Barley and black pepper kimchi
by
- Ferment
- Medium
- 20
- 30 minutes
PT30M
Originally from Korea, kimchi is a pungent ferment similar to sauerkraut. Dean Parker's barley and black pepper kimchi recipe is somewhere in between the two. He ferments in vacuum bags, as opposed to the traditional method in fermenting jars, for a clean and consistent and finish, but you can use sandwich bags if you don't have the equipment. You can switch the cabbage for other vegetables, finely sliced fennel works particularly well.
Ingredients
Black peppercorn kimchi
- 3 pointed cabbages
- 300g of salt
- 100g of pearl barley
- 1 garlic clove
- 6g of black peppercorns
Equipment
- Blender
- Vacuum bag and machine
- 2L Kilner jar
Method
1
Begin by brining the cabbage. Make a 10% solution by dissolving the 300g of salt in 3l of water
- 300g of salt
2
Cut the cabbages in half lengthways then slice into 1.5cm thick slices. Place in the brine for 1 1/2 hours
3
Cook the barley in 200ml boiling water until soft. Reserve the boiling liquid
- 100g of pearl barley
4
Using half of the reserved barley liquid, blend the raw garlic and peppercorns. Once smooth, add the cooked barley and blend to a thick paste
- 6g of black peppercorns
- 1 garlic clove
5
Drain the cabbage really well, squeeze out any excess brine and mix well with the barley paste
6
Place in a vacuum bag, seal in a bar chamber sealer and leave in a warm place for 5–7 days (if you don't have vac pac equipment, use sandwich bags and weigh down with a sandwich bag full of water). The bag might start to inflate a little as the fermentation process creates gasses. If it is particularly warm, the process will happen quicker so keep an eye out and if you notice the bags reach bursting point, the kimchi is ready
7
Open the bags and taste, if you prefer it a little more tangy, leave to ferment out of the fridge for a few more days. If you are happy with the flavour, transfer to sterilised jars and store in the fridge – this will slow the fermentation process right down
8
Serve on its own with cheese and charcuterie, mix through a rice dish or get it out for barbecue season; it is delicious in a burger, on a hotdog or with marinated ribs
Discover more:
Go to Comments
Barley and black pepper kimchi
