Kimchi - tips for HM.

[Georgyporky]

I've decided to try making my own as it's so expensive.
I've got several recipes, but any tips would be very welcome.

Do I really need to buy Kilner jars? Would round tupperware containers be suitable, please?

tupperware will stain horribly. If it’s absolutely 100% airtight then give it a go but otherwise, it just won’t work. I invested in a kilner jar because it makes a lot and I didn’t have Tupperware big enough!

Just experiment and see what you like. I haven't made any recently, but used to make it quite a bit several years ago.

I found it best with he traditional Chinese cabbage, but did use savoy once and it turned out well. I also like it with dried shrimp and grated apple or Chinese pear. Basically the addition of something sweet works well too.

Any bright coloured veg will bleach out over the fermentation period so pink radishes look cute at first but the colour disappears quickly.

I always used something in the neck of the kilner jar (upturned plastic pasta sauce jar) to wedge the veg under the liquid as at the beginning there isn't so much liquid, then gradually the jar fills up so the wedge isn't needed anymore.

Ikea have really cheap (like two quid) big glass jars that are perfect and much cheaper than Kilner. But you can use any jar, or tupperware, but tupperware might absorb the smell as well as stain. If you’ve been buying kimchi why not just save that container and use that.

It shouldn't be completely airtight because fermentation gas needs to escape, but also shouldn't be open to the air because air allows mould to grow on your kimchi.

I’ve always used something airtight (a kilner jar) and ‘burped’ it every couple of days!

I've always kept mine covered with a couple of pieces of muslin cloth so the air could escape. I think whether you go airtight or not, fermentation weights to hold the cabbage under the liquid are a good investment.

Thank you very much everyone.
So much useful info that's not included in any of the recipes I've seen.

I don’t use dried shrimp as I prefer it to be vegetarian.
i use Chinese leaf, carrot, spring onion garlic and ginger. All shredded quite small
Sauce is sesame oil, gochujang, honey, rice wine vinegar and vegan “fish sauce”
I leave the jar out loosely covered for a couple of days then into the fridge
Its probably not really authentic but everyone loves it and friends often request some. A large jar lasts around a week (less if I give some away)

I use this really simple recipe but add way more heat as I find it mellows as it ferments.

I add anything in the veg/salad drawer really but always carrots and some sort of cabbage.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/quick-kimchi

I’ve just made a batch today actually. Used David changs recipe which is the one I’ve always used, though I do think maybe one day I’ll try a different one

The danger with the spring top glass jars is the gas can build up and the jar shatter in your hand when you pick it up. If you're not going to invest in a fermentation lock in the lid the best thing is a double or triple layer of gauze/muslin held down with an elastic band. Tupperware can be reserved just for making kimchi so it doesn't matter if just one designated box is stained, safer too.
Kimchi is better if it's fermented at least a month to give the flavours a chance to develop and also the good probiotics a chance to really multiply into high numbers. Once you put it in the fridge the fermentation slows right down and there's very little activity. Of course you can eat it whenever you like, the benefits won't be the same though.
Reserve a couple of big cabbage leaves to tuck in the stray bits floating around, you can then weigh it down with a washed smooth stone, or small zip lock filled with water. Under the brine all will be fine. Anything above will activate the wrong kind of mould.

Thanks for the additional tips.
I started it off on Thursday, in a clip-top Kilner, & saw bubbles this morning, so I burped it.
Something is puzzling me. I followed a recipe that involved topping up the jar with reserved brine. However, I've since seen others that use drained veg & paste only.
Any thoughts, please?

As long as the vegetables are submerged under the liquid you shouldn't need to add more. I use drained veg and paste only, push it down forcefully to get rid of air gaps and leave a layer of paste on the top with a weight to hold it down. The cabbage and carrots usually release more liquid in the hours after they've been put in the jar and the weight keeps the veg submerged.

I never top up with brine

@Hoppinggreen, I have been looking for a decent vegeterianised recipe for Kimchi to try - would you please post yours? Even if the amounts are approximate, it would be a good starting point for me.

I will try but I don’t really measure it.
2 chinese leaf - shredded
3 carrots - grated
3spring onions - shredded
4/5 cloves of garlic - sliced but still chunky
thumb knuckle size of ginger - diced small
Add about 3 teaspoons of salt to shredded cabbage in a large bowl and leave for a few hours. Don’t rinse
Add other veg and sauce, stir and then stick in a jar. Leave jar out of fridge for 2-3 days loosely covered. I usually pop a bit of kitchen roll over it and stand it on a bowl in case it leaks
Sauce - 2 tblsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 tsp vegan fish sauce (don’t worry if you can’t get it )
Its Probably not authentic but it’s great and I get asked for a tub by lots of people who have tried it

Thank you so much!

"... and stand it in a bowl in case it leaks".

I heartily endorse this - no prizes for guessing why !!

Adding juice from previous batch of kimchi isn't needed but a couple tablespoons helps speed up the fermentation :)