Kimchi, Kefir, Sauerkraut and all other fermented foods

three tsp of chilli flakes - hot enough that it's noticeable when eating but not so hot that it will make toilet trips regrettable.

Finally got around to making Kombucha. Way easier than I expected. Let's see if this explodes now.

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Looks great.. where did you get your scoby? I was going to try to create a starter from some shop-bought kombucha.

I was given a kit for Christmas that had the scoby and starter liquid in it

Anyone want some milk kefir grains?

I have enough to make about 750ml

Made some Tempeh. Greater success than my previous attempts

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Anyone used or made nukamiso?
Sounds an intriguing fermentation method

https://joi.ito.com/weblog/1999/04/04/nukamiso-guide.html

Any recommendations for good legit kimchi to order through the inter webs?

https://www.eatenalive.co.uk/collections/kimchi-kraut

Can often find these in budgens and Nisa too. def 'live' and taste ok

these are pretty good too:
https://www.belleandherbs.farm/shop

Haven't tried these:
https://mrkimchi.co.uk/shop/

think i've had these and remember liking..
https://www.lovingfoods.co.uk/products/kimchi

I usually make my own these days following this recipe:
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/chaesik-kimchi

That lovingfoods kimchi is rank.
Carrots in Kimchi is just wrong.

The Korean branded plastic tubs or foil bags are ok. Jongga & Bibigo brands are commonly found at Asian supermarkets (online or otherwise)

Unless vegan or vegetarian, I’d avoid vegan/vegetarian recipes. Or anything that contains base vegetables other than cabbage and radish.

A few carrots in kimchi is pretty common I thought?

The handful of times I’ve bought kimchi in Longdan (any shop that’s got bags etc) I’ve found it less biologically active and not as tasty as the stuff made locally. If it’s had to travel I find it’s not as good - not always but ime

Got any recommendations for places to buy good quantities in London?

Mr kimchi is pretty good. It is shipped v early in the fermentation process and so you leave it out on counter for as long as you want. Takes a few days to get good but it's nice stuff

Thanks for the recommendations. Just going to put in an order with Mr Kimchi for 2kg.

Next step is finding novel/enjoyable ways to get it down every day, I don’t always eat foods that it would pair well with!

Not the way my Korean mum, aunties, grandmas and extended family made it!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen carrots in kimchi in Korea or Korean restaurants here.

I get that you might put carrots in to add a bit of crunch if you can’t find radish, but the bite of carrot in kimchi is all wrong. Different consistency and density, and doesn’t work the same way when you brine them to draw out water like cabbage and radish.

The bagged stuff is less biologically active, but more consistent. I don’t tend to choose foods for their biological activity level though.

New Malden Korea town Korean supermarkets will have the most authentic stuff.

Some different uses for kimchi (also depends on how old it is)

Kimchi fried rice
Stir fried kimchi with bacon as a topping for rice
Omelette filling
Cheese toastie filling

Old Kimchi which looks a bit mushy and tangy can be fried or stewed.

I'll plan a cycle to Korea town! thanks for the advice re carrots, I'll omit next time i make and see how i find it. one less thing to buy n chop :)

Its telling that none of the Korean kimchi recipes online contain carrots.
The recipes that do are from the likes of Jamie Oliver & BBC food.

Looks like 'korean' carrot kimchi is a Russian thing.

Do like carrots though, particularly cut into matchsticks/grated, par boiled and dressed or quickly stir fried with soy, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

When my mother, sister and I first came over to the UK back in the 90s, mum couldn't dream about moving to a new country without kimchi and gochujang, so packed loads in the hold luggage.

Several kilos of Kimchi which basically depressurised in the cargo hold and went over all our stuff.

Held in Gatwick immigration for about 8 hours for questioning, a distraught non-english speaking women with a 1 & 5 year old, everything smelling of garlic and fermented cabbage, until my dad who was already in the country working had to come translate and bail us out.

Kimchi is life

if you are near Longdan you can make kimchi quite easily tbh. They sell all raw ingredients. I am on a mad kimchi rush atm; made a red cabbage kimchi then a kale kimchi! They all bang. Kale kimchi took some time to ferment as I had very little asian pear left.

haha, thats an amazing story.

this is where i get my carrots in kimchi vibe from - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/chaesik-kimchi

she does say only a bit 'for colour'. I'll omit it next time anyways, for a more authentic experience -and for science! :)

Not too far from a Longdan, what’s your go to recipe please, and how long do you like to leave before sampling?

for the paste i do:
Gochujang
Shrimp paste
Fish sauce
Tiny bit of soy sauce
Puree'd Asian pear, garlic, ginger
Finely chopped carrots and spring onions
Rice flour porridge

Then spread that on salted, washed cabbage leaves.

I use the same paste for any other kind of kimchi too.

I leave it for a week at least burping the jar every day, by the end of the week there is a decent amount of gas/bubbles. Then into the fridge.

Very good kimchi story.

Where are y'all buying your gochugaru?

I just made a new batch of kimchi, and chucked in what I thought was gochugaru, but was actually aleppo flakes that I had stored in an old container for convenience. And I'm struggling to notice any difference.

Anyway - are there any differences in brands, or are they all much of a muchness, with the only difference being packaging and price?

Just read Tim Spector's latest book and now looking into making my own kefir. Already done kimchi and might have a crack at kombucha too. Only problem is my wife is caffeine intolerant. Is water kefir a decent alternative? Or can you make caffeine free kombucha?