First ever KIMCHI making!!

So I made Kimchi!!!
XD

So proud of myself :)

* * *

Just some sharing on kimchi making~

I mainly got my recipe from Maangchi.com
http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi

(more kimchi here: http://www.maangchi.com/recipes/kimchi)

Nice website she has
but I did skip some of the steps (and ingredients)
because...
the quantity that I'm making is rather small
so i didnt really measure my ingredients :P
risky i know
but well...
hope it turns out well after fermentation~

And I skipped the "porridge"
because I dont wanna cook anything
I no like fire :P

So here you go
my kimchi making "protocol"~

1 Cabbage, 1kg
(Can't find Nappa/Korean Cabbage 배추, got Chinese Cabbage instead; it's the long cabbage NOT the round one)

So cut it into bite size and wash

Then, layer by layer, spread some "rough salt" 천일염 between the cabbage
so it's like cabbage salt cabbage salt cabbage salt
I used ~1/2cup of salt for the 1kg cabbage

Then pour some water in, around 4 cups

Soak it for 1.5 ~ 2 hrs
till it softens, yet still gives the "crispy" sound when you snap it
(mix the cabbage around every 30mins; they will start shrinking and more water coming out. this is called OSMOSIS~)

So while waiting for the cabbage to dehydrate, start preparing the chili paste!

Ingredients that I used (can refer to Maangchi's recipe as well):
3/4 garlic, very small piece of ginger (~quarter of the garlic), 2 small pears, half small apple

Then blend them~~
The mixture will look like smoothie, but with garlic and ginger smell~

After that, prepare 7 table spoons of chili powder 고추가루

Add 3 spoons of Fish Sauce
(supposed to get Sand Lance sauce 까나리 액젓, but no stock, got  Anchovy sauce 멸치 instead... roughly the same~
but i'm really curious how Sand Lance sauce taste like, thanks to 2D1N)
*I didn't add too much of the fish sauce, because there're salts in my chili powder already
if there's no salts in the chili powder, can add more fish sauce (it's salty, be careful!!)
**alternatively, you can replace fish sauce with soy sauce


Also, add the "smoothie" in bit by bit, mix well, until you get a nice texture
(Taste it, add more smoothie in if it's too hot and dry)

I FORGOT TO ADD SUGAR!!!!
(well...supposed to add 1spoon of sugar...oh well...)
Mine looks really red and hot!!!
And, got the pear and apple taste...hmm...am i doing it right? hahaha...

Prepare some onion and green onion, cut into bite size (in elongated shape~)
(quantity? hahaha gauge yourself... i used one small onion and 3 piece of green onions)
* i cried while cutting the onions, so touching TT.TT
haha ended up having me housemate to cut for me :P

Remember to wash your ingredients!!

So after soaking the cabbage in salt water for 1.5~2hrs, rinse it with clear water ~3times
Drain it for a couple of minutes
(you can taste it if it's still salty~ shdn't be TOO salty after rinsing)

Then add in the onions and green onions
mix abit
Then add in 2~3 spoons of the chili paste made just now
and mix them, gently~
(mix in circular motion, and flip the cabbage from bottom to top)

Rmb to be gentle to the vege~~~

Keep mixing, and adding in more chili paste
till you get a nice colour
Add more if not spicy enough~

(I made a little too much paste...didn't add in all the paste, shall keep it in fridge for cucumber kimchi tomorrow XD )

Ta-da!!!! MY BABY KIMCHI~~~
Keep in container, preferably air-tight container
you don't want your entire fridge to smell like kimchi...
* rmb to press down your kimchi, they should be packed and have least air contact if possible...

Keep in fridge for ~1week
wait for it to ferment
(awww.... I'm so so so curious if my baby would ferment probably... would it taste weird? smell weird? look weird?)

I tried eating a few pieces right away...
Well... it's spicy, salty, sweet...no sour taste at lot...and the sweetness comes from pear and apple so it's...weird...

>.<

HAHAHA MISSION COMPLETED!!!
will update this post again next week!!!