There are three steps to making any kimchi.
- Salting/brining the vegetable
- Mixing the ingredients
- Fermenting the kimchi.
1. Salting/Brining
Almost all kimchi will have to be salted before adding the ingredients. The purpose of salting the vegetable is so that it can season and prepare the vegetable by softening and reducing the water within it. It also kills any of the critters or bugs hiding inside the leaves and roots.
We never understood why people would wash their kimchi only to salt it and wash it again. It seems like useless work. Instead, we recommend salting/brining the vegetable and then washing it to get rid of any additional salt and bugs.
Of course there are some exceptions like radish kimchi, which doesn't get washed afterwards. We'd definitely recommend washing the radish before hand.
2. Mixing the Ingredients
Mixing the ingredients is just that. Add the seven plus ingredients, until thoroughly mixed. Nothing mixes better than the old fashioned hand. Your hands will be able to get every piece of garlic and ginger on every crook and cranny. Of course, with the advent of disposable plastic gloves we don't have to endure the garlic smell on our palms like our moms did. Thongs work well too but takes a few minutes longer to incorporate all the ingredients.
3. Fermenting the Kimchi
Kimchi like many other fermented foods was originally developed as a way to preserve food. However over the decades, its become a staple of Korean cuisine and is fast growing in popularity around the world. Research shows that the active bacteria required to ferment kimchi will grow in 3% brine, hence the salting process.
One of the most important types of bacteria that develops in kimchi is the one belonging to the genus Lactobacillus. It produces lactic acid which provides the sour taste you find in kimchi and it also creates an ph environment that prevents harmful bacteria from growing.
To kick start the fermentation process, the kimchi should be placed at room temperature in order for the bacteria to grow. This usually takes 1-3 days depending on the temperature of the room. The colder it is, the slower the bacteria is to form.
Of course if you enjoy fresh kimchi and want to slow down the ripening process, make sure to place your kimchi in the coldest part of the refrigerator immediately.
We never understood why people would wash their kimchi only to salt it and wash it again. It seems like useless work. Instead, we recommend salting/brining the vegetable and then washing it to get rid of any additional salt and bugs.
Of course there are some exceptions like radish kimchi, which doesn't get washed afterwards. We'd definitely recommend washing the radish before hand.
2. Mixing the Ingredients
Mixing the ingredients is just that. Add the seven plus ingredients, until thoroughly mixed. Nothing mixes better than the old fashioned hand. Your hands will be able to get every piece of garlic and ginger on every crook and cranny. Of course, with the advent of disposable plastic gloves we don't have to endure the garlic smell on our palms like our moms did. Thongs work well too but takes a few minutes longer to incorporate all the ingredients.
3. Fermenting the Kimchi
Kimchi like many other fermented foods was originally developed as a way to preserve food. However over the decades, its become a staple of Korean cuisine and is fast growing in popularity around the world. Research shows that the active bacteria required to ferment kimchi will grow in 3% brine, hence the salting process.
One of the most important types of bacteria that develops in kimchi is the one belonging to the genus Lactobacillus. It produces lactic acid which provides the sour taste you find in kimchi and it also creates an ph environment that prevents harmful bacteria from growing.
To kick start the fermentation process, the kimchi should be placed at room temperature in order for the bacteria to grow. This usually takes 1-3 days depending on the temperature of the room. The colder it is, the slower the bacteria is to form.
Of course if you enjoy fresh kimchi and want to slow down the ripening process, make sure to place your kimchi in the coldest part of the refrigerator immediately.
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