This Autumn we’ve held four amazing workshops at Limborough Hub, learning about the benefits of fermented food, learning how to prepare authentic kimchi and ideas on how to use it. We were lucky to have Rebecca Ghim of Dewaste your Taste, our Kimchi expert, to show us how to make this healthy and delicious food. Here we share some recipes and some facts with you:
Not sure what Kimchi is? It’s a traditional Korean dish made with salted fermented vegetables. Kimchi contains probiotics,which can have many health benefits.
KIMCHI RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 Napa cabbage
A piece of dried kelp that’s the size of a hand
4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp of rice
3-4cm of carrot
1-2 spring onion or half of a leek
Half of white onion
2-3 fresh big red chili
3-4cm of mooli radish
1-2cm of ginger
1 bulb of garlic
Half of an apple or pear or persimmon
5 tbsp of soy sauce
4 tbsp of plum sauce or sugar
7-10 tbsp of gochugaru (depending on your spice level)
Step 1: Make the broth with kelp and shiitake mushrooms.
Step 2: Cook 1 tablespoon of rice (any kind will do).
Step 3: Chop and salt the cabbage for 30-40 min.
Step 4: Julienne the garnishing ingredients (carrots, spring
onions, fresh red chili, mooli radish).
Step 5: Blend the sauce (garlic, ginger, apple/pear/persimmon,
fish sauce/shrimp paste, rice, onion, sugar/plum extract,
gochugaru).
Step 6: Rinse and drain the cabbage.
Step 7: Mix it all together and pack it into sterilised jars and label.
Step 8: Store in a dark dry place for two days burp the jar every
day then move it into the fridge.
KIMCHI FRIED RICE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups jasmine or short grain rice
1 cup kimchi, coarsely chopped and juices reserved
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or oyster sauce
1 tablespoon gochujang (optional)
2-3 tablespoon sesame oil or butter or vegetable oil – 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion or half of medium, diced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (optional)
mushrooms, carrots, or any vegetables you have (optional)
fried or scrambled eggs (optional)
1/4 cup nori strips (optional)
2 green onions or quarter of leek, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds (optional)
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together kimchi juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Step 2: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in kimchi and veg. Cook, stirring constantly, until the veg and kimchi are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in rice and kimchi juice mixture until the rice has been marinated with the sauce, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Serve immediately with eggs, nori strips, green onions and sesame seeds.
THE MAGIC OF FERMENTATION
Fermented cabbage
Naturally regulates the digestive tract functions.
Great source of calcium which is crucial for bone health, muscle contraction, regulation of arterial blood pressure, wound-healing and signal transmission in the nervous system.
Heals wounds and alleviates rheumatism, headaches, sciatic pain and painful joints.
Fermented Carrots
Contains beta carotene, fibre, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants that help regulate cholesterol levels.
Beta carotene is fat-soluble, meaning they break down with ethanol
Kelp
Full of manganese and zinc, it helps combat oxidative stress and may help protect cardiovascular health.
Contains Glutamic acid, an amino acid that turns into glutamate, which helps nerve cells that affect learning and memory.
Contains Alginic acid which is an emulsifier, thickener, and stabiliser that helps acid reflux.
A big thank you to Rebecca Ghim of Dewaste your Taste for facilitating these workshops and for sharing these recipes. We would recommend checking out Dewaste the Taste for other amazing recipes such as Dandelion Kimchi and Acorn Mook!
