Making Kimchi

Making kimchi might seem like a weird thing to do, especially if you’re not Korean. But if you’re a fan of the delicious sour probiotic cabbage served in Korean restaurants and homes the world over, you might find yourself wondering how to make it in larger quantities than you usually find pre-made in Korean groceries.

Or maybe *gasp* you don’t have a Korean grocery in your neighbourhood. I consider myself privileged to live within walking distance of the Koreatown located near Bloor and Christie in Toronto and I take full advantage of the ingredients I am able to find in the P.A.T. Market: made-for-kimchi nappa cabbage, shrimp in brine, kimchi-sized packages of hot chili flakes and daikon raddish. It was there, at the P.A.T. Market, that I decided to try my hand at making the ancient dish (references to kimchi can be found as early as 2600-3000 years ago).

I used a combination of two different recipes (here is one of them), but found that once I was in the swing of things I seemed to be channelling an old Korean woman and felt perfectly at home.

For my first attempt at this esoteric art, it turned out pretty well. Some might even say it was delicious. Pete and I have been paying more attention to the nuances of flavour at our favourite restaurants and I’ll try something slightly different next time. For starters, we’re going to make a lot more.