Day 118 -- The Amazing Kimchi Adventure -- Part Three

Well, my amazing kimchi adventure has come to an end.  After fermenting for 3 days, my kimchi was ready for a taste.  I had added a bit more salt to the mix yesterday, not sure that it was salty enough to stop any germs from growing.  Today, I took a spoonful and tried it.  And it was sour and spicy and crunchy and salty pretty close to the Sunja brand of vegan kimchi that I was trying to copy.

I'm going to copy the recipe I posted earlier with the alterations I think I'll make on my next batch and notes on the changes I made.

Vegan Kimchi

1 large head of green cabbage, core removed, chopped into large pieces
1 bag of matchstick carrots (10 oz.)
1 leek, cut into half moons (discard dark green top)
8 green onions, cut into 2-inch slivers
3/4 cup Korean red pepper flakes (I increased this because my kimchi was too mild)
2  t. sugar (increased for additional sweetness)
1/4 c.  minced ginger (done in food processor) increased for more flavor
1/2 c. minced garlic (done in food processor) increased for more flavor

Peel the large outer leaves off the cabbage and wash and reserve.  Chop the cabbage and wash thoroughly, then put in a non-reactive bowl or ceramic-coated soup pot.  Cover with a brine made with 1 T. of sea salt to every 2 cups of water.  Let this sit for 24 hours until cabbage is slightly wilted.  Rinse cabbage and mix the cabbage with the other ingredients in a large bowl.  Put mixture into large jar (I used a 1 gallon apothecary jar) and then make a new batch of brine or use the brine from wilting the cabbage. Pour in jar to cover the cabbage mixture.  Stir to get all the air bubbles out and then put large cabbage leaves and a small plate on top to press all the veggies below the surface of the brine.  Add some type of weight to hold the plate down.  I used a small bowl.  Allow to ferment for 2 to 6 days.

I stirred the mix every day and after 3 days, tasted it.  I was already sour, so I transferred the veggies to a plastic container, added some of the brine and put it in the fridge.  But not before I topped some freshly cooked brown rice with my home-made kimchi and a little sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce.  I have to say, it was definitely fermented.  After I ate it, my stomach started growling and rumbling so the probiotics were doing their work.