I have always avoided making Kimchi as I thought it would be too fiddly and time consuming. I am now a convert as to how easy this is to make in your own kitchen.

Kimchi is a Korean version of Sauerkraut that has a spicy kick to it. I like to have both in my fridge at any one time as they complement each other very well.

This is a great way to support your gut bacteria in a natural way and is far cheaper than buying probiotic capsules.

You can leave out or even swap some of the spices if you prefer without affecting the overall quality.

Ingredients, makes 1 litre

2 chinese cabbages or 1 red cabbage (I used red cabbage in this one)

1 large carrot, grated

75g radishes, grated

4 garlic cloves

40g ginger, peeled and grated

1-2 red chillis, deseeded and sliced (or a little chilli powder)

4 spring onions

2 tablespoons or 30ml of fish sauce (preservative free) or Tamari Soy Sauce or Korean shrimp paste.

Brine:

750ml filtered water

3 tablespoons sea salt or Himalayan salt

Method

1. Start by sterilising a large jam jar or 500ml Kilner jar by putting through the dishwasher or popping into the oven at 100°C for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage (you will need these later) and shred the cabbage into thin slices. Alternatively you can slice in a food processor using the grater attachment.
3. Place the shredded cabbage, grated carrot and radish into a large ceramic bowl. Mix the water and salt together in a jug and pour into the bowl with the vegetables.
4. Now cover the vegetables with a plate and weigh it down with a bowl of water to allow the juices to come out of the vegetables. Leave to stand for 5 hours or overnight.
5. In a food processor such as a Nutribullet, chop and puree the ginger, spring onions, garlic, chilli and fish sauce. If this is not available to you, you can simply chop and mix the ingredients or use a pestle and mortar. Mix this paste well into the vegetables so that the flavours are well distributed.
6. Transfer the Kimchi into jars and keep pushing the kimchi down with a wooden spoon so that the spicy brine covers the vegetables.
7. The cabbage should be completely covered by the brine. Top up with a little water if necessary to ensure that all the cabbage is covered. Leave around 2-3 cm free at the top of the glass jars.
8. Take the reserved cabbage leaves and press down over the kimchi to help keep all the vegetables submerged.
9. Pop on the lid or shut the Kilner jar and leave the kimchi to stand at room temperature for 1-5 days. In warmer weather it will ferment faster than in winter so it is best to keep checking it daily so that it doesn’t start to fizz! When you see bubbles rising up the side it is ready to be transferred to the fridge.
10. Once in the refrigerator, the kimchi should last for around 4 weeks.

 Uses: As an accompaniment to salads, with cold meats or eaten just before a meal.