BFE FOOD AND WINE

KIM CHEE

Ingredients:

Bok Choy or Napa cabbage (1 head)

1/2 cup of salt

dried red hot peppers (Crushed) 1-1/2 tablespoons (more to taste)

1 clove of garlic (smashed) or 1/2 tablespoon of Garlic powder

1 teaspoon of powdered ginger or about 1 oz of fresh Ginger root finely grated

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 to 6 scallions (green onions) to taste (finely chopped) (Substitute ramps for the Appalachian version)

Adjust the proportions of peppers, scallions/ramps and ginger to taste.  More peppers for hotter kim chee is obvious enough.  If you are concerned about getting strong kim chee breath hold back on the scallions or ramps and increase the ginger.

Cut Bok Choy or Napa into 2" long section and rinse and drain.

Place cabbage in large mixing bowl and thoroughly mix in salt.  Once salt its mixed in press down on top of cabbage to "smash" the salt into the cabbage sections.  Add enough water to get it all wet but not so much that the cabbage sections are floating.  Let stand a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

After setting in salt drain and rinse cabbage thoroughly (repeat the rinse at least 3 times).

Thoroughly mix in all other ingredients and get then pack tightly into jars (about 1 quart)

Note that this is going to actually ferment so your jar lid may puff up and even leak some overflow liquid so keep your jars on a catch tray of some kind.  This is normal and not any indication that it has gone bad.  The end result should even seem slightly carbonated.  Due to the pressure from the fermentation it's a good idea to toss a small towel over the lid before you open it and point the jar away from yourself, evn better to hold it over the sink when being opened.

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