kimchi

A great spicy accompaniment that goes with many things and keeps for up to 3 months in the fridge

This is based on a Jamie Oliver recipe but I used some more easily available substitutions and it worked well.
You will need a large, sealable kilner jar or similar, sterilized in boiling water before using

• 1 Chinese cabbage (the large oval type)
• salt
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons dried smoked paprika*
• 200g crunchy vegetables** 
• 6 spring onions
• 2 tablespoons Korean shrimp paste***

* authentic recipes use Korean gochugaru, but the Hungarian variety seems to work fine

** traditionally daikon, a Korean white radish, (aka white radish or mooli) but I have substituted carrot and kohl rabi - the carrot adds interesting colour

*** I substituted Thai fish sauce

1. Quarter and remove the stalks from the cabbage, then chop it crosswise at 2cm intervals, break it up and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle over 4 tablespoons of sea salt and massage it in with your hands.
2. Cover with cold water and sit a plate on top to keep the veg submerged. Set aside for 2 hours, then rinse it thoroughly under cold water in a colander, and leave to drain for 30 minutes.  Squeeze out any excess water.
3. Cut the vegetables and spring onions into matchsticks.
4. Blitz the garlic, ginger and sugar together to a smooth paste. Add the shrimp paste/fish sauce and paprika and mix well.
5. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
6. Spoon the kimchi into your kilner jar and press it down so the juices rise, leaving a gap at the top, then close and seal the lid.
7. Leave the kimchi to ferment at room temperature for up to 5 days (place the jar on a plate to catch any brine that might bubble over.) Check every day, letting out some gas and pressing the vegetables down into the brine.You may find small bubbles rising, showing it is fermenting.
8. The kimchi is now ready: transfer the jar to the fridge.  Its flavour will improve with time.