.: evil jungle prince :.

The most common question I get from this blog is: "How do I make kimchi?" And while I'm flattered to receive this question, I am definitely not the right person to ask. Of all the foods I have spent time preparing, kimchi remains the most enigmatic and fiesty. The reason is that many or even most kimchis are not simply prepared and eaten, but must go through a fermentation or pickling stage before they are ready to eat. Alchemy must occur, and during this period anything can change the flavor of the end result: fluctuations in humidity and temperature being just two examples. Good kimch is a real challenge to make, to say the least, and one may not know the results of one's labor for weeks to come.

Korean gochu from my garden, ready to be made into kimchi

Another reason I hesitate to answer this question is that there are hundreds of kimchis: kimchis made of turnips, radish leaves, carrots, and cabbage are only a few. Likewise, there must be hundreds of types of cabbage kimchi alone, each kimchi-maker with their own unique style. "The taste of kimchi depends on the hands that make it," as the saying goes.

rice porridge, a component in many types of kimchi

But I also understand why people are asking me this question: nobody else in the English-speaking blogosphere is making it. Most Koreans get quite tickled to hear that I enjoy making my own, largely perhaps because they don't make it themselves. They've perhaps never made it themselves, instead preferring to buy it from the grocery store where quality and consistency are assured. Being a kimchi-maker renders me an anachronism in a culture I did not even grow up in.

Well, no matter. Kimchi is my soul food. And while the "immediate reward" may be so desirable in our modern world, some things are simply better after having anticipated them for so long, like ripping open Christmas gifts or eating fruit sewn from seed many years prior.

Yang Paechu Kotchori kimchi is a great kimchi to experiment with because it is an instant kimchi, meaning no fermentation is required. And while it may lack the depth and pungency of a fermented kimchi, it is less heavy and spicy and makes for a good summer side dish. It can (and should) be eaten immediately.

1. In a food processer, coarsely blend 1/4 cup fresh red Korean chillies (use Korean chili flakes, if lacking), 1/2 onion, 1/4 cup fresh garlic, 1/2 tomato, 1/8 cup fresh ginger, 1/3 cup rice porridge (*see below), 1/2 cup fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 cup rice vinegar. Set aside.

2. Cut a firm cabbage (not Napa) into 1x2 pieces, rinse, and allow to drain. Meanwhile, cut 8-10 scallions into 3-4 inch pieces.

3. Mix kimchi seasoning sauce with cabbage pieces and scallions. Place kimchi into a ceramic vessel and cover tightly. Do not place into a metal container, as it will be reactive. (Note: this is not a long-term kimchi and should not be kept for a long period of time. It is meant to be eaten within a few days.)

* rice porridge is made by mixing 3/4 cups water and 1 tsp rice flour. Bring to boil and then cool.