KIMCHI #2
       
       Ingredients
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       For 1 gallon's jar worth of kimchi:
       - 1750g bok choy
       - 650g daikon
       - 195g garlic
       - 240g ginger
       - 84 G red pepper flakes
       - 7.5 T fish sauce
       - 5T sugar
       - 2.5T ACV
       - 270g carrots
       
       A note about red pepper flakes: This recipe uses what's
       probably an excessive amount of red pepper flakes. If you
       like it very, very spicy leave it as is. If you want
       something milder, cut the amount of red pepper flakes back,
       maybe by as much as half.
       
       
       Instructions
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       Cabbage Prep
       ............................................................
       Wash the cabbage. Remove outer leaves if they look grungy
       and discard. Then, detach 3 more nice looking outer leaves
       and set those aside.
       
       Cut the cabbage in half. Then cut it across the short edge
       into 1-2 inch slices (or any size you find appealing to
       eat). Put the cabbage into a bowl and weigh (be sure to tare
       the scale for the bowl). Add an amount of salt that is 2% of
       the cabbages' weight. Combine, mix well. Cover and set aside
       for 1-2 hours. Every 30 minutes or so give the cabbage a
       squeeze to release its water contents.
       
       Chop up any other veg you're using and set aside.
       
       
       Paste Prep
       ............................................................
       Mince the garlic using a press, or by squishing and pull
       with the flat side of your knife. Flatten the garlic out
       into a thin layer across your cutting board. (This will
       oxygenate the garlic and start the process of activating the
       alicin). Leave the garlic like this for 15 minutes at least.
       
       Remove the ginger skin with the back edge of a spoon. Slice
       1/2 the full amount of the ginger into matchsticks. Put the
       rest in a blender with garlic, sugar, ACV, red pepper
       flakes, and fish sauce. Add a bit of the water from the napa
       cabbage into blender so the ingredients will blend
       smoothly. Blend until smooth. Red pepper flakes may remain
       visible as specks. That's OK.
       
       
       Combining it all
       ............................................................
       Combine cabbage and sauce with hands or spoon. Put into a
       large glass jar. Press the cabbage down towards the base of
       the jar with a fist. This will release some water. Do this
       for a minute or so, to release as much water as you can.
       
       Now carefully place the cabbage leaves you set aside on top
       of the kimchi mixture. These leaves will keep any debris
       from down below rising to the surface. You can tuck the tip
       and tail of the leaves into the sides of the jar. As well as
       you can, have these leaves cover and contain the kimchi
       mixture below. You may want to use your fist to gently press
       down on the leaves to compress them along with everything
       below.
       
       Add glass food weights on top of the leaves. Loosely cover
       with the jar's lid. Set aside to ferment in a warm place.
       
       Note: it's not necessary to cover the kimchi to the top with
       extra water. Within the first 8 hours it will release enough
       water from the leaves to create a layer of water that
       protects the kimchi from the Oxygen.
       
       
       Let it ferment
       ............................................................
       Place the jar in a warm spot. It will begin to ferment. The
       duration of fermentation is a personal choice. I like to
       start tasting my batches after about a week. I keep it going
       until I am happy with the taste. Then I'll stick it in the
       fridge to enjoy for many weeks to come.