Kimchi

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I was introduced to this dish for the first time at KG Bar in Bacolod City. It's spicy, sour and juicy. Kimchi is new to me and I couldn't help it but it's always on my mind. It was love at first taste for me. I didn't know that a few years after it's going to be a saving grace. My family and I used to host Korean students in our house so basically I learned how to make kimchi from my homestay sons. If you host Korean nationals in your house, kimchi is the best food to serve on the side.

Kimchi is versatile. You can cook it in many ways such as kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake), kimchi tchigae (kimchi soup), kimchi bukompap (kimchi rice), kimchi bukom (sauteed kimchi with meat), kimbap (like sushi and filling is kimchi) and a lot more. Kimchi is not only made of chinese cabbage but one can make radish kimchi, cucumber kimchi, cabbage kimchi,  spring onion kimchi etc. There over 100 types of Kimchi in Korea. 

Here's my Pinoy version of kimchi - 

Ingredients:

4 kilos of chinese pechay

4 cups of salt

6 pcs medium size onion bulb, chopped

4 heads of garlic, peeled

1 cup chopped ginger

1/4 kilo of paitan or long fingered pepper

2 tablespoons of Rufina Patis

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 cups pepper powder (Korean)

1 cup of mixed cornstarch (2 tbsps) and water

1 bunch of spring onions (cut in 2 inches size)

Direction:

1. Clean the chinese cabbage well.

2. Sprinkle chinese cabbage leaves with salt. Make sure that you include the inner part of the vegetable. Let it soak for 4 hours until soft. 

3. Rinse 3 times in running water.

4. Cut the cabbage in squares or just cut in halves or quarters

5. Prepare the remaining ingredients except the spring onions. I usually mix remaining ingredients in the blender and blend all. I also divide the pepper powder into 2 - 1/4 cup add in the blender and the remaining I add during the mixing process.

6. Add the spring onions to the chinese cabbage together with the mixture and the remaining pepper powder. Using you hands covered with gloves, mix altogether until all the leaves are fully covered with the reddish mixture.Store in a cool place for 24 hours. Refrigerate after 24 hours.  

You should use a glass container since kimchi can really stain your plastic containers. If you have no choice, use the same plastic container for future kimchis. Kimchi can stain your hands too. That is why it is very important to use gloves when mixing.