Super Easy Kimchi Made in Your Own Kitchen

Kimchi — who can resist this Korean gem? It tastes like no other and it’s good for you, and that is why it’s loved by many all over the planet. Did you know that whipping up your very own kimchi at home is fairly easy?

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Before we get to the simple recipe part, let us momentarily get to know kimchi a little more, most especially the various and impressive health benefits it offers.

Kimchi, a traditional treat made of fermented vegetables such as cabbage and loaded with spices and seasonings, is actually Korea’s national dish. For so many years now, it’s a staple food among Korean households. These days, you can easily get your hands on kimchi as it’s readily available at your favorite supermarket. Because it has a really remarkable nutritional profile, its consumption is accompanied by numerous benefits such as:

• It prevents constipation from striking due to its fiber content.

• It contains good bacteria that aid in digestion and strengthen the immune system.

• It is low in calories and fat, thus promoting healthy weight loss.

• It has antioxidants, allicin, fiber and selenium, all of which help in lowering cholesterol.

• It protects your cells from being damaged by free radicals, thanks to its antioxidant content.

• It slows down the process of aging, making you look and feel young.

• It possesses amazing anticancer properties, according to many studies conducted on it.

• It aids in managing as well as preventing diabetes.

Needless to say, kimchi is a superfood! That is why including it in your daily diet is a wonderful idea, allowing you and your loved ones to enjoy all of the health benefits mentioned above.

Other than simply purchasing kimchi from your trusted local grocer, you may also make kimchi right in your kitchen! It will only take you around 30 minutes to complete, and about a couple of days for the product to ferment. Here’s the super easy recipe which yields 5 cups of homemade kimchi:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds of napa cabbage (stemmed and chopped up lengthwise)
• 2 daikon radishes (trimmed and cut into thin strips)
• 1 bundle of scallions (trimmed and cut into sections measuring about an inch)
• 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 nori sheet (torn into tiny pieces)
• 1 tablespoon of ginger (fresh and grated)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 3 to 5 tablespoons of Korean red pepper flakes (coarse, and the amount depends on your liking)
• 1/4 cup and another tablespoon of sea salt
• 6 to 8 cups plus a tablespoon of distilled water

Procedure:

1. In a large mixing bowl, place your chopped up napa cabbage.
2. Add in your 1/4 cup of sea salt and gently massage on the cabbage.
3. Pour distilled water over the salted cabbage, until the cabbage is covered.
4. Put a plate on the cabbage to keep them from going above the water level.
5. Set aside for at least 3 hours or overnight.
6. The following day, strain the cabbage thoroughly.
7. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine your nori, sugar and Korean red pepper flakes.
8. Add a tablespoon of water and mix to come up with a paste. Set aside.
9. In a cup, combine 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt to make brine. Set aside.
10. In a large mixing bowl, combine your scallions, garlic, ginger and daikon radishes.
11. Add in the paste you have prepared earlier. Mix very well.
12. Add into the mix your napa cabbage. Mix.
13. Pack everything in a large glass container.
14. Add enough brine that you have prepared earlier and cover the container. Stash it in the fridge.
15. After a day, remove the cover to permit the gasses produced to escape. Reseal.
16. Your kimchi is ready to be enjoyed!

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