Re: second (and final) attempt at kim chee: disgusting!

[Guest guest]

Try just sauerkraut. Easier to get the recipe right. My kimchi was also

waaaaay too gingery

On 7/11/06, Jimmy Gatt <loundry2000@...> wrote:

>

> I finally took out my second (and less-salty) attempt at kim chee last

> night.

>

> It was horrible!

>

> Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

> and " unknown flavor " overload times ten. I ended up throwing out the

> contents of my bowl into the woods behind my house as if I had found a

> dead mouse in my bowl. I was *that* repulsed!

>

> My six-year-old woke up past his bedtime and said, " Daddy, I can't

> sleep because there's a disgusting smell! "

>

> And so ends my attempts at making kim chee.

>

> I think I will try pickles next.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 07:21 AM 7/11/2006, Jimmy Gatt wrote:

>

>I finally took out my second (and less-salty) attempt at kim chee last

>night.

>

>It was horrible!

>

>Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

>and " unknown flavor " overload times ten.

I don't know -- it sounds pretty good to me, except maybe the unknown flavor.

What kind of container are you using for fermentation? What proportion of salt

to vegetable?

> My six-year-old woke up past his bedtime and said, " Daddy, I can't

> sleep because there's a disgusting smell! "

Sounds like my husband. Once the finished kimchi is put in a Ball jar in the

refrigerator though, the smell is undetectable. It also helps to ferment it in a

remote area of the house.

>And so ends my attempts at making kim chee.

Maybe it just isn't something you like.

>I think I will try pickles next.

You might want to try some half-sour pickles, aka " deli pickles " for your next

project. They're not terribly sour and go great with sandwiches.

[Guest guest]

My first batch of kimchi was too gingery as well. I love ginger so I figured the

more the bettter, but that was not the case.

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " Dirk Coetsee " <dirk.coetsee@...>

> Try just sauerkraut. Easier to get the recipe right. My kimchi was also

> waaaaay too gingery

>

> On 7/11/06, Jimmy Gatt wrote:

> >

> > I finally took out my second (and less-salty) attempt at kim chee last

> > night.

> >

> > It was horrible!

> >

> > Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

> > and " unknown flavor " overload times ten. I ended up throwing out the

> > contents of my bowl into the woods behind my house as if I had found a

> > dead mouse in my bowl. I was *that* repulsed!

> >

> > My six-year-old woke up past his bedtime and said, " Daddy, I can't

> > sleep because there's a disgusting smell! "

> >

> > And so ends my attempts at making kim chee.

> >

> > I think I will try pickles next.

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

[Jimmy] I finally took out my second (and less-salty) attempt at kim

chee last night.

It was horrible!

Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

and " unknown flavor " overload times ten. I ended up throwing out the

contents of my bowl into the woods behind my house as if I had found a

dead mouse in my bowl. I was *that* repulsed!

[Mike] Have you tried commercial kimchi to have a point of comparison?

Some people just don't like kimchi even when it's a very good batch.

Good kimchi is very strong and pungent. I have personally experienced

batches getting spoiled, so it's always a possibility, but it's been

very rare (a few jars among many dozens) and only due to negligence or

sloppy technique.

Here's something simple and mild you can try now and beets are in

season in many places. It's a beet kimchi. Chop beetroots into large

bite-size chunks. Grate a small portion of beets (to get some starter

juice in the mix) and add in some grated ginger and garlic to taste.

Add unrefined sea salt to taste and put in a jar. Should be ready in

about 1-4 days. I had a batch of this last year I let age in the

fridge for several months and it just became more and more

unbelievably delicious while still having a perfect crunchy texture.

I served it to various guests were really blown away. It's sweet and

tangy. I'm waiting for some large beets to make more soon.

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

[Guest guest]

> >Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

> >and " unknown flavor " overload times ten.

>

>

> I don't know -- it sounds pretty good to me, except maybe the

> unknown flavor. What kind of container are you using for

> fermentation? What proportion of salt to vegetable?

I think the key part of my description was the " times ten " qualifier.

In a smaller amount, I think the flavors might have been acceptable.

I was following Sandor Katz's recipe, and he called for 4T sea salt.

I used 2T kosher salt instead for the brine. Within, there was 1

head of napa, 2 carrots, and 1/2 a large daikon. Also was a puree of

1 onion, 2T ginger, and 3 cloves garlic.

> >And so ends my attempts at making kim chee.

>

> Maybe it just isn't something you like.

I have enjoyed the various kim chees at my favorite Korean restaurant.

I am thinking that the recipe I used just isn't that great, but I'm

not so willing to try again.

[Guest guest]

seaorca@... wrote:

>My first batch of kimchi was too gingery as well. I love ginger so I figured

the more the bettter, but that was not the case.

>

>

>

>

>

>

My native informant tells me that too much ginger in kimchi is not a

good thing. Less is more.

--s

[Guest guest]

Sorry to hear it! If it makes you feel any better,

I've tossed many batches of ferments. My worst one

was pickles ... it got fly larvae living in it because I

didn't cover it thoroughly. That was gross!

Anyway, with kimchi sometimes " less is more " , unless

you really like strong flavors. The neighbors of Koreans

in apartment buildings are known to lodge complaints

about the smell of kimchi. Also if it has radish or fish,

or maybe sometimes onions, it can get a rather strong

" sewage smell " from the sulfur gases.

Have you ever tried commercial kimchi? That might

be a good comparison ... if you don't like that, then

yeah, give up on kimchi and make kraut instead.

Or still use napa, but don't use garlic or onions,

just a little salt and make it mild (only go a day or

two).

== Heidi

> Basically, it tasted waaaay too strong -- like garlic, onion, salt,

> and " unknown flavor " overload times ten. I ended up throwing out the

> contents of my bowl into the woods behind my house as if I had found a

> dead mouse in my bowl. I was *that* repulsed!

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

Oh, I just die for kimchi YUM! even have an athentic recipe around

packed somewhere, someday I should find! I want to start with kraut

first though. would carrots and chiles go okay?

-Audrey

<snippet>

> Have you ever tried commercial kimchi? That might

> be a good comparison ...

>make kraut instead.

> just a little salt and make it mild (only go a day or

> two).

>

> == Heidi

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

Oh, I just die for kimchi YUM! even have an athentic recipe around

packed somewhere, someday I should find! I want to start with kraut

first though. would carrots and chiles go okay?

-Audrey

Carrots and chilis are pretty harmless (unless they

chilis are too hot!). What reeks is onions and daikon.

The Sandor recipe with pulverized onions is just ASKING

for sulfur gas! Which reeks! Some people like the smell though.

I only used white onions once in a ferment, and I ended up

tossing it out, after my dh keep saying " wow, the garbage

really needs to go out!!! " .

You can add apples too, they are ok: they make it fizzy.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

>seaorca@... wrote:

>

>>My first batch of kimchi was too gingery as well. I love ginger so I figured

>the more the bettter, but that was not the case.

At 12:26 PM 7/11/2006, Suzanne Noakes wrote:

>My native informant tells me that too much ginger in kimchi is not a

>good thing. Less is more.

My copy of Wild Fermentation arrived yesterday and I checked out Sandor's

recipe. The amount of ginger seems really excessive. I used about 1/6 the

amount he called for in my last batch, (25 ml per 28 oz) and plan to cut back

even further. Must agree that less is definitely more.