do you like kimchi?

while we were home for Christmas time, our Korean friend Patty delivered to us the most delicious kimchi made by her mother.  I have been dreaming of trying to make it myself here in Japan for the past month or so, and finally I did it.  I had to borrow a friend's blender since I don't have my own, and I had to use dry chilis instead of fresh.  In the end, I was shocked at how easy it really was.  Just took some preparation the night before and the proper ingredients.

It turned out so delicious ! ! ! ! ! !

in the evening, I soaked the cabbage in salt water... I estimate that I added about a quarter cup of sea salt.

 in the morning, I drained the cabbage and gave it a bit of a rinse.

next I gathered my ingredients: more salt, chili flakes, garlic, ginger, and red peppers.

peeled the garlic, grated the ginger, seeded the red peppers, and tossed it all into the blender.

cut the cabbage to bite size pieces, and coated it in the sauce.  Used my hands to mix it all up well, and added more chili and salt to taste.

last, piled it all into jars and left it out on the counter all day with lids cracked to ferment.  I put it in to the fridge in the evening...

what a spicy week we've been having!  mm mmm