1poundwhite daikon radish, cut into thin 2-inch sticks
½medium onion, sliced thinly
1Asian pear, sliced thinly
2scallions, cut in half lengthwise, then into 2-inch pieces
4garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½inchpiece of ginger, grated or minced
1fresh chili pepper, sliced thinly
Instructions
for the Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Chop the napa cabbage, wash it, and spin it dry. Three pounds of napa cabbage will fill two large bowls, but after it is salted for some time it will reduce to one bowl. Divide the salt and sprinkle it to cover the cabbage evenly. Use both hands to combine well. Let the cabbage soak in the salt for two hours, stirring every 30 minutes. The salt draws out moisture from the vegetable and hastens the fermentation process.
Meanwhile, prepare the kabocha squash by steaming it until soft. Remove the peel before steaming or after as you prefer. Gather the remaining ingredients for the paste. Blend all paste ingredients using a blender or mini chopper/grinder.
After two hours, cover the salted cabbage in cold water and rinse off the salt. Drain cabbage well. Chop the scallions and add them to the cabbage.
Mix the paste with the cabbage using your hands to fully incorporate. Pack the mixture tightly into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.
Wait a couple days (exactly two for me) until bubbles start to form on the surface. Taste the kimchi. If you like, keep it out another day or two. The longer it sits at room temperature, the stronger the kimchi will taste. When you are happy with the taste, store your vegetarian kimchi in a glass jar and keep in the fridge. Enjoy!
for the Radish Kimchi
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add half the sea salt and all the sugar, and stir well to dissolve. Turn off the heat and allow brine to cool.
Wash the radish well, and chop into ¼ inch thick sticks, 2 inches in length. Place in bowl and toss with the rest of the salt. Allow radishes to marinade in the salt for 20-30 minutes. Cover in cold water and rinse the salt off. Drain well.
In the container you will use to prepare the radish kimchi, layer in the prepared onion, Asian pear, scallions, garlic cloves, ginger, and chili pepper. Place the radish on top and then pour the prepared sweet and salty brine over everything. The brine should fully cover the radish. If necessary, top it up with water.
Make a cover for the kimchi with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and press it into the vegetables slightly. If necessary, use a plate or something heavy on top of the cover to keep the vegetables fully submerged in liquid.
Put a lid on the container, and place it on the counter out of direct sunlight for 2-3 days, until bubbles start appearing on the surface, and the liquid has developed a sweet and tangy flavor.
Once it is fermented to your liking, remove the Asian pear. Transfer the kimchi and brine to glass jars and refrigerate. It will keep for months. Enjoy!
Notes
Purchasing a good quality coarse sea salt is the cheapest way to obtain a natural salt, since finer grind natural salts are more costly and this recipe requires a lot of salt.Coarse sea salt is also good for dissolving in soups, pasta water, or blanching water. It can also be processed into fine salt using a food processor.Here is an link to a good sea salt that I recommend for kimchi.