Know how to make vegetarian kimchi (no fish sauce) at home

We’re sure that binge watching various K-dramas has made your mouth water for the red, juicy-looking, fermented cabbage that they seem to be enjoying with every freaking meal: Kimchi! Hearing its crunchiness and seeing its vibrant color will surely make everyone go searching for its recipe.

Kimchi is a traditional South Korean vegetable pickle, which is basically a staple food in their country. The Koreans have it with rice, soups, salads and everything else. After the global popularization of Korean dramas and pop culture, its food was the predictable next influence. Everyone is trying out Korean dishes and falling in love with them and one of the most popular ones is kimchi.

The traditional kimchi is made by using fish sauce and shrimps but we are here with a vegetarian alternative that will taste just as delicious.

Here’s how to make vegetarian kimchi at home:

Ingredients:

3 kg napa cabbage
Salt
2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
1 cup vegetable stock
Sugar
Garlic
1 tsp peeled ginger
1 chopped onion
1 cup Korean hot pepper flakes
1 radish
6 sliced green onions
1 sliced carrot

Step 1

Take the napa cabbage and slice it into 4 parts. Add 6-9 tbsp of salt and some water to it. Let the cabbage stay in salted water for around 2 hours and give it a good mix after every 30 minutes.

Step 2

After 2 hours, rinse the cabbage with cold water to remove the excess salt. After washing it well, drain the water and keep the cabbage aside.

Step 3

Heat the glutinous rice flour and half of the vegetable stock in a small pan. Add 1 tbsp sugar to it and boil it for 2-3 minutes.

Step 4

Once this mixture has cooled down, put it in a blender with the other half of the vegetable stock, 3 tbsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, garlic, onion and ginger. Blend until smooth and then add the Korean hot pepper flakes to it.

Step 5

Mix the cabbage, carrot, radish and spring onions to this paste and mix well. Your kimchi is ready to eat! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a longer shelf life.

Benefits of kimchi salad

Kimchi is not only scrumptious, it has many health benefits too! Here is why kimchi is a healthy delicacy:

1. Highly nutritious

Kimchi is a rich source of many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants like vitamin K (good for bone health), A, and C, folate, beta-carotene, choline (maintains your nervous system and moods), potassium and calcium. It completes the daily requirement of many nutrients.

2. Aids digestion

Kimchi is basically fermented cabbage which makes it a probiotic and hence, great for digestion. Kimchi has good bacteria similar to what is found in yogurt. Having it with your meals will make the digestion process easier and keep your gut healthy.

3. Good for your heart

Since probiotics can reduce cholesterol and inflammation, kimchi is supposed to be good for our heart too. Kimchi is full of beta-carotene and other antioxidant compounds that can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as stroke, cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.