Northern Cabbage Kimchi

Information

This kimchi originated in the northern regions of Korea. Hear, a dramatic combination of cabbage and radishes and aromatic vegetables together with pickled fish creates a fanciful taste. In addition, fresh oysters and octopus lend exquisite flavors and tastes to the vegetables, and the clear beef broth used for te kimchi souse adds a subtle depth to the kimchi.

Ingredients

Celery cabbage heads, 5
Korean watercress, 1/2 bundle - cut in 2" (5 cm) lengths
Indian mustard leaves, 1/2 bundle - cut in 2"(5 cm) lengths
Green thread onion, 1/2 bundle - cut in 2" (5 cm) lengths
Dried forest mushrooms, 4; soaked and cut into julienne
Dried stone mushrooms, 4; soaked in hot water, cleaned, and cut into
narrow strips
Korean pears, 2; cut into thin julienne
Chestnuts, 10; cut into slivers
Garlic bulbs, 5 - peeled and crushed
Ginger roots, 3 (small) - peeled and crushed
Red pepper powder, 3 cups; made into a pasted with water
Red pepper threads
Pickled corvina, 1/2 cup - cut in narrow strips 1 1/2" (4 cm) long
Pickled baby squid, 1/3 cup - cut in narrow strips 1 1/2" (4 cm) long
Octopus, 1 (small) - cut in narrow strips 1 1/2" (4 cm) long
Pickled baby shrimp, 1/3 cup; chopped
Oysters, 1/3 1b(100 g)
Beef brisked, 1 1/2 1b(600 g); boiled in 5 quarts of water (beef broth)
Coarse salt, 4 cups
Table salt
Sugar

Preliminaries

Trimming and Salting the Cabbage.
Trim off the tough outer leaves of the celery cabbage and save them; cut each cabbage head into 2 to 4 sections lengthwise.

Directions

Soak the cabbage sections and the radishes in a brine prepared with 3 cups of sale and 4 quarts (4 liters) of water for 3 to 4 hours or until softened. Rinse with cold water.
Halve the radishes, reserving 2 and make slitcuts up to 2/3 of the length from the bottom.
Cut the pears into thin julienne.
Cut the pickled fish and the fresh squid and octopus into 1 1/2"(4 cm) long narrow strips.
Cut the 2 remaining radishes into thin julienne; mix the radish strips with the red pepper paste. Then, add all the remaining vegetables, mushrooms, and chestnuts along with the octopus, squid, and pickled fish; mix well. Finally, toss the mixture with oysters and pear strips and season with salt. This is the stuffing.
Pack the stuffing between the layers of the cabbage leaves; fill the slit-cuts on the radishes. Stack the stuffed cabbage and radished in a crock; cover with the salted outer leaves (PRELIMINARIES). After 2 or 3 days, add a mixture of salt, pickled corvina juice, pickled baby shrimp juice, and beef broth, just enough to cover.

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ddt@discworld.imaginary.com