Kimchi and Eggs: A Journal

Passport & Plate - Kimchi and Eggs

South Korea | Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 3 photos

Ingredients
2 small heads of Napa Cabbage (approximately 1.5 pounds each)
4T garlic, minced
2T ginger, minced
2T fish sauce
3t white vinegar
1 1/2 cups green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped bell peppers (a mix of red, yellow, and green)
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2T sesame seeds (get them toasted)
2T red pepper flakes (more to taste)
Poached eggs (1 per serving)

 

How to prepare this recipe
Quarter the cabbage, then slice into pieces about 1” wide. Place in a bowl and cover liberally with salt, then set aside for two hours, occasionally tossing.
Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, vinegar, and fish sauce in a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Hold in a container.
After the two-hour waiting period, rinse the cabbage and squeeze out any extra water that may remain. Place in a bowl and combine with the remaining vegetables and fish sauce/vinegar mix (with the exception of the poached egg). Stir well. Place in a container and pack down tightly, then place in a refrigerator for two hours.
To serve, spoon out a bit of the kimchi into a serving bowl and top with the poached egg. Season the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

 

The story behind this recipe
I never cooked Korean before. And that scared me. After all, a culinary school student should know how to cook such things, right? My chef asked me and my classmates to pick Asian flavors and recipes to try out, and I decided on kimchi. Making the recipe wasn’t hard, but it was a time-consuming process; hours to cure the cabbage, then even more time to allow the vegetables and ingredients to meld together in flavor and texture. However, when I finished it, the kimchi was wonderful. I had to share it: I took small bowls and spooned the kimchi into the waiting containers, then quickly poached eggs and placed them on top of the cured mixture. Giving out the bowls to my classmates and teachers, I couldn’t help but smile as I saw the look in their eye and smile on their face as they ate the kimchi and egg. It was different, it was new... It was great.