Kimchi, Krautchi.

Learn how to make a vibrant homemade kimchi-style ferment with Chinese leaf cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger and chilli. This simple lacto-fermentation recipe is packed with flavour, keeps for months in the fridge, and is perfect for adding a tangy kick to salads, sandwiches and everyday meals.

Add a bit of colour to your kitchen with these vibrant beauties ❤️.

Serves: quite a few (And keeps forever in the fridge).

Ingredients:  (For a 1kg Jar)

• 1 head of Chinese leaf cabbage 🥬
• 1 bunch of Spring onions 🧅
• 1/2 a bulb of Garlic 🧄
• 1 Thumb of Ginger 🫚
• 4 Chillies 🌶️ ( Moderate your own spice level please, we removed the seeds as we are sensitive souls).

2% salt (to total veg weight).

Method:

1. Weigh all your veg first and work out 2% of the total weight.
2. (Divide the number by 100 and then times her by 2)
3. For 1kg of veg that would be 20g of salt.
4. Cut up your cabbage and spring onions, add the salt and let them sweat in the bowl.
5. Blitz your ginger, chillies and garlic in the blender, then add to the cabbage.
6. Use gloves if you have them, failing that be full of care not to touch your eyes as the chillies will sting! 🐝.
7. Massage everything together (this helps break down the cell walls releasing more water). Thai massage rather than Swedish please 🙏 💪.
8. Once a pool of liquid starts to form in the bottom of the bowl you can start adding the veg to your jar.
9. If she is looking too dry just leave her to her own devices for 30 mins. The goal is to cover all the veg with the liquid.
10. Set the jar on the side and leave out at room temp for 3 days (on a plate please 🙏 to catch the drips if she bubbles over).

Taste daily, (also making sure everything submerged) then fridge when she is suitably sour, you will notice the saltiness reducing daily.

This is not because she is getting less salty, just that the lactic acid is getting more concentrated and balancing out!

Pro Tips:

Feel free to experiment with other veg! Carrots and beetroot work well.

Raddishes in all their forms are also a winner.

The brine is an especially good base for a salad dressing (with olive oil and a dash of Oat shoyu 🙄 of course).