Five months ago I started collaborating with Meraki Ferments, a Galician brand based in the town of Noia. They are specialized in two products: kombuchas and kimchi, that they produce themselves. My task is coming up with recipes for these ferments, so I did and the result is five recipes that use kimchi.
I must confess that I had never tried kimchi before. I did taste it once, as a sauce, in a dish I had in an Asian restaurant where I photograph dishes and manage social networks.
If you’ve never tried kimchi and don’t know what it is, it’s a traditional Korean dish that is fermented and has a strong smell. It is usually made with napa cabbage, apple, onion, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, rice flour, and salt. Depending on the time of year, Meraki will use either napa cabbage or kale and white turnip.
Here are the five recipes, they are delicious and easy to prepare:
NACHOS WITH KIMCHI
INGREDIENTS
Totopos (as many as you like)
Moist cheese
Several tablespoons of kimchi
2 green garlic
METHOD
Place the totopos in a bowl. Melt your favorite moist cheese in a saucepan over medium heat or one minute in the microwave. It’s important that the cheese is moist so that it melts easily. Once melted pour it over the totopos.
Now add several tablespoons of kimchi and finally the thinly-sliced green garlic.
CAULIFLOWER RICE
INGREDIENTS for two people
A medium-sized cauliflower
60 grs. of kimchi
2 tablespoons of sesame oil, or olive oil as an alternative
One big red pepper
A handful of fresh coriander
Half a leek
Half a lime
Salt to taste
Optional: Sambal sauce
METHOD
Wash and cut thin slices of leek, fry over medium heat with a little oil in a wok (or a big pan if you don’t have a wok). Now add the sambal, if you like the sauce. Meanwhile, wash and cut the red pepper into strips, remove the coriander leaves. Grate the cauliflower (not the stems) with a cheese grater.
Add the red pepper and the grated cauliflower to the wok, stirring continuously. The cauliflower might seem like a lot at first, but as it cooks it will shrink considerably. After five minutes add the kimchi and continue stirring. After five more minutes squeeze the juice of half a lime over it, add the coriander, mix well and check if the level of salt is right.
Turn off the heat and serve, adding some extra coriander leaves for decoration.
KIMCHI TOAST WITH AVOCADO AND EGG
INGREDIENTS
6 tsp kimchi
One egg
One avocado
A big slice of bread (sourdough preferably)
A dash of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Toast the slice of bread on a grilled pan for about two minutes on each side, over medium heat. You can also use a toaster of course.
Crush the avocado in a bowl, adding some salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Spread it on the bread. Now, fry the egg with a little oil on a pan and place it on top of the avocado and add the kimchi.
HEALTHY BOWL WITH KIMCHI AND BEETROOT
INGREDIENTS
All ingredients to taste: lentils, avocado, coriander, kimchi, cucumber, and beetroot. A nice dressing for this is a bit of olive oil, lemon, and sesame seeds.
BAO WITH KIMCHI, SQUASH AND MUSHROOMS
INGREDIENTES
Ingredients to taste: several tbsp kimchi, grilled mushrooms, grilled squash, peanuts, coriander, and radish. I prepared the baos in a steam cooker and then I filled them with these ingredients. Delicious!
I hope you like these five recipes with kimchi and… buon appetito!
