Wrapped-up in Cabbage Kimchi

Information

A variety of seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts are wrapped together in cabbage leaves. Vegetables such as Korean watercress, Indian mustard leaves, and green onions give an aromatic flavoring to the kimchi; the fresh oysters and octopus add exquisite an fanciful flavors to the vegetables, and the pic- bination of the stuffing. Here, the juicy radishes and pears are mixed kled shrimp and yellow corvina add a subtle depth to the kimchi. Furthermore, garnishing with nuts, dates, stone mushrooms, and red pepper threads transforms the rich mixture into a festive creation. This kimchi is simply delicious and is also very nutritious.

Ingredients

Celery cabbage heads, 5
Korean radish, 1
Korean watercress, 1 bundle - cut into 1 1/4" (3 cm) lengths
Indian mustard leaves, 1/2 bundle - cut into 1 1/4" (3 cm) lengths
Green thread onions, 1/2 bundle - cut into 1 1/4" (3 cm) lengths
Green onions, 2: cut into diagonal pieces
Forest mushrooms, 5: soaked in water and cut into 2 40 4 pieces
Korean pears, 2
Chestnuts, 5; thinly sliced
Garlic bulbs, 3 - peeled and crushed
Ginger roots, 2 (medium) - peeled and crushed
Red pepper powder, 3 cups; made pasty with water
Pickled baby shrimp, 1/2 cup; chopped
Pickled yellow corvina, 1/3 cup; cut into narrow strips (boil the bones an juice in a little water and strain -- save the liquid)
Octopus, 1 (small)
Oysters, 1 cup
Coarse salt, 3 cups
Table salt
Sugar

Garnishing Ingredients:

Pine nuts, 3 Tbsp
Dried stone mushrooms, 5; soaked in how water, cleaned, and cut into bite-size
Chestnuts and dates, 5 each; cut into slivers
Red pepper threads; cut in 2" (5 cm) lengths

Preliminaries

Salting the Cabbage and Radishes.
Soften the cabbage heads and radishes halved lengthwise in a brine pre- pared with 3 cups of salt and 4 quarts (4 liters) of water.

Directions

Remove the leafy parts from the salted cabbage section; save them for wrapping.
Cut across the cabbage stems at 1 1/4" (3 cm) intervals. Thinly slice the radish halves into a half-moon shape, then cut the slices into 2 or 3 pieces; cut the pears to a similar size.
Cut the octopus into narrow strips, 1 1/2" (4 cm) long.
Mix the cabbage and radish pieces with the red pepper paste, garlic, and ginger; then add all the remaining ingredients, beging careful not to crush the oysters. Season with salt and sugar.
In a medium-sized bowl, spread 2 or 3 softened cabbage leaves and fill it with the stuffing.
Add the garnishing ingredients on top.
Securly wrap the stuffing with the leaves. Stack the wrapped kimchi in a crock. Dilute the pickled fish juice with water and pour over the kimchi.

Back to the cabbage page.

ddt@discworld.imaginary.com