Kimchi/Sauerkraut/Curtido

[Malice]

Anyone tried this stuff?

After reading about it, I decided to buy some at 99 Ranch yesterday. I bought a jar/tub of the Hanasia and Cosmo brands.

I'm eating some right now along with some slow baked pork. I am not impressed. It just doesn't seem to have a very strong or good taste to me. The Hanasia brand tastes distinctly more tingly, which is likely due to either more added MSG or more naturally produced MSG if it's been fermented longer.

Maybe after it ferments some more it will taste better to me. I like strong flavors. I don't have much faith in it, though, because the Hanasia already seems to be at about the optimal level of flavor, and if it gets stronger it may just be that stimulating sense of MSG that becomes more powerful.

I bought the added ingredients that I needed to make my own. I plan on making the korean radish and traditional nappa kinds.

A fermented cabbage product that I really liked is curtido/repollo, which you eat with pupusas, along with some kind of tomato sauce. God I love pupusas. Haven't eaten them in years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtido
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupusa



Hmm, they did have clear kimchi. It might be similar, if it doesn't have fish products. I can't recall.

I think I'm going to make sauerkraut and curtido along with the kimchi. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm still going to try the kimchi with different things, but I don't expect much.
Anyone have any recommendations? Jerome?

[jerome]

aloha malice.

store bought kimchi is usually pretty crappy and as you mentioned, filled with msg.

a lot of americans eat it straight up, but kimchi is def more enjoyable when cooked as a soup/stews and in combined in noodle dishes.

that's awesome you're gonna make your own kimchi! good luck

['Ed Rush]

I used to work with a Vietnamese lady that made her own Kimchi. It was sooooo good but soooo spicy. I couldn't stop eating it but it destroyed my stomach lining. Seriously felt awful for a half an hour afterwards and I am used to spicy food.

[xannex]

Post about your process of making kimchi.

[Malice]

Originally Posted by jerome

aloha malice.

store bought kimchi is usually pretty crappy and as you mentioned, filled with msg.

Well, many foods are naturally high in MSG. I believe kimchi is one of them. I don't think there's any difference between natural and synthetic MSG, it's not like something is good for you just because it arises without human action, there's no magical spirit of nature's goodness that infuses it. The problem is that MSG can be used to mask the lack of (good) flavor, caused by inferior ingredients and manufacturing process.

Ah, soup/stew! I have some pork butt I could use for that. I definitely like cabbage in stews.

[jerome]

Originally Posted by Malice

Well, many foods are naturally high in MSG. I believe kimchi is one of them. I don't think there's any difference between natural and synthetic MSG, it's not like something is good for you just because it arises without human action, there's no magical spirit of nature's goodness that infuses it. The problem is that MSG can be used to mask the lack of (good) flavor, caused by inferior ingredients and manufacturing process.

Ah, soup/stew! I have some pork butt I could use for that. I definitely like cabbage in stews.

msg ruins anything pretty much. it's just not real cooking, and as you said, more often used to mask crap flavor. asians love msg like black people love lard n butter.

anyways here are most popular 3 ways koreans use their kimchi: the soup (eaten with rice), kimchi pancakes, and kimchi noodles. kimchi boochingae (korean pancakes) are probably my favorite. they're really easy and taste uber good.


http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchi-chigae-kongnamool

http://www.koreanhomecooking.com/200...i-pancake.html

http://korean-cuisine.blogspot.com/2...i-gooksoo.html

[rell]

Kimchi is good and extremely healthy but I only enjoy it in small amounts in one sitting.

[Malice]

OK, maybe around the beginning of the week I tried making kimchi and it went pretty horribly. I think I used too much red pepper and I also used iodized table salt instead of sea salt.

Turns out it might kill the bacteria that ferments it.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.co...auerkraut.html

After two days of sitting out I tried some. It had a pretty weird taste. Afterward I also had a stomach ache that lasted over an hour. Maybe up to 3, I don't remember, eventually I fell asleep. I had a bucket nearby because I would sometimes feel like I was on the verge of throwing up, but it wasn't as bad as you likely imagine.

I have a cast iron stomach from doing things to exercise my immune system. This probably would have been a lot worse in a normal person. Although I didn't poop for two days, but that may have been because I was eating less.

I used this recipe:

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

Except with corn starch instead of sweet rice flour and no oysters (thank god).

If the iodized salt did kill the bacteria that causes fermentation, then it may have just been loaded with bacteria that makes you sick. Imagine that slop sitting around for two days at 60-70 F, oi.

The hanasia kimchi tastes even more tingly now. It's a distinct taste and I can see why it would stand out, but I don't like it. I don't think home made kimchi would be much better, so I've dropped my plans to make more. Fuck kimchi and fuck Korea.

My new plan is to make sauerkraut and curtido. The ingredients should be acquired on Tuesday.

[The Pat-Man]

fucking love some kraut.

[jerome]

Originally Posted by Malice

OK, maybe around the beginning of the week I tried making kimchi and it went pretty horribly. I think I used too much red pepper and I also used iodized table salt instead of sea salt.

Turns out it might kill the bacteria that ferments it.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.co...auerkraut.html

After two days of sitting out I tried some. It had a pretty weird taste. Afterward I also had a stomach ache that lasted over an hour. Maybe up to 3, I don't remember, eventually I fell asleep. I had a bucket nearby because I would sometimes feel like I was on the verge of throwing up, but it wasn't as bad as you likely imagine.

I have a cast iron stomach from doing things to exercise my immune system. This probably would have been a lot worse in a normal person. Although I didn't poop for two days, but that may have been because I was eating less.

I used this recipe:

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

Except with corn starch instead of sweet rice flour and no oysters (thank god).

If the iodized salt did kill the bacteria that causes fermentation, then it may have just been loaded with bacteria that makes you sick. Imagine that slop sitting around for two days at 60-70 F, oi.

The hanasia kimchi tastes even more tingly now. It's a distinct taste and I can see why it would stand out, but I don't like it. I don't think home made kimchi would be much better, so I've dropped my plans to make more. Fuck kimchi and fuck Korea.

My new plan is to make sauerkraut and curtido. The ingredients should be acquired on Tuesday.

that's seriously awesome you gave it a shot, it's definitely a thing not a lot of people attempt. my mom uses grinded apples, the chilli stuff, salt, and baby shrimp as a base. usually comes out pretty good.

Originally Posted by The Pat-Man

fucking love some kraut.

can't remember if i like it or hate it.

[Malice]

Oh, I used a pear instead of sugar.

OK, yesterday today around 4AM I had some tilapia and had a bad stomach ache for a few hours, just like on the day I had the kimchi. I threw the rest of it out. The kimchi could also have added to the stomach ache, I may never know.

Worst case scenario is that it has something toxic. It might also be the oiliness of it that upset my stomach, although I can eat some pretty damn fatty things without problem. I don't know what the fat percentage of tilapia is. It shouldn't have been bacteria, I cooked it at 350 for at least 50 minutes in the oven. Maybe it's because I'm not used to eating fish. It was also a good deal of it, maybe one pound of meat. It was an entire good sized fish.

Screw it, I don't even like the taste or texture of it. When I was lying in bed thrashing around I fantasized about beating the shit out of a dolphin and exterminating the world's supply of fish. I'd take morphine for a minor stomach ache if I had any. I'm just going to take fish oil for my omega 3s, it might be cheaper anyway (maybe).

Oh shit, it's not even healthy!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0708092228.htm

Well, fuck tilapia!

It would be interesting if it's the omega 6s that I was reacting negatively towards.

I might try making one jar of kimchi again with half the recommended about of red pepper.

[kite--]

Gah, go to a Korean restaurant, order Kimchi as a starter and enjoy!

Never had it out of a jar but don't imagine its great.

[Ambient]

Kimchi is pretty easy to make, compared to sauerkraut. I like kimchi, but prefer it as a side dish. The common cabbage kimchi is nice, but also radish kimchi, sesame leave kimchi, and chilli pepper kimchi are also nice. IMO homemade kimchi will not taste great unless you use gochugaru. Gochugaru is a kind of chilli powder which is fairly mild, and has a very thick granulated texture. You get more flavour by using alot of mild chilli, than a little bit of strong chilli.

[skygear]

theres a great local korean restaurant I frequent thats 24hrs. They just keep bringing 3 different versions out for free until you stop eating it.
a neighbor makes it on his porch in big bins also..

[jerome]

Originally Posted by Ambient

Kimchi is pretty easy to make, compared to sauerkraut. I like kimchi, but prefer it as a side dish. The common cabbage kimchi is nice, but also radish kimchi, sesame leave kimchi, and chilli pepper kimchi are also nice. IMO homemade kimchi will not taste great unless you use gochugaru. Gochugaru is a kind of chilli powder which is fairly mild, and has a very thick granulated texture. You get more flavour by using alot of mild chilli, than a little bit of strong chilli.

seeing korean written in english always looks so funny to me.

but yeah it's the "gochugaru" stuff, koreans'll pay hundreds for a small batch of high quality of that stuff.

my mom makes it all the time at least once every month. making kimchi is easy. making good kimchi is hard, because there are so many ways you can make it and the balancing of flavors can be difficult at times.

[Malice]

Found something this stuff goes well with: corned beef

The sourness goes well with the salty meat flavor.

[Ambient]

I had some kimchi jigae for dinner on thursday for 4 bucks:

[Malice]

How was it?

[Retard Synrdome]

Kimchi is fucking delicious.

[Malice]

Not pictured here: just plain cabbage



Left to righ: Korean radish - shredded and cubed, green cabbage; next 2 jars - a mixture of leftovers (cabbage, radish, green onion, some carrot and jalapeno (from a can)); green onions and cabbage; carrots, jalapenos, and cabbage.



Let the german revolution begin!

[skygear]

Looks good Malice

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Good thread. I buy biggity jars of Sauerkraut, never made my own.

It goes GREAT in a baked potato, too, if anyone here doesn't like it much or at all. It's an easy way to get used to it, even so much as on a german roll/hotdog*.
Bake your tato, split it length ways then width ways and of course don't let your tato have dried out too much in the oven. Gotta do it skins on low heat ie 180centigrade 20-35 minutes.

Immediately after the steam rises from your freshly split open baked tater, drop in some sauerkraut, then a handful of bacon bits and sauteed onion, give it a crack with the pepper grinder, grate some good vintage soap (yes even cheddar) or any strong sharp cheese over the top with a very fine grater - use plenty of cheese, then drop a dollop of sour cream on top of that and top with either juilenned eschallots or even better, the classic chives. Then give it a good crack and a half over top with a coarse grind of pepper and she's ready mate!



*(or on cold pizza - this will turn you off everything I ever write in this forum in the future, but I love it - I buy a ham'n'pineapple pizza (aka 'Hawaiian') with anchovies on it as an extra, let it cool overnight in the fridge then smear some liverwurst over bits of the slices, throw on some sauerkraut and FUCK YES).

[Malice]

Sauerkraut is super simple to make:

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.co...auerkraut.html

http://www.wildfermentation.com/reso...age=sauerkraut

[jerome]

Nice malice, knowing how long it can take to make kimchi from watching my mom, that's a really good amount you have set up.

[Euda]

I'm going to try making this one: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29505-ba...kimchi-kimchee

[Malice]

I'd only recommend the cabbage and radish sauerkrauts, the other ones taste weird.

[skygear]

Malice - so all yours are done fermenting?

[Malice]

I suppose. The cabbage and radish ones have a nice sour taste. I think I'll put them in the fridge now. Then again, maybe I should let them get even more sour to get the right flavor balance with corned beef.

I threw the others out, they taste bad.

[Ambient]

Kahk-toh-geh is my favourite pickled korean thing. It's pretty much spicy pickled radish. Some other korean side dishes I like are quail eggs, black beans, mashed sweet potato, and pickled crab.