Simple Kimchi (Mak Kimchi)

Of course I would post a Kimchi recipe. This is the staple of one of my absolute favourite world cuisine ; I fell in love with Korean food ever since I went there -and I fell hard. You have Korean dishes such as Kimchi Jigae which are proof that you can reach, and quite easily so, a perfect balance between the savoury, the sweet and the sour (plus some lovely umami and a spice kick), keeping your meal interesting and utterly pleasurable right until its last drop. Kimchi is the foundation of this dish, along with many others I love -such as Kimchi bokkeumbap (Kimchi fried rice) or Kimchi jeon (Kimchi pancakes). It is also the quintessential banchan (side dish); I cannot think of one meal where I wasn't served Kimchi during my whole stay in Korea. For those who are not familiar with Kimchi, it is an ubiquitous dish in Korean households and restaurants, made out of fermented vegetables, typically napa cabbage -though other vegetables can also be used. It is seasoned with a variety of spices and ingredients, the main ones being gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes), garlic, ginger, green onions, fish sauce, and salted seafood. The fermentation process gives kimchi its characteristic tangy, spicy, and slightly sour flavor. I've already made traditional kimchi, where you keep the leaves of the cabbage whole and spread your seasoning paste on each leave. It's a bit more time-intensive to make, and not very convenient once made, as you need to cut the desired amount with scissors every time you want a Kimchi serving. Therefore, I prefer cutting the cabbage in bite-sized pieces : this altered recipe is called Mak Kimchi (which roughly translates as Simple Kimchi). Fear not : the taste and texture is exactly the same. It only tends to ferment faster because of its smaller size ; that's all. This Mak Kimchi will still take a bit of effort, and I recommend you clear a 2,5 to 3-hour slot in your schedule to make it, depending on how fast your work in the kitchen ! Not to worry though ; every step is straight-forward. Once you get all the ingredients you need, it is all a basic matter of soaking and cutting and mixing.

Mak Kimchi - Recipe

Ingredients - Advice & key points

• I recommend going to a Korean mart for this recipe, especially in the hopes of finding Korean red pepper flakes and frozen, salted shrimps in brine. This last item looks like this :

If you cannot find it, it's OK ! You can simply add one more tablespoon of fish sauce. You should be able to find the other ingredients in any other medium/large Asian mart which includes a fresh produce section (you'll need this one for your Daikon and chives).

• I chose to put quite a lot of red pepper flakes because I like it spicy ! Feel free to adjust the amount ; if you like your Kimchi just a bit spicy, simply halve the amount.

How to make a delicious Mak-Kimchi : main steps

• Cut and salt your cabbage ; let it sit for 1h30.
• Meanwhile, you have the time to :
  • make your porridge (which will help binding the seasonings) ;
  • cut your veggies ;
  • prepare your Kimchi's seasoning sauce.
• Don't forget to mix your cabbage every 30mn so that it salts evenly.
• After 1h30, thoroughly rinse your cabbage.
• Eventually, simply mix everything together : your seasonings, porridge, veggies and cabbage !
• Leave your Kimchi for 2 days at room temp, then off to the fridge !

Isn't that simpler than you thought ? Let's make it together !