An Herbalist's Kimchi

The herbal root kimchi has many local and wild herbs within it. However, since it has a significant amount of burdock in it, I find it helps increase my burdock consumption (it’s not every day that I harvest or buy burdock). When I eat the kimchi, I apply one or two spoonfuls per serving (and I almost always have burdock in that serving). My favorite ways to eat the kimchi are to add it to my miso/egg oats in the morning (Click HERE for a good recipe), or I’ll add it to my sandwich and other wraps.

Herbal Root Kimchi

Veggies & Herbs

10 Burdock roots, sliced in half moons

5 Carrots, sliced

5 Dandelion roots, sliced

1 Nappa Cabbage, chopped

2 Bok Choy, chopped

2 Mustard greens, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

handful of plantain leaves, chopped

handful of nasturtium

Sea Salt

 

Spicy Sauce 

10 garlic cloves

1 onion

2 horseradish roots

10 Thai chili peppers & cayenne peppers

5 TBSP. ginger

 

Directions:

1.     Chop roots and veggies and put into a food grade bucket or large bowl.

2.     Mix 1 TBSP. sea salt with 1 cup of water (this makes up the “brine”), pour over veggies and roots until covered.

3.     Let everything sit for 6-12 hours (veggies and roots will soften in the brine).

4.     Make the spicy sauce by chopping and blending the ingredients in a Cuzinart/blender.

5.     Mix the sauce with the veggies and roots. Then scoop everything into a large glass or ceramic container/crock with a secure lid/plate that fits perfectly inside.

6.     Place the lid/plate onto the kimchi and press down, allowing the veggies and roots to compress and also allowing air bubbles to escape. Place a weighted bottle on top to withhold pressure. This creates an anaerobic fermentation process.

7.     Let sit for 1-2 weeks, tasting the kimchi every so often to obtain the taste (sourness) desired.

8.     Bottle kimchi in jars and put in refrigerator to slow/stop fermentation process.

 

Add kimchi to rice and sautéed vegetables or meat, burgers, sandwiches, wraps or savory oatmeal in the morning.

 

And if you don't feel like going through all this work to make a delicious kimchi, I sell a wild root kimchi with many more herbs at

Julia's Good Medicine.