Fennel ‘Quick Kimchi’ Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does kimchi take to ferment? ›

The kimchi fermentation process is very short in comparison to making sauerkraut. Kimchi ferments at room temperature in only 1-2 days or more slowly in the refrigerator. For safety, kimchi should be stored refrigerated and is best eaten within 1 week, as the quality of kimchi deteriorates with longer fermentation.

The vegetables need to soak in saltwater for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight. The kimchi can sit at room temperature for up to 2 days and is ready to eat after 2 to 3 days. For longer fermentation, refrigerate. It is best eaten within a month.

Since kimchi is stored in the refrigerator section of the grocery store, the fermentation process has been slowed down by the cold. Fermentation starts again when you let the jar sit out at room temperature, creating pressure in the jar.

As your JIN Kimchi ferments like any other Kimchi, it starts smelling slightly sour and vinegary, this aroma gets stronger over time and is perfectly normal! However, if your Kimchi starts to smell rotten, it has most likely gone bad.

If you would like to speed this up, then you can either raise the temperature slightly to speed up the process, or take even more care and time to remove any excess salt from your cabbage. This will lower your overall salt content, and should allow the Kimchi to ferment faster.

As you push down, more and more water will be released, creating your brine at the top. It's essential that the veggies be completely submerge and the water is only at the top as you need to create an oxygen-free environment.

The kimchi will taste a lot more sour if it's gone bad.

A taste test should really be the last step so you avoid consuming anything that could possibly make you sick. Kimchi that has been kept for a long time will also have a rather rubbery and soggy texture as opposed to the crunchiness of freshly made kimchi.

When making kimchi, you want to end up with 2–3% salt content by weight. If you're a Korean grandma, you can eyeball it. For the rest of us, here's a simple Google Sheet calculator to ensure you end with up with the right salt content. Feel free to copy and modify with your own recipe.

If you opt for fermentation, the kimchi will be ready to eat when it begins to taste and smell sour or when tiny bubbles begin to move through the container.

Kimchi that fizzes or has an effervescent taste is caused by the fermentation process. If your kimchi is not fizzing to your liking, simply leave it to ferment longer.

What vegetable is good for kimchi? ›

“Kimchi is Korea's famous dish and is traditionally made with cabbage, spiced up with garlic, ginger and shrimp paste. It's full of flavour, but what's more, it's good for you too.

While many families have their own proprietary blend of ingredients, a traditional batch of kimchi will likely be made with napa cabbage, fish sauce, gochugaru (Korean coarse red pepper powder), sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, radishes, and carrots.

But if you're looking to whip up a dish with Kimchi, we recommend using fermented Kimchi because it has a stronger flavour. If you need your Kimchi to ferment faster you can leave it out of the fridge for a couple of hours.

Though kimchi is usually fermented for a few days to a few weeks before serving, it can be eaten fresh, or unfermented, immediately after preparation. This dish is not only delectable but also offers many health benefits ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).