Kimchi. Fiction and a recipe.
(After a few weeks without any posts in my blog I hope you enjoy this new recipe.)
She walked down the path where the clay pots formed lines of ancient flavors. Where the ground was stuffed with fermenting goods, and the air was filled with hot smells. It was an open field in between cold mountains.
Approaching a small old cabin made out of wood, the young woman couldn't help to think about the mysteries of the universe. About the strings that connect everything and anything. About that entanglement that kept her connected to her past, present, and future.
From that little building, an older woman came out. She possessed a long, and very soft white hair. As white as the clouds in a sunny day. Her skin was wrinkled, with lines of experience all over her body. She had a calming smile, and eyes with a gaze so deep that no one could ever know her deepest secrets. Her hands were strong, shaped by many years of hard work, they were stained in red, deep red.
The young woman extended her arms around the elder woman. They both smiled, and without saying a single word they had a really deep conversation. Secrets were exchanged, sorrows were revealed, and jokes were made. They both cried.
Their eyes were full of sparks, and emotions. Once their skin touched, magic happened. A connection, not just physical but spiritual, historical, cultural, and mental. A connection so strong, that simple words wouldn't suffice to express. Only silence was enough.
And even though they both live worlds apart, they both lived together in their hearts.
The sky was gray on such a day, it was dawn, and the wind was strong enough to drag memories of an already forgotten time. They both smiled.
A drop of rain, a tear, an eyelash that fell without purpose, and a word that came out the younger lady's voice... Kimchi!
Recipe for Kimchi.
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish made out of fermented vegetables (normally cabbage, mixed with spices). There are many variations to it. You can even made kimchi with other foods such as seafood, cucumbers, and the list goes on.
Ingredients:
3 tsp of salt. I used kosher salt.
1 onion (quartered)
1 big cabbage (cut in 1" pieces). You can use Nappa Cabbage.
1 bunch of spring onions (cut in 1" pieces)
3 slices, of about 1/4" thick of fresh pineapple (diced)
2 small cucumbers (halved, seeded, and sliced)
2 tbs of aged soy sauce. Regular soy sauce works too.
1/4 white vinegar
1/4 cup of Sriracha sauce
4 oz of Sambal oeleke (Ground Fresh Chili Paste). Optional.
1tbs of fish sauce. If you can find shrimp paste even better.
1 tbs of garlic powder
1 tbs of chili powder
1 tbs of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of ginger powder
Process:
Cut the cabbage as instructed and put in a big bowl. Put in the 3 tsps of salt and mix with your hands. Let stand for at least an hour, but you can do let it up to 3 hours.
In the meantime create the hot sauce. In a blender, puree the pineapple and the onion, then mix in a separate bowl with the rest of the wet ingredients. Now mix in all the dry ingredients.
After an hour, drain the water from the cabbage, wash it and drain (Let drain well).
Using your hands, mix everything now (use gloves) and make sure that each piece of cabbage is covered with the sauce. Place the kimchi in a mason jar and fill it to the very top, pressing it with your hands every time you put some. Cover tightly and let stand in your counter for 24 hours before using.
Note: You can eat your kimchi right away after being done, but letting it ferment for a day will give it its peculiar flavor. Now you can put in over white rice, some Ramen noodles, Mac & Cheese, salad, or how about over a good hot dog, or.... Hey, get creative.
#itsfoodoclock