Sauerkraut or Kim Chee

[Mystical]

I'm wanting to add fermented vegies into my diet. I made sauerkraut a few times, and each time ended up tossing it out. It just went bad. I looked on the web, and there is a ceramic crock that is air-tight, so that should help, but I want to know I can make it before investing in a crock.

Anyone had any success with these foods?

[ELLE]

Kimchi

I personally prefer Kimchi over sauerkraut.
I eat kimchi every day with a meal or even without. Kimchi is my lifeline food. Probably, because I've been eating Kimchi since I was a toodler.

How about going to a Korean supermarket and buying a jar of Kimchi? Or you can make it yourself, but it is really time consuming.
Remember, if you are going to make it yourself you have to leave it for awhile because it has to ferment or it would not be effective.

Good luck.

[Mystical]

I want to make it so I can have raw Kimchi - the bottled ones have to be heated to withstand the bottling process. I've had it, and really enjoy it.

[JMD]

Hi, I think I have had a "Live" Kim-chee by Rejuvunative Foods out of California. It was delicious. They also sell raw nut butters and sauerkraut. Some things are pricey but worth looking into. My local Wild Oats sells them but they are $10.00 per jar. Good luck!!

[Punky]

Hi, I think I have had a "Live" Kim-chee by Rejuvunative Foods out of California. It was delicious. They also sell raw nut butters and sauerkraut. Some things are pricey but worth looking into. My local Wild Oats sells them but they are $10.00 per jar. Good luck!!

I buy the live kim-chee by Rejuvanative Foods as well from Whole Foods Market
and pay $10 too. It's pricey! I need to learn to make some too. I
bought a big glass container but haven't tried to make it yet. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Kris]

In doing research for travels to Korea, I thought I read somewhere that kim chee isn't vegetarian, and that there is some kind of animal product usually added to it. Anyone know anything about this, or where to find truly veg kim chee?

[rawgrrl]

I'm wanting to add fermented vegies into my diet. I made sauerkraut a few times, and each time ended up tossing it out. It just went bad. I looked on the web, and there is a ceramic crock that is air-tight, so that should help, but I want to know I can make it before investing in a crock.

Anyone had any success with these foods?I'm also curious if anyone has made krauts or kimchee and what methods/equipment they recommend.

[ReneeSC]

I eat it a lot now. I'd stopped when my stomach couldn't handle it - it can now. :)

Like Punky, I'm going to make it also.

Alissa has a recipe in her book on page 299. Called Kim-Chi

Her's is a fresh version - to be ready to eat in 24 hours. I like she uses other vegetables besides just the nappa cabbage. Does anyone else also feel a bit ripped off by the prices on the jars of these kim chee at the stores?
It's rediculous, and yet for us who wish to use it as a probiotic,... we're like... "Uhhmmm.. well.. okayyy.. " as we shell out more cash.

Tired of it. I'm making it myself. I'm going to use a very, very large glass pickle jar.

[Punky]

In doing research for travels to Korea, I thought I read somewhere that kim chee isn't vegetarian, and that there is some kind of animal product usually added to it. Anyone know anything about this, or where to find truly veg kim chee?


The one I buy from Whole Foods is truely raw, and vegan and has the good kind of bacteria, probiotics. Pricey though, but good. I am going to follow a recipe from my "Living Cuisine" uncookbook by Renee Underkoffler. She gives three different ways to do it. The crock method, two-bowl method and the Jar Method. I am going to try the jar method. It takes 2-7 days to ferment undisturbed; so will get back with you next week on the results. Dr. Cousens books also give directions on making it. Alissa's book has a one day method that you might try if you are having trouble with it going bad while fermenting.

I do not know how authentic kim-chi is made overseas, but maybe they add fish sauce or something over there?

[calee]

I get an organic raw vegan sauerkraut/kim chee kinda mix for $35 a gallon here in the bay area. A friend of mine picks it up for me at the Berkeley farmer's market. I really like it and particularly love that I can just keep a gallon in the fridge and take my time eating it because it won't spoil.

Does anyone here know how to tell if the Kim Chee in Korea is vegan or not? I'll be visiting my son there in December and would like to get vegan. I know there's an organic cafe in Sokcho where he lives and perhaps they'll be able to point me in the right direction. If anyone here knows, that would be terrific!

[Mystical]

I just made a batch of Kim Chi yesterday using the mason jar method. I have both Renee & Gabriel's books, and so I combined the knowledge. I also found the Rejuvunative Food's Kim Chi and bought it as a reference point for how it should turn out. I really love this food, and want to learn how to make it well. It is very cheap to make - under $10 per gallon. Alissa's recipe isn't fermented, it is marinated. It is probably very good, but won't provide all the digestive enzymes I'm wanting to benefit from, from the fermenting.

There is also a crock sold on the web that would be good to get if I can get a good batch going. It eliminates the "slime" that grows on top of the batch. Renee mentions this type of crock in her book.

Kris: Re: Korea - What an opportunity to go there! I know that Kim Chee is a prized food there, and if I were going, I would make a research project out of it, and taste many different kinds, and collect recipes. There are probably thousands of ways of making it - it is like saying "soup". Besides ingredients, I would be interested in their methods of fermenting. What kind of container, how they prepare the vegies, where they place the container for fermenting, how long they ferment, and how they store the finished Kim Chee. I'd love to hear from you when you get back!

[Queenie]

Mystical, glad to see there are so many kimchee enthusiasts out there. I eat it EVERY day, I love it. I personally like Sunja's kimchee, to me it tastes better than the rejuvenative foods brand and it's way cheaper. Sunja's doesn't claim to be organic but I don't think it's heat processed.

I've been working on making kimchee for some time. It's hard to get right. I currently have a batch going. What I did this time was to "innoculate" it with some juice from the Sunja's jar. We'll see how it tastes, it's probably almost done. It seems like cheating, but my last batch just wasn't very good. I haven't tried making sauerkraut, as I'm not quite as jazzed about it.

Good luck. Queenie

[Queenie]

Does anyone here know how to tell if the Kim Chee in Korea is vegan or not? I'll be visiting my son there in December and would like to get vegan. I know there's an organic cafe in Sokcho where he lives and perhaps they'll be able to point me in the right direction. If anyone here knows, that would be terrific![/QUOTE]

Calee, a friend of mine at work knows I'm bonkers about Kimchee so he gave me some that his mother in law shipped from Korea - yes, she ships kimchee from Korea!! Unfortunately, it has some fish something or other in it. It would be da bomb otherwise, very very hot and spicy. Hee Cheol was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle how spicy it is but I'm an old soul, I can do it. I don't really want to do the fish thing, though, and it doesn't taste as good as the veg, but I'm eating it anyway (I can't see wasting it) and hoping he won't give me any more. Anyway, he told me the recipe, and the one thing both his mother in law and his grandmother add is some fish paste something or other. I hope you find vegan kimchee in Korea. I'm glad for you that you're going there. Queenie

[Nama NY]

I'm wanting to add fermented vegies into my diet. I made sauerkraut a few times, and each time ended up tossing it out. It just went bad. I looked on the web, and there is a ceramic crock that is air-tight, so that should help, but I want to know I can make it before investing in a crock.

Anyone had any success with these foods?

Hi, Mystical:
I found this site http://eatsprouts.com/juicer/recipes.html. There is a recipe called “One Step Sauerkraut”. I have not tried yet, but I hope it will help you. There are other sauerkraut recipes as well.

[calee]

Thanks for that update Queenie! I'll look around for vegan Kim Chee. I'll ask at the organic cafe that my son found.

[Punky]

Thanks for that update Queenie! I'll look around for vegan Kim Chee. I'll ask at the organic cafe that my son found.

I would ask at the organic cafe for sure.
Also I have a friend that just traveled thru japan, korea, china, vietnam, thailand, etc... and she said if you wanted something vegetarian you refer to it as "what the monks eat"....something along those lines.

[calee]

Hi Punky,

That's an excellent suggestion. I did read somewhere in a travel book that if I want vegetarian food, I ask for "what the Monks eat". I'll be fine in Korea as my son lives there and is learning the language. I can also get his five year old students to teach me things to say. ;)

In Japan I know that there are many Monks in Kyoto so that phrase will work. In Osaka it will be a great adventure.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Punky]

Hi Punky,

That's an excellent suggestion. I did read somewhere in a travel book that if I want vegetarian food, I ask for "what the Monks eat". I'll be fine in Korea as my son lives there and is learning the language. I can also get his five year old students to teach me things to say. ;)

In Japan I know that there are many Monks in Kyoto so that phrase will work. In Osaka it will be a great adventure.

Thanks for the reminder!


And most of all have a great fun adventure while your over there Calee!
I wish I could travel over there ;)

[January Noir]

Mystical, glad to see there are so many kimchee enthusiasts out there. I eat it EVERY day, I love it. I personally like Sunja's kimchee, to me it tastes better than the rejuvenative foods brand and it's way cheaper. Sunja's doesn't claim to be organic but I don't think it's heat processed.

I purchased this brand from the Whole Foods by my job. My first time eating Kimchi. After I got over the powerful odor, I must say it's good! :)

I also have the Rejuvenative brand too, but haven't opened yet. I am curious to find out which one I like best.