I've been making my own kimchi here, and so can you! It's really simple, just mix salt, sliced cabbage, onions, garlic and chiles in a bowl,
compact the mixture and put a constant pressure on it so it stays submerged in its own brine.
The submergence is important because the salt inhibits the growth of other organisms while allowing the desired lactobacteria to flourish. I like using identical bowls that have sloped flat sides (bell shaped sides make fitting more tricky): because of the way they fit in each other, you can stack two...or five on top of each other, each filled with kimchi.
A word of warning: a diet high in salt might be linked to an increased incidence of stomach cancer, so enjoy in moderation! By my reckoning the health benefits are from these foods replenishing gut flora, so just a little is enough.
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Against all odds, my beets are surviving and thriving. I'm super excited and just built two more beds for more future beets. They're a little small (they are about 2/3 time to harvest now) this round but it's probably just the heat and dryness.
I think the rainy season will be glorious for beet growing. Right now I need to hand-water them all the time so they don't die, but when the rains come I think they'll practically grow themselves.
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In other news, I'm going to Bangladesh on for a week this Saturday. More excitement and adventure!
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2 comments:
Yo Woon! Do you still do the punching of the cabbage before you put pressure on and let it sit?
Are there any native fermented things in Ghana?
-maita
Hey Maita!
If the cabbage gives up enough water, I don't crush it too much. Rather than punching, I like to crush/squeeze it in my hands.
There are quite a few fermented Ghanaian foods. People here really like to eat fermented maize (and there are a few ways to cook it). Also, yogurt is really catching on.
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