Planning what to bring for the 1st San Francisco Swappers Food Swap, I wanted to make something familiar but with a twist. I was tempted to make my crowd pleasing pickles, but figured there would be a slew of pickle variations, so went for kimchi, a long favourite of mine since living in Korea a lifetime ago. This go round, I opted for Red Cabbage vs. the traditional Napa Cabbage...never tried it before, so we'll see how it goes and if I actually have the courage to take it along next weekend!
As with all my recipes, measurements are rough and to taste, so have at it!
Put the cut cabbage into a large bowl of heavily salted tepid water. Let soak, covered for minimum few hours to overnight. Because red cabbage is sturdier, I soaked overnight. Rinse at least 3 times with clean water.
In a blender or food processor, put the chili powder, fish sauce, garlic cloves, ginger and onion. Blend well, adding fish sauce if needed to make it a loose paste-like wall paper or henna.
Poor the paste over the cabbage, toss in the chopped spring onion, and really work it into the cabbage until it is all coated and lathered in it. Put into cleaned, sterilized* glass jars with tops. Leave it for a week before serving. It will last even up to a year! You can serve it up with a dash of sesame seeds, or make a kimchi soup with it.
* sterilize using large metal pot with a few inches of water, put jars in a metal steamer, colander, or a strainer attachment. Cover and let water boil and steam the jars and lids for 15 minutes.
As with all my recipes, measurements are rough and to taste, so have at it!
- Cabbage: traditionals use Napa cabbage, I used organic red cabbage. Cut into rough 2" pieces and smaller (knowing it needed to fit into the mouth of glass jars)
- Salt-lots of it. I used Korean sea salt from the Korean store (which abound in Oakland), but kosher, or even regular supermarket salt would work
- Red chile pepper powder-do not use the kind you over pour in pizza places!! They sell it in skads in Korean or Asian markets-that is, more finely ground, no seeds.
- Garlic cloves-lots of it
- Ginger-fresh, I used about 3" piece for 2 whole cabbage heads, but it's to your taste, just make sure it doesn't overpower the flavour of the paste
- Fish Sauce-about 1/3 cup but eye-balled it for the paste to make sure it was the right viscosity to macerate the cabbage in. Not too thick, not too runny. Juuuuust right.
- 1 Onion: I used red onions
- Spring onion or wild garlic. To colour and flavour a wee bit. I used 2 wild garlics and 3 spring onions (what I had in the fridge). Chopped into 1/4" pieces
Put the cut cabbage into a large bowl of heavily salted tepid water. Let soak, covered for minimum few hours to overnight. Because red cabbage is sturdier, I soaked overnight. Rinse at least 3 times with clean water.
In a blender or food processor, put the chili powder, fish sauce, garlic cloves, ginger and onion. Blend well, adding fish sauce if needed to make it a loose paste-like wall paper or henna.
Poor the paste over the cabbage, toss in the chopped spring onion, and really work it into the cabbage until it is all coated and lathered in it. Put into cleaned, sterilized* glass jars with tops. Leave it for a week before serving. It will last even up to a year! You can serve it up with a dash of sesame seeds, or make a kimchi soup with it.
* sterilize using large metal pot with a few inches of water, put jars in a metal steamer, colander, or a strainer attachment. Cover and let water boil and steam the jars and lids for 15 minutes.
