awesome kimchee revelation

[swingbolder]

So, over the last few years I've been battling chronic infections: respiratory and candida. Yesterday I woke up and felt like I was coming down with yet another sinus infection, and I almost talked myself into calling the doctor for some antibiotics. I wasn't very hungry all day, until late afternoon when suddenly I had this mad craving for kimchee. For those who are unfamiliar with it, kimchee is a Korean dish of fermented raw vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, ginger, garlic that contains oodles of friendly flora. We had this big gallon-sized jar of it in the fridge that my husband made several months ago. I scarfed down three huge bowlfuls of it, along with wild rice, dulse seaweed and chopped tomato. . . I just couldn't stop eating it.

Anyhow, woke up this morning with all symptoms GONE! Which got me thinking, could there be some connection with that and the kimchee? I did some research on the net and it turns out that kimchee is GREAT for the immune system esp. colds/flu etc. In fact, the BBC reported recently that some study showed it had promise in healing birds from bird flu! I went on another guy's site -- a guy who is HIV+, has written a book about fermented foods -- who credits fermented foods with boosting his immune system and basically keeping him alive all these year.

I am totally amazed by this information. I guess somehow on some level my body knew what it needed and led me right to it. Thanks, body! I've heard that this happens to people on raw, that they will naturally gravitate towards the foods that their body needs (such as sesame milk if you are lacking in calcium) but now I know from my own experience that this is true. I feel soooooo good about that!

[theresaann]

thanks for that inspiring testamonial. It must feel so good to feel that your body really does know what it needs!

[karenisraw]

swingbolder,

I keep some kimchee around for when I have cravings. Sometimes I will go a long time without it and then I will get a huge craving for it. I attribute it to being the fermentation and my body needing it at the time.

k
:)

[solarliving]

Hey,

Thanks for posting. Can you tell us the recipe?

Thanks : )

[Mookie]

Could you tell m ehow to make vegetarian kimchee- I love it- I had vegetarian once.... but now I can not find it ANYWHERE. all of the Korean stores around me and the grocery stores that carrie have fish sauce or anchovy in it....

Thanks

[Ireland]

I'd love a recipe too. Is it or can it be made all raw?

[misslinda]

oh yes, i remember those days.... .my mother forcing me to guzzle kimchee juice as a child. :p

Yes, between the fermentation the enzymes that develop and the hot pepper, there are alot of benefits. It varies, b/c some people cannot handle the hot pepper or taste.

Fermented foods are very beneficial: Kombucha,kefir,kimchee,sauerkraut,seakruat to name a few.

:) Great to hear you overcame that infection Swing!!!!!!!

[gulfenergy]

Korean Sauerkraut
Kimchi (makes 2 quarts)


1 head Napa or other cabbage, cored, shredded or chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped or onion cut in half and thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, grated
1/2 cup daikon radish, grated (optional)
1 tablespoon (or more) freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 tablespoons whey* (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
Place vegetables, ginger, red chile flakes, sea salt and whey in
a bowl and press with your hands or a wooden pounder or a meat hammer to release juices. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the veg- etables should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. Ready to eat in about a week or two.

[gulfenergy]

Latin American Sauerkraut
Cortido (makes 2 quarts)


1 large cabbage, cored and shredded
1 cup carrots, grated
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 tablespoons whey* (if not available, use an additional 1
tablespoon salt)
This delicious spicy condiment goes beautifully with Mexi- can and Latin American food of all types. It is traditionally made with pineapple vinegar but can also be prepared with whey and salt. Like traditional sauerkraut, cortido improves with age.
In a large bowl mix cabbage with carrots, onions, oregano, cumin seed, cilantro, red chile flakes, sea salt and whey. Using your hands press and knead for about 10 minutes to release juices. Place in 2 quart-sized, widemouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

[Light of an Angel]

Thank you for posting Kimche recipe gulfenergy :)

I adore and love it so much! It's a beautiful, vital, live food!

It has tons of health benefits: clears cholesterol, combats allergies, promotes intestinal health, keeps system clean for nutrients absorption, heals ulcers, great source of vitamins and minerals, and fights cancer.

Alternative to making your own you can get it in most Sushi restaurants and Asian markets!

[swingbolder]

The korean sauerkraut recipe posted looks a lot like the one we used. . . I can't seem to locate it now. We used fresh jalapenos instead of dried flakes. We made it all raw and vegan, didn't use whey at all. The kimchee we used to buy in the refridgerator section of the health food store was all vegan too, so if you don't feel like making it you can buy it.

I'm still scarfing it down. I ran out of wild rice so I've just been eating it with dulse seaweed and chopped tomato. . .just as yummy.

[Shivananda]

Great recipes! Thank you.

Here's a tip I've found useful in preparing fermented foods at home... just like San Francisco bakers keep a bit of sourdough "mother" set aside for starting the next batch, you can use a small portion of any kraut, kimchee, or what-have-you that you like to start the next batch. Different strains of the fermentation cultures give different tastes, so when you find one you particularly like, us it again! I successfully cloned some especially delicious but horrendously expensive raw red cabbage kraut I had bought at the store this way.

[gulfenergy]

Right. I save brine for the next batch as a starter. Experiment. You can add or delete ingridients. I add shreded diakon, redish, onions, etc.

[Arky]

I went on another guy's site -- a guy who is HIV+, has written a book about fermented foods -- who credits fermented foods with boosting his immune system and basically keeping him alive all these year.

Am I correct in thinking you must be referring to
Sandor Ellix Katz (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5241)? I have his book and it's a good read, with an enjoyably down-to-earth style.


J.

[rawpriestess]

peppers, garlic and ginger are excellent for removing flu type symptoms.

[Tirza]

My daughter has been teaching English in South Korea for 4 years and has become very closely acquainted with kimchee. One thing she told me is that people there tend to have a lot of stomach cancer and that many attribute it to a diet high in hot peppers and sauces. Does anyone know about that? I wonder if it could be true that peppers are good in moderation, but in excess it could be a problem?

Tirza

[Ginger]

Ok fellow kim chee lovers you gotta try this!! I take a nice crispy stack of iceberg lettuce leaves & top them with a layer of cashew butter then this raw veggie delight stuff then avocado & kim chee! OMG it's soooo delish!!

veggie delight is prolly just as easy to mke too:
http://www.rejuvenative.com/catalog_vd.htm

[matto melanzana]

I also have candida and decided to eat 1/2 jar of kimchee a day for the good bacteria. Yesterday I ate an entire jar and felt horrible! I was extremely mean, irritable, exhausted with some gas and burning urination. Some go against kimchee because it has mold. You you think it caused the yeast to multiply, or was I experiencing a die-off reaction. I've just been craving the stuff, addicted to it. Is this because my body wants it or I'm just craving something that is bad and feeds the yeast? :confused: