Friday, June 4, 2010

Cuisine: Nouveau Kimchi Recipe

I love, love, love, love kimchi. I like its spicy heat and vinegary finish. It is a flavor explosion that always puts me in a good mood. Kimchi, however, is most definitely an acquired taste. Not everyone likes it because the "salt" is fish sauce, which has a very strong and pungent flavor.

I created Nouveau Kimchi for those that do not like fish sauce. Instead, I substituted Worcester Sauce. Yes, Worcester Sauce has some anchovies in it, so there is a fishy flavor. It is, most definitely, not as fishy as fish sauce. I also replaced the sugar with maple syrup. These two substitutions created a Nouveau Kimchi that still reminds you of traditional kimchi but with a little of the south thrown in.

*****
Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, quartered, cored, and roughly chopped
3 carrots, completely peeled using a peeler
2 bunches green onions, cut into 1-inch chunks and then sliced
3 jalapenos, diced
3-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/8 cup Worcester Sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chili flakes
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp sesame oil
1 TBSP pure maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup salt

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with water and add half a cup of salt. Stir to combine. Add the cabbage and let sit for about four hours. Discard water. Mix in all the other ingredients. Let stand overnight. Enjoy the next day.