1 head Chinese (Nappa) Cabbage--you can use European cabbage but it's just not the same
4 tbsp Kosher salt--PLEASE use Kosher!
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 bunch green onions, chopped, greens and whites
As many cloves of garlic as you can stand, peeled and chopped well--I use at least six
1 glass gallon jar with lid
Chop the cabbage very roughly, I just cut it right across the cabbage every inch or so. Discard the core. In a big bowl, toss the cabbage, garlic and green onion with the salt and herbes de provence. Pack into the glass jar. Take the end of your rolling pin (assuming you use a big thick dowel like I do) and lightly pound the contents in the jar. Your goal is not to pulverize but to get the cabbage juice flowing. Screw the lid on and leave on your counter at room temperature for 48-72 hours or so. Refrigerate after opening. Delicious!
Notes
This is a "white" kimchi, without red pepper. It's not hot at all, but it has the benefits of fermented cabbage, which are numerous, and garlic. To make more traditional kimchi, take the above recipe, add a nob of ginger peeled and chopped fine, leave out the herbes de provence, and add at least a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. You can add any vegetables you'd like to this, but I suggest staying away from broccoli, except maybe the stems. Kimchi is very versatile, you can add or leave out garlic, ginger and/or red pepper and many different flavorings. I do suggest for health reasons you have nappa cabbage as your base and add or subtract other things to it for different tastes.
It will last in your fridge for several weeks, and in fact will "ripen" and improve in flavor as it sits.
Lynn S.
(11/26/06)
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