Nayko

Hello Piiper2,

I’m not a kimchi master but nappa cabbage and many other vegetables have been fermented in my kitchen since the last few years. Most of the time it’s a success (I recently finished a kimchi made 2 years ago) but sometimes it is a failure (many many success and 3 failures in my case).

Salt is a main factor for longevity and if you follow the exact maangchi’s recipe, you can’t be wrong about this factor. Of course you can reduce the amount of salt, it will not last very long but longer than the two weeks you’re talking about.
The bad bacteria in your kimchi must have been trapped in the jar. It was already present on the lid, on the towell used to wipp the jarr or in a ustensile, he vegetables or else …

You opened the jar frequently in order to press the kimchi ? That could be the reason ! Don’t panic if your kimchi is not submerged permanently (if you started the fermentation at room temperature). It has to be moist, that’s for sure, but not necessarily submerged.
I mean that if your kimchi is still moist on its surface, you should prefer to left it alone more than opening the lid. If you eat kimchi often, instead of opening the jar every day, it’s preferable to put a portion for the week out from the jar.

Anyway, you were right to throw it away, your nose is your best friend in that case :) and the good news is that you have to make kimchi again… practicing is the better way to make good kimchi !

Just like Sanne said, yes you should get rid of empty spaces between the quarters or it must be spoiled soon.
I also make kimchi with savoy cabbage (chou frisé in french). Its firmer texture makes it last longer than nappa cabbage and its stronger taste makes it perfect for fried rice (chopped finely and panned with butter !!).
A key for the next time you use savoy cabbage : you can make pouches with the great leaves, fill it with the smaller and cut leaves.
The cabbage is pressed inside the pouches and the pouches are pressed into the jar : no air.
Bye and happy kimchi to you

Hello Edensinter,
you can use it in everything you want !
To begin with, you can use perilla oil instead of sesame oil if you want to try it with a Korean recipe.

What agreat idea !
I have no opinion about peanuts but the tofu idea is interesting.The only fermented tofu i know is furu, the chinese fermented tofu.
I’m not sure that a batch of kimchi would be better with some tofu in it but fermenting tofu wrapped in some kimchi and its juice sounds good.
You make me want to try it

Same problem here, in Paris, France.
I really want to try the Samgyetang recipe but it’s impossible, I can’t find fresh ginseng !
Fresh ginger, yes, fresh galanga, yes, fresh herbs, yes, fresh turmenic, yes, but fresh ginseng, no.
I also tried online… but no.
Good luck !

Hello every one,
I know how frustrating it is to realize that the kimchi you made with your own hands (and your heart) doesn’t taste as good as you expected but don’t worry, it’s gonna be alright anyway :)

First thing to remember : the result depends on the ingredients and your kimchi (even if you follow the same recipe every time) will be different at every batch.
You have to taste the vegetables because it happens that a carrot, radish or any vegetable taste a bit bitter naturally (especially radishes). If so, do not hesitate to rince the vegetables under running water after you cut them (dry them with a clean towel after that). Even garlic can be bitter when it’s not very fresh, pepper flakes also if they’ve been exposed to air a long time, even salt…
If you taste all the ingredients, you can adjust the amount of sweetener you have to add in compensation.
Second thing : your kimchi is alive. The taste is gonna evolve with time and the process of fermentation. It becomes sour but also rich and round (sorry I don’t know the exact terms in english) and the bitterness of a young kimchi sometimes fades into the rich and deep flavor of an aged kimchi. Months after months, the taste becomes more and more complex !
Third thing : if the bitterness doesn’t mellows or disappears with time, ABSOLUTLY do not throw it away ! Cook it ! Fried , simmered, melt it with other ingredients.
And to finish : It happened to me once. As usually, I had let my kimchi fermenting at room temperature approximatively 2 days, refrigerated it 24 hours then tasted it… weird, carbonated, bitter… I let it sit approximatively 1 month in the fridge… still weird… I decided to try a second fermentation at room temperature and it really helped. It was still a bit bitter but I could eat it without the weird aftertaste.
Have fun !

Hello,
I can’t tell if there is a typicall Korean response to your “mint problem” but with recipes from other countries as Vietnam, Laos for exemple, you should find delicious ways to use it in Spring rolls, nem Thadeua, etc
A sprig of mint in cold water will delicately parfume it.
Make a Tzatziki, with mint it’s delicious.
Puff pastry stuffed with a mixture of feta cheese and mint is awesome.
Make Orient style meatballs.
You can also make your own mint sirup.
And last but not least, you can make the mojito cocktail !
A good mojito calls from 10 to 20 leaves for just one glass. A real mint-plant killer :)

Hi DiaDia,
as a substitute for rice syrup I think that you can use maltose sugar (its taste is not very far from rice syrup and the consistancy is thick) + white rock sugar (makes the dishes shinny).
Or simple and good honey.
Nayko