6-8 radishes, sliced thinly
  • 3-4 small carrots, sliced thinly (optional)
  • 1/3 -1/4 cup pure salt (no iodine or preservatives)
  • 8 cups water
  • 1.5-2 inches of ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 Tablespoon red miso (optional)
  • 2-4 Tablespoons chili powder (Korean kochukaru is ideal)
Instructions
  1. Sterilize two large glass or ceramic jars and two smaller jars that will fit inside the mouth of the larger ones. Wash your hands, working areas and utensils thoroughly.
  2. Mix the cabbage, green parts of scallions, radish and carrots. Put into the two large jars.
  3. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over the vegetables. Weigh the vegetables down with the second smaller jars filled with water (or something heavy). Cover and let it sit for 8 hours on the counter.
  4. Drain the vegetables and reserve the brine. Put the vegetables in a bowl.
  5. Add the ginger, garlic, miso, scallion whites, chili powder and 1/4 cup of the brine to a blender or food processor and mix to a fine paste. Add more brine if necessary to make a paste.
  6. Pour the paste into the vegetables and mix well. Feel free to massage it in by hand. All of the vegetables should be coated with the paste.
  7. Pack the vegetables tightly back into the jars. The vegetables must be completely submerged in liquid. Add some of the reserved brine if needed to submerge them. Put the reserved cabbage leaf on top to help hold the vegetables under the liquid. Weigh everything down with the smaller jar and cover.
  8. Leave on the counter at room temp for two days. Taste. If it’s not sour enough, leave it out longer, tasting every day until it’s fermented to your liking. Then, ensuring the kimchi is still submerged in liquid, screw the lid on tightly and put it in the fridge.
  9. It’s ready to serve! It will also keep for three months in the fridge where will continue to ferment more slowly. Mmmm! Spicy, garlicky deliciousness! Enjoy!