Comments on: Kimchi and Kaktugi

By: kurokokoro

kurokokoro — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:10:38 +0000

ah good! i have plenty of kosher salt around the house!! thanks so much for answering my question!

By: Maangchi

Maangchi — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:23:07 +0000

I use kosher salt these days, but I don’t have any particular kind of salt I prefer.

By: kurokokoro

kurokokoro — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:23:13 +0000

I was wonder what kind of salt you use in this recipe? Is it ok to use any kind of salt like kosher or sea salt or is there a specific kind that works best when making kimchi?

Thank you so much for putting up this recipe! I’m so excite to try it out!

By: Maangchi

Maangchi — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:26:32 +0000

When you make your next batch of kimchi, please use my recent kimchi recipe because more exact measurements are posted.

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi

My answers:
Q: Because i put in too much salt before, im afraid that it would get too salty again. if i taste the radish in salt water,is it normal if it taste too salty for me?

A: Don’t forget to rinse the radish in cold water and drain before mixing with kimchi paste.

If your radish or cabbage is too salty, soak it in cold water until not salty (30 minutes-1 hour? ). Then rinse and drain it, and mix with kimchi paste.

*Q: … i saw some little white specks. Im afraid that it was worm or something. So now im worried about my kimchi. Should i throw my kimchi?

A: eww! white stuff on kimchi paste in the refrigerator next day? Strange! I would not eat the white stuff! But I would use the paste after removing the white stuff.

By: Maangchi

Maangchi — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:59:08 +0000

yes, of course it’s alright!

By: CRAYONSnPEN

CRAYONSnPEN — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:30:37 +0000

ohh.. im not really confident. Actually this is the first time im “cooking”.
on my research, it said that the container must be air tight. But i just put it in a plastic tupperware & on to the fridge. Is this alright?

By: CRAYONSnPEN

CRAYONSnPEN — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:25:14 +0000

i tried making kimchi yesterday but im afraid it is a failure. i put in too much salt more tan needed so it taste so bitter even with a nice kimchi paste.
im doing my 2nd batch today but i dont use Napa Cabbage,im making radish.
*Q: we dont have Korean radish here so im using plain radish but i dont know what variety it is. this this ok?
*Q: Because i put in too much salt before, im afraid that it would get too salty again. if i taste the radish in salt water,is it normal if it taste too salty for me?
*Q: On my 1st batch, there was excess paste(but more like sauce,that was what it was). I save that in the fridge in a separate container but the next morning, i saw some little white specks. Im afraid that it was worm or something. So now im worried about my kimchi. Should i throw my kimchi?

By: Maangchi

Maangchi — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:02:43 +0000

hello,Anti,
I understand you have many questions especially when you make your first batch of kimchi! It sounds like you made good kimchi!

My answers:
1. It’s not fish sauce but kimchi juice. Mix the juice with a spoon well
2. The cabbage won’t be very salty, so when you add your salty kimchi paste, it will work well. If your kimchi turns out too salty for you, use less fish sauce when you make your next batch of kimchi later.
3. yes, it’s normal. No problem!

By: Anti

Anti — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:14:09 +0000

Hi Maangchi,

This is the first time I made Kimchi, and I want to make sure I did it right. :)

It might confuse you ‘oil in the container’ in my previous post. hehe.. I am sorry. about that. :) I have few questions to a

1) After few days, it showed the fish saurce in the container.
2) The paste I made is pretty salty before I put it on the cabbage.
3) When I taste the Kimchi, I can taste/feel a lot of chilli flakes.

Are all this problems normal for Kimchi?

By: Maangchi

Maangchi — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:40:58 +0000

“Is that OK and I can let the cabbage sit in the juice or shall I drain it?”
No, don’t drain it. Kimchi juice makes your kimchi very delicious! When you make kimchi stew, kimchi soup or kimchi stir-fried rice, use the juice. It sounds like your kimchi was well made!