Kimchi

Directions

1. 1
   Quarter the nappa cabbage and remove the ends. Roughly slice each section crosswise.
2. 2
   Add to a large bowl or stockpot along with 2 shredded carrots.
3. 3
   Add a little bit of warm water to a bowl with salt and stir until salt dissolves.
4. 4
   Pour over cabbage and carrots, and add more water until vegetables are covered. Squeeze cabbage and carrots to help the salt water begin to break them down. Cover the bowl or pot and keep in a warm place for 1-2 hours. In the meantime, peel, core, and shred the pear. Peel and shred the daikon radish, grate the ginger and garlic. Finely chop the scallions. Reserve. To a small bowl add crushed Korean red pepper, fish sauce, grated ginger and garlic, and stir to form a paste. (
5. 5
   Add a bit of water if needed) Reserve. Once the cabbage and carrots have soaked for 1-2 hours, strain the water, rinsing several times (Don't skip this step or your kimchi will be very salty). Squeeze the liquid from the cabbage and carrots and allow to drain in a colander for a few minutes. Return drained cabbage and carrots to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients. Wearing a pair of plastic gloves, mix everything so that the paste is evenly distributed, massaging it into the vegetables. Pack mixture tightly into canning jars or glass jars with plastic lids, leaving about an inch and a half from the top. Really push down on the mixture so that the little bit of liquid present is covering the vegetables.
6. 6
   Place jars in a warm spot on the kitchen (like on top of the refrigerator) and allow to ferment for 3-5 days. Each day, "burp" the jars by opening them to release gas and using a clean knife or chopstick, stir the kimchi a bit to allow oxygen to get to the lower layers. Pack down to keep covered in the liquid and return the lid. After 3-5 days, transfer kimchi to the refrigerator, where it will keep for several months.