Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

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Easy Kimchi no.2

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This is the easiest home made kimchi!

kimchi.jpgYou can use nearly any veggies you like! Here’s what I used:
– one chayote, cubed
– a small bag of radishes, sliced not too thin
– one carrot, sliced not too thin
My version of kimchi:
– small knob of Ginger
– dash of fish sauce
– teaspoon of red chili powder NOT flakes
– dash of rice wine vinegar
It’s ready to eat the next day but gets better & better as flavors get mixed in.  I make it right in my container, saves washing up!
Here’s my first Easy Kimchi which gives you step-by-step but I’ve simplified it even more!

Tasty Wok Dinner Using What's In Fridge

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I had all the ingredients to make a dinner: broccoli, penne, grape tomatoes, cured salted pork I used to experiment with seasoning a new cast iron wok! Lime to give broccoli some zest & Yuzu Pao chili sauce to spice it all up.

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I fried these slices of pork till slightly crispy and all the fat was rendered. This pork is so similar to bacon except it’s meatier which I prefer (definitely use this again.) Then used fat to fry the broccoli with garlic & ginger.

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Fried grape tomatoes with scallions using Tea Seed Oil.

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Combined the broccoli, chopped pork, grape tomatoes, scallions and penne, added Yuzu Pao chili sauce.

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Dinner ready with side of my Easy Kimchi!

Sent from my iPhone
www.wokstar.us

Tasty Wok Dinner Using What's In Fridge

By Leave a Comment

I had all the ingredients to make a dinner: broccoli, penne, grape tomatoes, cured salted pork I used to experiment with seasoning a new cast iron wok! Lime to give broccoli some zest & Yuzu Pao chili sauce to spice it all up.

Photo_1
Photo_2

I fried these slices of pork till slightly crispy and all the fat was rendered. This pork is so similar to bacon except it’s meatier which I prefer (definitely use this again.) Then used fat to fry the broccoli with garlic & ginger.

Photo_3

Fried grape tomatoes with scallions using Tea Seed Oil.

Photo_4

Combined the broccoli, chopped pork, grape tomatoes, scallions and penne, added Yuzu Pao chili sauce.

Photo_5

Dinner ready with side of my Easy Kimchi!

Sent from my iPhone
www.wokstar.us

Easy Kimchi (Updated)

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2 main seasonings: Fish Sauce and Red pepper powder.
Optional: toasted sesame oil
Garlic, ginger, scallions and carrots are ingredients I always have in the house.

I’m all for saving time because that’s what we all lack, so I’m going to show you my Easy Kimchi! Kimchi is the Korean way of pickling (fermenting) vegetables. I omit the rice flour and sugar. My personal preference is crispy, crunchy Kimchi before it ferments too much making it sour and soft. I start eating it the next day and go as fast as I can. I’m sure my Korean foodie friends would be horrified with this. It’s just what I like to do – turn recipes to suit my own taste and I encourage you to do the same, it’s so much fun.

However, I’ve provided a few links to other Kimchi recipes so you can choose how you want to make your kimchi or kimchee. Many recipes require you to make a ton, one starts with 10 pounds of cabbage!!!! To me, that makes cooking a chore and stresses me out thinking about the quantity. It takes TIME (always goes back to this), then finding/buying/cleaning jars to store it. No, no, we are not making this to resell, just as a little side dish to go with our dinner!

Try my Easy Kimchi and feel free to make your own variations, that’s what being a Wok Star is all about. Do share an unusual kimchi you’ve made. Hey, I didn’t even use a wok in this one!

Easy Kimchi
Use some or all of the following veggies:
1 whole medium size napa cabbage (wash & cut into bite size pieces)
chayote (1/2, peeled, deseeded, cut into cubes or strips)
jicama (1/2 small one, peeled,
radish (small handful, sliced)
carrot (1, wash, cut into strips)
scallion (4-6 stalks, wash, cut into bite size either in lengths or diagonals)

Salt for brining

Adjust seasonings to suit your taste:
3 tblsp. fish sauce
1 cup red pepper powder (do not mix this up with chili flakes! see photo below)
2 thumb size ginger diced
1 head of garlic diced (optional)

Directions:
1. Gather utensils: big bowl, chopsticks, disposable gloves, 4-5 clean jars
2. Combine seasonings in small bowl
3. Wash all veggies, drain, chop. Put veggies in a big bowl covered with water and add salt, mix really well to coat. Leave to brine for a couple of hours.
4. Drain veggies in colander, put back into big bowl. Add seasoning and use gloves to massage till they soften a little. Divide into jars, don’t fill right to the top, put lids on.
5. Leave out for a day before refrigerating.
6. I start eating it right away, see if you’re not astounded how good it is!

Mix all seasonings in bowl.

I didn’t realize you could ‘kimchi’ anything. I always associated kimchi with napa cabbage cause that’s what we had with Bulgogi (Korean BBQ) growing up in Hong Kong.

Add veggies to seasonings in same bowl (less washup!)

Use disposable thin gloves for mixing. You don’t want to use your hands cause the red pepper powder is pretty spicy and discolors your hands. Don’t ever put your hands anywhere near your eyes after touching chilies!

My 1st Kimchi had more napa cabbage.

Give it a taste, you want it to be a little bit salty, so add a little more fish sauce but be careful, cause a little goes a loooong way.

This experiment was with chayote, jicama, carrots, radishes and 1 tblsp toasted sesame oil.

Mix all the veggies in a BIG bowl, otherwise you cannot combine well. Same concept when you use a wok that’s too small, you can’t stir fry properly, your food doesn’t cook evenly and is frustrating because your food keeps falling out. (I had to get this tip in about size of your wok!)

I bottle in cute jars so you can give to your friends. I end up eating it so fast, never gets a chance to get out the door!Goes well with your one-dish wok meals (unless it’s a curry already)

Tip: If you have leftover seasoning, store in a container or zip loc and freeze it for another batch.

I first learned how to make kimchi here.

Another interesting angle, jumpstart with old Kimchi juice!

There’s even a chef who calls himself a lactofermentation and pickling instructor who started a Kimchi Festival in Boston!

This blogger has really impressed me with his food adventures, considering he started late in life.

We cannot mention kimchi without mentioning this youtube celebrity, here’s her video and her kimchi!

Here’s my Korean twitter buddie’s authentic version, scroll down for kimchi.

If you live in Miami, Little River Garden gives Kimchee workshops! Found out from Mango and Lime after she went to one.

UPDATE 5.5.11: I’m excited to see a new PBS TV show that’s not a reality cooking show or a chef competition coming this summer starring chef Jean Georges-Vongerichten’s wife, Marja. Watch a preview clip of Kimchi Chronicles