Recently, I started adding a little kimchi to my diet, and now I can't stop! I am eating it everyday and loving it!If you haven't heard of kimchi before, it's a traditional Korean vegetable dish, made with fermented vegetables and seasonings. The most common kimchi recipes are made with napa cabbage, radish, green onion, or cucumber. It is commonly used as a side dish, added over rice, salads, beans, grains and nori rolls. My favorite way to eat it is with avocado. I may even add a little cooked quinoa to the mix, and even Noa loves it! She eats the kimchi alone! She absolutely loves it, and I am thrilled too!
Not only is kimchi delicious, but it is one of the healthiest foods you can put into your body. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, and contains a number of lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus kimchii. Because of the fermentation process, it is full of probiotics and easy to digest.
After spending 3 years working at Hippocrates Health Institute (HHI), I became accustomed to eating sauerkraut daily, which is another fermented food made with finely shredded cabbage. I liked that the sauerkraut was made right there in the HHI kitchen. Once I stopped working there 2 years ago, I also stopped eating fermented vegetables on a regular basis. But once I started adding them to my diet again, I realized how important they were to my overall health!
Kimchi and sauerkraut are also super easy to make! You can find recipes online, or you can try this recipe from our friend Ani Phyo and her book Ani's Raw Food Essentials:
Napa Cabbage Kimchi
By Ani Phyo
Makes about 8 cups
Pickling time: 2 to 3 days
1 napa cabbage, cut crosswise into 2-inch chunks
1/2 medium-size daikon radish, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise, then 1/2-inch-thick chunks
2 tablespoons sea salt
1/2 cup water
2 green onions, sliced into 2-inch lengths
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Korean chili powder
Place the cabbage and daikon pieces in a large mixing bowl.
Place the salt and water in a separate small bowl, mix to dissolve. Pour over the vegetables. Set aside at room temperature overnight to soften.
The next day, drain, reserving the saltwater the vegetables were soaked in. Add the green onions, garlic, ginger, and chili powder to the cabbage mixture, and mix well. Tightly pack the mixture into a 1/2-gallon glass jar with a lid. Pour the saved saltwater into the jar, leaving 1 inch of space at the top. Tightly close the lid. Leave the jar in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 days (depending on the termperature and how pickled or fermented you want your kimchi). Refrigerate after opening. Will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
I am looking forward to making Ani's kimchi recipe soon, and we will be posting a video of it on The Raw Life Health Show too! But before I get in the kitchen to start experimenting, I make sure I keep a few jars of Sunja's Kimchi in the fridge. I found Sunja's Kimchi at Whole Foods, and it contains only natural ingredients, and it is raw too. I am hoping I can make my kimchi taste as delicious. And according to Ani, her Korean recipe is truly authentic. I will keep you all updated, and let me know if any of you try to make it too!
