In 1986, I developed reactive arthritis, a condition similar to rheumatoid arthritis. For 5 years the joints in my body were so painful that I could not walk more than a few feet or stand for more than a few minutes at a time. I often couldn't even do such simple, everyday things as turn door knobs due to arthritis pain in my hands. My doctors tried everything they knew, but they could not help me.
You can make your kimchi as spicy or mild as you’d like by adjusting the amount of chile flakes you use. Photo by HealthHomeHappy.com on Flickr.com
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a spicy Korean variation of sauerkraut. Besides the stomach healing properties of cabbage, this probiotic also includes the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger and chile.
Equipment:
quart-size wide-mouthed mason jars
pint-size mason jars
Ingredients:
1 head Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, grated
½ cup daikon radish, grated
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
2 tablespoon sea salt
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Let sit for 20 minutes to release the juices.
- Pack the mixture into wide-mouth quart-size canning jars.
- Press down until the juices come to the top and cover the cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least one inch below the top of the jar.
- Once the cabbage is packed, fill the pint-size jars with water and seal them. Use these as weights to push gas bubbles out of the fermenting kimchi (Insert the smaller jars of water in the open jars of cabbage. Push down on the weights once a day and watch the trapped gas bubble to the surface).
- Depending on the time of year and the climate, the kimchi will take between three days to several weeks to ferment.
- When bubbles are no longer releasing, the fermentation process is complete.
- After fermentation at room temperature, store in refrigerator.
For more homemade fermenting ideas and recipes, check out my list of non dairy probiotics.
