Kimchi with my weird napa cabbage

It grew slowly in my greenhouse from June to December and ended up looking like this. O_o

It was pretty unhappy most of the summer. In the fall it perked up a bit, but then I couldn’t be around much and tend to it. I’m kind of surprised that it survived at all. Maybe if I’d have watered and fertilized it more during October-December, it would have grown nice big heads.

Now it grew cute little heads instead. :3

I don’t like napa cabbage in anything but kimchi, but then again, I like kimchi very much … People claim it’s one of the healthiest things you could possibly eat, you can eat it with almost anything, and it’s really easy to make at home.

Here is my recipe:

Cut the cabbage in smaller pieces and soak in water (just enough to cover it) and sea salt (or “kosher salt”).

Cover and soak overnight. That will start the fermentation process.

Pour out the water and wash the cabbage. It’s good if it’s still wet and there’s water in the bowl, as that will make brine, the watery stuff in the kimchi. I like to use kimchi brine in salty pancakes. :3

You can pretty much chop up any vegetables you like and put them in the kimchi.

Here is what I added now:

* Carrots
* Scallions
* Fresh ginger
* Garlic (lots)
* Chili pepper flakes

Then mix them all gently with your hand(s). Taste to see if you would like more of something (maybe salt?).

When it’s good, take clean glass jars and wash them again with boiling hot water.

Then put the kimchi in the jars. You will have to press it down in order to fit as much as possible in the jar. Then distribute the remaining liquid evenly among the jars, and close the lids tightly.

Store in the fridge and let them sit and ferment a bit for a couple of days before eating. (Of course you can also eat part of the kimchi fresh … I do. In fact, right now I’m having some in the vegetable soup I just made.)

Normally I make a much bigger batch of kimchi, but this was my extra special weird home grown napa cabbage. It all fit in one jar. :3