Should I use boiling water or cold water to make kimchi?

Whether it is Sichuan kimchi or Korean kimchi, they are very common in our lives. Many people like to eat kimchi, so they make it at home. So, should we use boiling water or cold water to make kimchi? In fact, generally speaking, there are different requirements depending on the method of making different kimchi. However, our traditional kimchi is made with cold boiled water.

The method of making Sichuan pickles is very simple

Material:

A kimchi jar (with a rim on the top to hold water. The upper rim of the jar is for water, and water must be kept in it normally to act as a seal), kaoliang liquor, Sichuan pepper, chili pepper, aniseed (star anise, also called fennel), rock sugar, and salt.

Preparation method:

1. Cultivation of kimchi fermentation bacteria

(1) First, put some peppercorns and an appropriate amount of salt in cold water, and then boil the water. The amount of water should be about 10%-20% of the jar capacity, not too much.

Add a little more salt than usual when cooking, and stop when it feels salty.

Put about 20 to 30 peppercorns, try to put more, so that you can make very fragrant dishes.

(2) After the water has completely cooled, pour it into the jar and add a tael of sorghum wine (you can add more for a large jar).

Other wines won’t work. The kimchi fungus actually comes from sorghum wine koji, and wine also needs to be added frequently.

(3) Add green peppers (the kind that are firm, dark green, very spicy, and used for seasoning) and ginger to enhance the flavor of the dish. Moreover, these two kinds of vegetables should be kept in the jar at all times, as they can enhance the flavor.

After 2-3 days, pay attention to observe carefully to see if there are bubbles formed around the green peppers. At the beginning, there are one or two very small bubbles, which are almost invisible if you don't pay attention. If there are bubbles, even just one bubble, it means the fermentation is normal. After the green pepper turns completely yellow, leave it for another 2 to 3 days and it will be done!

(4) The kimchi juice is now ready (the kimchi bacteria have been cultured).

Kimchi bacteria are anaerobic bacteria, so it is very important to pay attention to the sealing of the jar mouth. As kimchi ferments, it develops antibacterial effects. Lactic acid bacteria are produced during the fermentation process, and a sour taste is produced as the fermentation matures, which not only makes the kimchi more delicious, but also inhibits other bacteria in the jar and prevents abnormal fermentation.

Note:

The inner wall of the jar must be washed clean, and then the raw water is wiped dry, or it can be scalded with boiling water.

There must be absolutely no raw water. After washing the green peppers, they must also be dried and absolutely no raw water is allowed to remain in them.

Why can’t there be raw water? The reason is simple. Tap water (raw water) contains miscellaneous bacteria, and the chlorine in it will kill the kimchi bacteria.

2. Brewing

First add appropriate amount of aniseed and rock sugar.

(1) Common kimchi ingredients: radish, cowpea, radish, young ginger (purple-red ginger), chili pepper, etc. Note: It is best to eat carrots and cucumbers immediately after soaking them. Take them out overnight, otherwise it will cause flowers to grow in the jar (foam will appear in the kimchi soup and gray skin will appear on the surface).

(2) Wash the vegetables, cut them into large pieces or strips (not too small), and let them dry.

(3) Place the cultivated kimchi juice into the jar, making sure the vegetables are completely submerged in water, and then seal the jar.

(4) Each time you add a new dish, you should add the appropriate amount of salt. You will get the hang of it after making it a few times. If there is too much salt, it will be salty. If there is too little salt, the vegetables will be sour and the kimchi soup will easily go bad.

Each time new vegetables are added, the soaking time will vary depending on the vegetables, and the longest time is one week.

3. Edible

(1) You can eat kimchi directly after washing it. You can add kimchi to porridge and you can have several bowls of porridge in a short time.

(2) You can also cut it into small pieces and stir-fry it to make the unique flavor of kimchi more prominent. Cook for a maximum of 2 minutes. You can add dried chilies, salt and sugar to the pot according to your taste.

(3) It can be eaten mixed with other ingredients. Because kimchi is salty, you can mix shredded cucumber and kimchi, marinate for a while, squeeze out the water, add sesame oil, MSG, coriander, etc., and it will also be a very good cold dish.

4. Maintenance of original juice

It is best to add sorghum wine (about half a tael) and rock sugar after every 3 to 4 brewing.

Used original juice can be used repeatedly, the older the better. When there is no vegetable in it, remember to add salt in it. Make sure the water on the top of the jar does not dry up. Put it in a cool place. As long as it is well stored, the kimchi juice can be used for 5 years without any problem.

After half a year of use, the fermentation capacity of the original juice is very strong, and most vegetables can be eaten after soaking for about a day.

Special reminder:

1. The jar must be sealed, and it is best to use an earthenware one with a rim. The upper edge of the jar is used to hold water, and water must be kept in it at all times to ensure it acts as a seal. When taking kimchi, be careful not to drip raw water into the jar.

2. Don't let oil get into the jar, as it will cause blooming, and in serious cases, all the vegetables in the jar will rot.

Korean kimchi

raw material:

5000g Chinese cabbage, 250g apples, 250g pears, 500g white radish, 1500g beef broth, 250g green onions, 250g garlic, 150g refined salt, 150g chili powder, 50g MSG

Preparation method:

1. Remove the roots and old stalks of the cabbage, wash it with clean water, drain it, cut it into 4 pieces with a knife, put it in a pot, sprinkle it with salt and marinate for 4 to 5 hours.

2. Remove the roots, whiskers and skin of the radish, cut into thin slices and marinate with salt

3. Peel the apples and cut into slices; chop the green onions and mash the garlic.

4. Drain the pickled cabbage and radish and put them into the jar.

5. Mix all the seasonings including apples, pears, beef broth, etc. and pour them on the cabbage. The marinade should cover the cabbage. Press it down with a clean heavy object to make the cabbage sink.

6. The time can be determined according to the season. In summer, it is generally 1 to 2 days; in winter, it is generally 3 to 4 days before it can be taken out and eaten.