Kimchi is a blankĀ paletteĀ on which you can paint an infinite variety of flavors. For this batch, I used the vegetables I had in my house at the time and put together this combination. It still features the basic kimchi spicy paste (garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce and fermented fish sauce), but the roles normally played by cabbage and radish have been changed.
Kitchen Sink Kimchi
Prep time
Fermentation time
Author: Fermenters Club
Recipe type: fermented vegetable
Cuisine: condiment
Ingredients
- 3 large carrots
- 4 stalks celery
- 2 beets (I used the beautiful Chiogga variety)
- 6 medium shiitake mushrooms
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 strips kombu (seaweed)
- filtered water
- sea salt
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled (I used fermented cloves)
- soy sauce
Instructions
Soak Vegetables
- Dissolve salt into water in a one-gallon (or larger) glass or ceramic container. Stir until salt dissolves.
- Peel and cut stems off fennel bulb and carrots. Cut into thin slices using a mandoline, V-slicer, or knife.
- Add all veggies to the brine. Cover with a plastic lid or plate and weigh down (I use a glass wine bottle filled with water) so that the contents stay under the brine. Leave for 4-6 hours (overnight is okay).
- Drain the veggies through a colander, reserving about a cup of the brine.
Prepare spice paste
- With kitchen shears or a chef knife, cut the kombu into small (1/4") pieces into the mixing bowl of a food processor.
- If you donāt have a food processor, peel and grate the ginger, and mince the garlic. If using a food processor, you can just roughly chop the garlic and slice the ginger. Add to mixing bowl or food processor bowl.
- Add pepper powder, soy sauce and fish sauce to mixing bowl. Vegan variation: omit fish sauce.
- Stir and mash contents (or pulse with food processor) together until a paste forms.
Pack Jar or Crock
- Wearing a latex or plastic glove to protect yourself from the heat of the peppers, Mix the paste thoroughly with your hand into the drained vegetables and the other half of the scallions. You can mix everything directly in the fermenting container, or in a separate large mixing bowl. Mix until the veggies are coated nicely with the paste.
Ferment
- Cover with a plastic lid or plate, and weigh down so that the contents stay under the brine. Some brine will continue to form once the veggies are pressed down.
- Cover with a cloth and rubber band to keep flies out.
- If after one day, the contents are not completely submerged, top it off with some of the reserved brine.
- Store in a warmest spot in your kitchen for a week. Note: Your house will smell like kimchi.
- Transfer contents to mason jars and store in fridge (or swap with your local club members!)
Ā
Not your cup of tea? We have other kimchi recipes– traditional kimchi (with pepper powder) and with kimchi with fresh peppers.
