Homemade Kim Chi

In effort to increase our nutrient intake, I decided to make some kimchi. Fermented foods are one of the highest nutrient content foods you can consume. However, because a lot of commercially prepared fermented foods are cooked after fermentation, the pro-biotics are often already killed by the time you consume them.

Ingredients

1 large Napa Cabbage or 2 small heads, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or 2 Tbsp garlic powder
1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6-7 green onion stalks, sliced (I used Egyptian Walking Onions)
2 Stalks Rubarb, sliced (optional)
2-3 Tbsp dried seaweed (optional)
1 c sugar or applesauce
1-2 c water
5 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 c sea salt

Method

Wash the cabbage in a 1/3 vinegar and water solution. Rinse well. Place in a large bowl and add the salt. Mix well and allow it to stand for about 4 hours.

Rinse the cabbage in water well and allow to drain. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Add the mixture in a non-reactive container. Make sure that all the ingredients are submerged under the liquid. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for about 24 hours. The longer it sits at room temperature, the faster it will ferment.

Transfer the mixture to the fridge. Refrigerating slows the fermentation process. If you don't want it to be too sour, consume the kimchi more quickly. It will last for about a month in the fridge.