Home Articles How To Make Homemade Kimchi

  • Fermented foods are popular lately. Indeed, they are increasingly available in supermarkets. After miso, kefir, and kombucha, we now have kimchi, a salty and very spicy dish that will rejoice your tastebuds. This condiment is to Koreans what sauerkraut is to Germans!

    The traditional recipe is prepared with napa cabbage (but it’s not a traditional coleslaw!), carrots, salt, green onions, garlic, ginger, pepper, soy sauce, and sometimes with brine shrimps. It is usually served cold as a side.

    The fermentation process by bacteria adds unique flavours, which gives a different culinary experience. Plus, fermented foods are beneficial for gut flora health.

    Making Homemade Kimchi

    Making kimchi is easy. Simply follow those steps:

    • Disgorge the vegetables of your choice (cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, etc.) by salting them.
    • Then, wait many hours.
    • Rinse under cold water and add the remaining ingredients, to taste. See the recipes below for examples! Caution! Kimchi can be extremely spicy!
    • Let the vegetables ferment a few days in mason jars so bacteria can do their job. Once the lid is domed, the kimchi is ready.

    Vary the Flavours of Your Kimchi!

    Here are 5 delicious ways to renew this Korean cuisine staple.

    1. A revisited classic

    Substitute napa with another type of cabbage, such as green or red cabbage.

    2. The Japanese way

    Substitute napa cabbage with diced oriental radishes (also known as daikon). Its crispy texture and spicy taste offer a refreshing twist to this dish.

    3. The Quebec twist

    Quebec is very lucky during cucumber season! Our cucumbers are fresh and crispy. Use them in this traditional kimchi recipe!

    4. Great greens

    Substitute napa cabbage with green onions. Add sesame seeds for more crunch!

    5. Kimchi filled with antioxidants

    Carotenoid, which is responsible for carrots’ orange colour, is a powerful antioxidant. Spice up your grated carrots salad and transform it into kimchi! Carrots will become the main ingredient, substituting napa cabbage.