I’m neither Korean nor a Kimchi expert, but I know one thing and it’s that I LOVE KIMCHI!!!
It’s a staple in my refrigerator. I die for the spicy hot chili combined with the fermented flavor and juicy cabbage and/ or radish pieces. Kimchi (also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee) translated, means “to preserve.” This traditional Korean pickled dish is made of vegetables with pickling seasonings. Its most common manifestation is the spicy variety that burns your tongue and gets your stomache talkin’. It’s beyond low-caloric, fat free, ridiculously good for you (the health benefits of kimchi range from lowering cholesterol to promoting intestinal health) and very warming for us VATA types. Our favorite raw foods chef & expert, Gabrielle Brick, shares her easy-to-make-at-home kimchi recipe for us below, but if you are too lazy to make it – grab a jar at your favorite health food store or hit up a Korean restaurant for some authentic taste sensations! Rejuvenative Foods is one of a few great organic brands that make kimchi that you can grab at your local health food spot.
Eat it as a side or a snack, or toss some in a bland salad to spice things up. We heart it avec quinoa. Your bod will thank you.
GABRELLE BRICK’S KIMCHI
- 2 nappa cabbage chopped fine or chopped in bite size pieces
- 5-10 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1-2 inch ginger grated
- 1 bunch scallion
- Chili peppers
- Crushed Red Pepper flakes
- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- Sea Salt
- 2-4 whole cabbage leaves
15 minutes prep time
If you have a food processor you can use the special blade and simply quarter the cabbage head and then put it through and you will get beauty-full fine strips – OR you can simply chop the cabbage into slices or bite size pieces and place in large bowl. Then add tablespoon of sea salt, your crushed garlic, and apple cider vinegar. You will want enough vinegar to get the cabbage nice and wet, then message the leaves until it begins to get soft. Next add the rest of your ingredients into bowl, mix well, and place in container that has an air tight seal. Before you close the jar add the whole cabbage leaves to the top covering the surface and press down firmly ensuring that it is well compressed. You may even add a sterilized granite rock to help keep it compressed, this will also add extra minerals to your kimchi! Now, let sit in a cool dark corner for two weeks!
You may be asking, “Why two weeks?!” Fermentation is one of the most important components of Kimchi! Fermentation allows for more absorption of nutrients and vitamins in addition to aiding in digestion as it is a food filled with enzymes. Salt, lack of oxygen, and cool temperature is the most natural way to preserve food, so make a few batches at once! Once thing is for sure; eating Kimchi is a surefire way to make your food your medicine.
NYC Folks: Hit up HanGawi Restaurant for the best kimchi in the City!
LA Folks: Check out BCD Tofu House.
Other peeps, please leave (in the comments section below) your favorite spot for Kimchi in your City!! We want to hear about it!!
Gabrielle Brick has been living the raw super food lifestyle for over 7 years. She teaches internationally on the benefits of optimal nutrition, including seminars, private & group consultations, retreats and academic presentations. Gabrielle was also featured recently on E! as the go-to on raw nutrition. The GirlieGirl Army can’t live without her handmade, organic, raw, perfect chocolate bars. Buy them, book private nutritional sessions, and learn more about raw living here: Www.gabriellebrick.com