One tomato, two tomato
One tomato, two tomato
Kimchi is the smelly cheese of the pickle world. If you’re like me, once you've had it few times, the smell becomes appealing, the taste even more so. I learned to love the funky Korean pickle in college at University of California at Santa Cruz. My dorm-mate down the hall kept a batch in her mini fridge. Every time she opened the refrigerator, the stinky-fishy-cabbage smell would drift down the hall, much to the horror of the freshman. She also had an electric rice cooker, so late at night we would have kimchi over rice with soy sauce, washed down with the occasional illicit bottle of beer. We thought we were so bohemian.
I’d been thinking of making kimchi from cabbage, but then I grew turnips for the first time this year in my garden. While there are hundreds of types of kimchi, root vegetables are a pretty common addition. Like their cousin the radish, turnips are very easy to grow, flourishing in the early spring. Once summer kicks in, it's time to harvest, otherwise turnips turn hot and woody in the heat. I harvested all my turnips a few weeks ago and turned the whole batch into kimchi. Fermenting mellows the turnips considerably and brings out the sweetness of all the vegetables. Loads of garlic, ginger and hot chiles, with a little dash of fish sauce, turn this pickle into stinky heaven.
Spicy Turnip Kimchi
7/24/12
A chronicle of my adventures growing, preserving, cooking and eating from my garden and everywhere.
Known to many for my incredible ability to organize, I tackle gardening and life with equal verve. Obsessive, is that a bad thing?
Spicy Turnip Kimchi Recipe
Ingredients:
8 medium turnips
1 bunch red radishes
4 large carrots
3 tbs salt
2 quarts water
1 large onion or 1 bunch green onions
4 tbs grated ginger
4 tbs minced garlic
3 tbs ancho chili power
1 tbs red pepper flakes
1 tbs pequin bird chiles
1 tbs fish sauce
Instructions:
Thinly slice root vegetables into rounds. I like to use a mandolin, but a food processor slicer would also work well. Combine salt and water, and pour over the veggies. Let sit over night in the brine on the counter. The next morning, drain off the brine, reserving it for topping off the jars. In a large bowl, combine root vegetables, thinly sliced onions, ginger, garlic, and chiles. Pack into two quart jars or one half gallon jar. Top with brine. Vegetables should be completely submerged. Fill a plastic ziplock bag with water to further press the veggies down into the brine. Cover top loosely with a two piece canning jar, or cheese cloth. The mixture should begin bubbling within a day, so you need to let the gasses escape. Let mixture ferment for about 1 week on the counter top. Check seasonings and adjust to taste. Turnips should have a nice salty-sour taste. Add the fish sauce. Top with a lid and refrigerate for slower fermentation. Use as needed. It will last in the fridge for a very very long time.
SUMMER PICKLING & CANNING RECIPES
Pickles
Canning
Jams & Jellies
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