Spicy cabbage is a food with distinctive local characteristics among the Korean ethnic group. It is a type of kimchi that the Korean people love very much, and it is also an indispensable side dish on the tables of Korean households. With its rich color and fresh, fragrant taste, the pickling method for Korean spicy cabbage is also quite particular.
Korean Spicy Cabbage Pickling Method
Ingredients Needed
2 large cabbages, 2 apples, 2 pears, 1 white radish, 1 bunch of leeks, 3 green onions, 2-3 heads of garlic, 1 piece of ginger, 3 ounces of chili powder, 1 handful of dried shrimp, 10 tablespoons of sugar, 50 grams of glutinous rice flour, salt to taste, 4 tablespoons of monosodium glutamate, 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
Preparation Steps
1. Clean the cabbage thoroughly, cut it once at the root, and separate the leaves. Pour half a basin of cold water into a pot, add about 200 grams of salt, and stir well.
2. Press each half of the cabbage into the saltwater, then remove and set aside. Sprinkle salt between every layer of leaves. Finally, pour the saltwater into the pot with the cabbage. Peel and shred the white radish and add it to the pot. Let the cabbage pickle for over 10 hours or until soft.
3. Pour the remaining saltwater from the pot into a container. Rinse the pickled cabbage with clean water until it is no longer too salty, then drain and set aside.
4. Peel and finely chop the apple and pear, then blend them into a puree. Finely chop the ginger, crush the garlic, and mix them together with the chili powder and chili flakes in a bowl. Add 12 tablespoons of sugar, 8 tablespoons of salt, 4 tablespoons of monosodium glutamate, 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds, a small bowl of fish sauce, and chopped dried shrimp.
5. In a pan, mix 50 grams of glutinous rice flour with water and 9 tablespoons of glutinous rice. Heat over a flame, stirring constantly until cooled, then pour into the bowl with the other ingredients.
6. Spread the prepared chili paste between each layer of the cabbage.
7. After spreading the chili paste, place the cabbage in a clean container, leave it uncovered indoors for more than half a day. When some liquid has seeped out and the flavor becomes slightly sour, cover the container with plastic wrap.
8. Finally, store the sealed container in the refrigerator to allow it to ferment slowly. It should be ready to eat after about one day.
Tips
1. The glutinous rice flour must be mixed with cold water before heating; stir continuously over heat without stopping to prevent burning.
2. Use coarse salt to pickle the cabbage, but iodine-free salt is preferable.
Detailed Authentic Korean Spicy Cabbage Pickling Method
Ingredients Needed
Cabbage, salt, garlic, ginger, apple, pear, monosodium glutamate, chili flakes.
Preparation Steps
1. Remove one or two outer layers of the cabbage, trim off any dirty parts at the root, and clean thoroughly.
2. Rub the inside and outside of the cabbage with salt and let it pickle for half a day, then squeeze out the excess water.
3. Finely chop the ginger, garlic, apple, and pear. You only need half an apple and half a pear for one cabbage.
4. Mix the chili flakes, salt, and monosodium glutamate with cold water, then add the chopped ginger, garlic, apple, and pear. Mix well.
5. Spread the prepared mixture evenly between the leaves of the cabbage.
6. After spreading the mixture on the entire cabbage, place it in a sealed container. Allow it to ferment quickly at room temperature for two to three days, then store in the refrigerator.
Tips
1. While mixing the paste, taste it as you go and adjust the seasonings according to your preference.
2. Korean spicy cabbage can be eaten immediately after pickling, but the best flavor develops after 20 to 40 days of pickling.
Nutritional Benefits of Korean Cabbage
Nutritional Value
Cabbage: Large cabbage has high nutritional value, with a very rich content of dietary fiber. It is rich in carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, crude fiber, as well as protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc.
Chili: Chili is a common ingredient on the dinner table for ordinary people. It is nutritionally rich and has a unique taste. Eating chili can increase appetite and help build strength. It also helps improve symptoms such as feeling cold, frostbite, and headaches caused by poor blood circulation. At the same time, chili contains a special substance that can accelerate metabolism, promote hormone secretion, and maintain healthy skin.
Considerations
Korean spicy cabbage is now a popular food. When eating spicy cabbage, chew slowly. This not only aids digestion, but more importantly, spicy cabbage contains various vitamins and acidic substances. These nutrients can only be fully absorbed through slow chewing.