Simple Vegan Kimchi

Before yogurt companies were bringing awareness of probiotics as advertised in their products, I was tearing up some kimchi as a young girl...and embarrassed by it.  It used to be one of those things you'd have to excuse yourself:  "Excuse me, I ate kimchi; I smell a little garlicky."  In grade school there would be other little kids that would say to the Asians and Islanders, "That stuff stinks," or "Eww, you eat rotten cabbage?"  You know, all the while the best things to eat were pizza and fries.  Ha!  What a turn of the century.  Now rotten tea and rotten cabbage have properly taken (reclaimed) their place in the food industry, and the McDonald's of the 90's has taken theirs.

I actually took a break from eating kimchi after I turned vegan in 2006.  I'd eat it sparingly from the health food store, as a vegan option.  Then I added fish back into my diet and ate it from the Asian stores made fresh with fish sauce.  I later questioned if they knew all the ingredients in their fish sauce (because many already-jarred ones are NOT kosher, using shrimp on top of the fermented anchovies), and so I determined it was time to stop playing 20 questions (and language barrier at times) with the Asian stores, and make my own.

It is extremely easy to make.  Though I do question if 2-3 days is sufficient to ferment, as I've seen in most other recipes.  Perhaps it is to the 1st stage, but there are 3 stages of full fermentation.  The final is essential for preservation, but also very acidic (which is what preserves -- think of citric acid in jarring...).  Some may not prefer a vinegary kimchi.  Me?  I love vinegar.  So I made a double batch with the intentions of keeping half (hopefully) until the 3rd fermentation stage (3 weeks).

Another issue I am finding is in how to store while it ferments.  Some say keep the jar tightly sealed.  Some I see do not even have all the cabbage under brine.  Some drain the brine the cabbage soaked in while it was prepping and never add any back in (mainly those that do not have cabbage sitting under brine).  I guess that is where this 2 day fermentation comes in.  Maybe all that gas buildup is fermenting that cabbage quickly and you must eat it quickly then, or it will otherwise truly rot?  I don't know.  All I know is that my recipe I'm sharing with you is taking my experience with sauerkraut into consideration, which I did successfully ferment to the 3rd stage without any signs of mold.

Ingredients:  
Napa cabbage (at least)
Daikon (optional)
Green onions

Base (per one cabbage):
Himalayan or sea salt
Ginger essential oil (7 drops)
Turmeric essential oil (5 drops)
Korean red pepper flakes (3 T)
Paprika (2 T)
Sugar source (I use raw agave, but you can use regular sugar -- 2 T)

Brine soak:
water
Himalayan or sea salt (note -- I've read that table salt's added iodine will actually prohibit fermentation)

Step 1
Cut the cabbage in half, lengthwise.  Cut the halves in half, lengthwise.  Chop these sections widthwise in a few sections.

Step 2
Soak cut cabbage in brine soak all day or all night, making sure that there is enough liquid to submerge cabbage.  It will try to float, therefore you will have to stir it halfway through.  Every vegetable has a compound in the cellular walls that needs to be broken down to allow for fermentation.  With sauerkraut you literally break it down as you smash the cabbage using salt to draw the moisture out for a self-made brine.  Yet in kimchi, the cabbage is different and you can't exactly beat it down.  Since you aren't, you have to let it soak for a bit to break it down.

Step 3
Mix your base ingredients into a separate container.  The measurements I gave are very general.  Feel free to adjust according to your taste.

Step 4
Drain cabbage from brine, reserving the brine in case you need it.  Massage base ingredients into cabbage with your hands.  I used my bare hands, though I know some will use gloves due to the peppers.  You should accumulate some brine in your massage.  If you are not, then add more salt and keep massaging.

Step 5 
Jar the kimchi with the liquid attained through massage.  If it doesn't cover the kimchi then add the brine reserve (from your soak).  To ensure kimchi does not mold (which would be hard to do in just a 2- day ferment, but do this if you want a longer ferment), drizzle a layer of olive oil on the top of of your ferment and lay a single large piece of cabbage on the top.  The oil makes a barrier for the oxygen and the piece of cabbage keeps the ferment from floating above the brine.  Seal FINGER TIGHT.  The gas must release.  In order to not mess with it much as save yourself from burping the kimchi, keep the lid barely finger tight, this will allow enough pressure within the jar to keep oxygen out but not enough of a seal to prevent off gas.  This is the method I adopted from my sauerkraut.

Time?  If I were judging based upon what I know of sauerkraut, I'd say give it a week, or at least 5 days.  Then again, I see many recipes that say 2-3 days.  I mean, if you are going to have kimchi, have kimchi and take it nice and fermented!  That is my suggestion.  Again, half of my jars are going for 3 weeks or more.  

I made these 5 jars from 2 heads of Napa cabbage.  I figured with the ingredients I used, these 5 jars costs me $5 total -- that's $1 a jar.  I just came from the Asian store where these sizes sold around $5 (the smaller one) to $8 (my larger one listed) a jar.  Yep, totally worth it.