This year is off to a good start, because it started with the best Korean New Year’s soup I have made yet. But more importantly, I think I am finally on schedule with my seed starters, for once. I’ve divided the seeds into groups, and right now falls on an in-between down time, so I’m anxiously waiting, checking on the seedlings every few minutes, and obsessively examining the vermicompost bin to make sure there is no vemi-massacre happening.
The first to be planted were Artichokes from Baker’s Creek, verbena hoary vervain from Botanical Interests, and just as an experiment, pomegranate from my friend Melissa’s garden in Northern California.
Planted January 4, 2011
Verbena went inside a mug with a lid, because it needs darkness to germinate. As for the others, they had a brief moment of solitude on the window sill. Soon, more seedlings arrived.
This photo is from February 16th in the kitchen sink, where they get watered. They spend the daytime on the window sill, and early morning and nights under my little grow light.
One thing I fear is the load of soil prep work that awaits, due to my neglect last fall. After the slug infestation, combined with other stress in life, I became overwhelmed and left it all to rot. But I learned from my mistakes (hopefully), I am prepared! So for now, I’m going to try to enjoy the rest of the winter and relax.
My favorite way of making hot chocolate by the way, is melting a block of valrhona dark chocolate, and then blending so it gets all foamy in the blender. So far, nothing has ever come close. Not even the ultra heavy, milky, soupy hot choco at the City Bakery.
I MADE MY OWN KIMCHI!!!!!
This is a big deal, people. Even though I can’t claim to have made it myself. A more accurate story would be that I kept company of my friends while they did all the work and research. I asked questions, and chopped the vegetables and fruits, as per their direction. But kimchi is never made by one person. My mother always had at least 3 other people to collaborate with, and it could be the most communal food item to prepare, which I think is really cool. It’s also probably the most economical and nutritious thing I know about. A huge batch is made a few times a year, and then it lasts forever in its continuously fermenting process. I heard some kimchi can last for more than 3 years, but I am guessing that that is when is stored in a quality clay pot, and buried in the right spot in the ground. I would say the kimchi we made should be consumed within a month, since we’ll be keeping it in a regular fridge. When it gets too sour, it can be made in to kimchi stew*!
I noticed that as I am writing about this, there’s already a seemingly gratuitous amount of exclamation points. And by that, I am also realizing how deeply I am fond of kimchi. All nostalgic sentiments as a Korean person living abroad aside, it has so many dynamic layers. I first love that its flavor is just completely bizarre and powerful, and that it is the definition of ‘acquired taste’. I think I can safely assume that every Korean child started eating kimchi by force. Flavors that naturally appeal to people are sweet, and mildly savory. Kimchi is neither. It’s spicy, salty, and totally weird. Maybe the relationship of Korean people and kimchi is like the culinary Stockholm Syndrome. Anyway, there are plenty of information about kimchi if you’re curious, so I’ll leave the informative part to the experts.
Getting back to the ‘big deal’ part about this, making kimchi is sort of a rite of passage. It means I am a ripe young woman ready for marriage, and that my flower is ready to be picked. Uhh.. okay that’s kind of gross. Sorry. But it is really the last step toward becoming a domestic matron. (When I told my mother that I made kimchi, she was really impressed, so I hope that gives my claim some credibility.) So, this description applies to the ladies in the pictures above, more so than me, who in reality, was more of a spectator. The kimchi we made was fantastic beyond belief, and Gia was kind enough to send me the instructions she followed: Napa Cabbage Kimchi (in Korean)
Ladies are putting their gunz to work
And.. here’s the translation:
Napa Cabbage Kimchi
1 head napa cabbage cut into quarters or 2-inch wedges, depending on size of cabbage
1/3 of a large mino early radish (Korean raddish)
1 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
For seasoning (This will yield more than the kimchi needs. The leftover sauce can be saved and added to stir fry or soup, or more kimchi!)
3/4 cup or less Korean chili powder (gochutgaru)**
4 ounces scallions and Korean leeks
1/2 of a medium sized yellow onion
1/2 of a Korean apple, or fuji, pink lady***
1/2 of a Korean pear
1.5 tbsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp finely minced ginger
1/2 tbsp sugar
Broth
- bring to boil some water to 1 1/2 cup with dashima/kelp, and mushrooms (wild mushroom or shiitake) and simmer until the broth is flavorful, discard the sea weed
- take the water off the stove, and stir in 5 tbsp of sticky rice flour (chapsal-garu) or all purpose flour
Dissolve 1 1/2 cup sea salt in 7 cups of water. Soak chopped cabbage in the salt water for at least 1 hour. Mix it up after the first 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the hot broth and stir in the chili powder. Let it sit in room temperature.
Remove cabbage from water and and drain in colander for 2 hours. Mean while, cut the radish in quarters lengthwise, then slice. Be sure not to slice too thin. Mix the radish slices in a handful of sea salt, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and cut the scallions and leeks into 1 inch lengths and slice in halves
Put the fruits and onions into food processor or blender and liquify. When the chili powder mixture cools down to room temperature, stir in the mixture into the chili powder, and the rest of the ingredients for the seasoning.****
When the cabbage is drained, place it in a large bowl along with radish slices, leeks, and scallions. Mix in thoroughly with the seasoning, and blend using your hands.
Tightly pack the cabbage in a gallon-size jar. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and press down to get rid of air pockets. Leave it out at room temperature for half of a day to ferment. During that time, do not move, or open the container! Chill before serving.
*This video linked is not veg friendly at all, but don’t worry. I just substitute all meat ingredients with mushrooms and I happen to love the results.
**You can make your own by drying Korean chili peppers, and crushing into powders, or get some from here
***The fruits are optional, but to me, essential. We also put in some dried jujube in it!
****Traditionally, this is where you would put in fresh oysters or salted shrimp. Some people think that it’s sacrilegious to do without them, but personally, I find the flavors much cleaner and more refreshing without.
This year is off to a good start, because it started with the best Korean New Year’s soup I have made yet. But more importantly, I think I am finally on schedule with my seed starters, for once. I’ve divided the seeds into groups, and right now falls on an in-between down time, so I’m anxiously waiting, checking on the seedlings every few minutes, and obsessively examining the vermicompost bin to make sure there is no vemi-massacre happening.
The first to be planted were Artichokes from Baker’s Creek, verbena hoary vervain from Botanical Interests, and just as an experiment, pomegranate from my friend Melissa’s garden in Northern California.
Planted January 4, 2011
Verbena went inside a mug with a lid, because it needs darkness to germinate. As for the others, they had a brief moment of solitude on the window sill. Soon, more seedlings arrived.
This photo is from February 16th in the kitchen sink, where they get watered. They spend the daytime on the window sill, and early morning and nights under my little grow light.
One thing I fear is the load of soil prep work that awaits, due to my neglect last fall. After the slug infestation, combined with other stress in life, I became overwhelmed and left it all to rot. But I learned from my mistakes (hopefully), I am prepared! So for now, I’m going to try to enjoy the rest of the winter and relax.
My favorite way of making hot chocolate by the way, is melting a block of valrhona dark chocolate, and then blending so it gets all foamy in the blender. So far, nothing has ever come close. Not even the ultra heavy, milky, soupy hot choco at the City Bakery.
I MADE MY OWN KIMCHI!!!!!
This is a big deal, people. Even though I can’t claim to have made it myself. A more accurate story would be that I kept company of my friends while they did all the work and research. I asked questions, and chopped the vegetables and fruits, as per their direction. But kimchi is never made by one person. My mother always had at least 3 other people to collaborate with, and it could be the most communal food item to prepare, which I think is really cool. It’s also probably the most economical and nutritious thing I know about. A huge batch is made a few times a year, and then it lasts forever in its continuously fermenting process. I heard some kimchi can last for more than 3 years, but I am guessing that that is when is stored in a quality clay pot, and buried in the right spot in the ground. I would say the kimchi we made should be consumed within a month, since we’ll be keeping it in a regular fridge. When it gets too sour, it can be made in to kimchi stew*!
I noticed that as I am writing about this, there’s already a seemingly gratuitous amount of exclamation points. And by that, I am also realizing how deeply I am fond of kimchi. All nostalgic sentiments as a Korean person living abroad aside, it has so many dynamic layers. I first love that its flavor is just completely bizarre and powerful, and that it is the definition of ‘acquired taste’. I think I can safely assume that every Korean child started eating kimchi by force. Flavors that naturally appeal to people are sweet, and mildly savory. Kimchi is neither. It’s spicy, salty, and totally weird. Maybe the relationship of Korean people and kimchi is like the culinary Stockholm Syndrome. Anyway, there are plenty of information about kimchi if you’re curious, so I’ll leave the informative part to the experts.
Getting back to the ‘big deal’ part about this, making kimchi is sort of a rite of passage. It means I am a ripe young woman ready for marriage, and that my flower is ready to be picked. Uhh.. okay that’s kind of gross. Sorry. But it is really the last step toward becoming a domestic matron. (When I told my mother that I made kimchi, she was really impressed, so I hope that gives my claim some credibility.) So, this description applies to the ladies in the pictures above, more so than me, who in reality, was more of a spectator. The kimchi we made was fantastic beyond belief, and Gia was kind enough to send me the instructions she followed: Napa Cabbage Kimchi (in Korean)
Ladies are putting their gunz to work
And.. here’s the translation:
Napa Cabbage Kimchi
1 head napa cabbage cut into quarters or 2-inch wedges, depending on size of cabbage
1/3 of a large mino early radish (Korean raddish)
1 1/2 cup coarse sea saltFor seasoning (This will yield more than the kimchi needs. The leftover sauce can be saved and added to stir fry or soup, or more kimchi!)
3/4 cup or less Korean chili powder (gochutgaru)**
4 ounces scallions and Korean leeks
1/2 of a medium sized yellow onion
1/2 of a Korean apple, or fuji, pink lady***
1/2 of a Korean pear
1.5 tbsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp finely minced ginger
1/2 tbsp sugarBroth
- bring to boil some water to 1 1/2 cup with dashima/kelp, and mushrooms (wild mushroom or shiitake) and simmer until the broth is flavorful, discard the sea weed
- take the water off the stove, and stir in 5 tbsp of sticky rice flour (chapsal-garu) or all purpose flour
Dissolve 1 1/2 cup sea salt in 7 cups of water. Soak chopped cabbage in the salt water for at least 1 hour. Mix it up after the first 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the hot broth and stir in the chili powder. Let it sit in room temperature.
Remove cabbage from water and and drain in colander for 2 hours. Mean while, cut the radish in quarters lengthwise, then slice. Be sure not to slice too thin. Mix the radish slices in a handful of sea salt, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and cut the scallions and leeks into 1 inch lengths and slice in halves
Put the fruits and onions into food processor or blender and liquify. When the chili powder mixture cools down to room temperature, stir in the mixture into the chili powder, and the rest of the ingredients for the seasoning.****
When the cabbage is drained, place it in a large bowl along with radish slices, leeks, and scallions. Mix in thoroughly with the seasoning, and blend using your hands.
Tightly pack the cabbage in a gallon-size jar. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and press down to get rid of air pockets. Leave it out at room temperature for half of a day to ferment. During that time, do not move, or open the container! Chill before serving.
*This video linked is not veg friendly at all, but don’t worry. I just substitute all meat ingredients with mushrooms and I happen to love the results.
**You can make your own by drying Korean chili peppers, and crushing into powders, or get some from here
***The fruits are optional, but to me, essential. We also put in some dried jujube in it!
****Traditionally, this is where you would put in fresh oysters or salted shrimp. Some people think that it’s sacrilegious to do without them, but personally, I find the flavors much cleaner and more refreshing without.
