Kimchi Pasta Recipes

Steps:

• Place the cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (17 grams) of the salt, and toss to coat. After 15 minutes, massage and squeeze the cabbage until it begins to release liquid. Set aside for another 15 minutes, then massage again and set aside for another 15 minutes.
• Place the daikon in a medium bowl and season with the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the gochugaru, water, brown sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a third medium bowl to form a coarse paste.
• To make the kimchi flavor paste, use either a mini-food processor, mortar and pestle, or immersion blender and a jar to puree the pear, onion, 10 grams (about 1/6) of the ginger, 6 grams (about 1/4) of the garlic, and the salted shrimp until smooth. Add this to the gochugaru mixture and stir to combine.
• Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the daikon without breaking the pieces and add to the cabbage, along with the scallions, the remaining ginger and garlic, and the kimchi paste.
• Position a gallon-size zip-top bag inside a pitcher or some other vessel that will allow it to be held open for loading. Wearing disposable gloves, mix the kimchi paste into the cabbage mixture with your hands, being sure to thoroughly coat the cabbage with the paste (see Cook's Note).
• Transfer the mixture to the plastic bag, then ditch the gloves and seal the bag, working out as much air as possible. The lactic acid bacteria that will magically transform the humble ingredients into kimchee prefer anaerobic environments.
• Place the sealed bag flat on a sheet pan or large baking dish and leave at room temperature until the mixture has bubbled enough to inflate the bag, at least 24 hours, but possibly up to 3 days. Transfer the kimchi and its liquid into two wide-mouthed quart-size glass jars with lids and refrigerate. Consume immediately for very fresh kimchi, or leave it for a month for a kimchi that's deeply flavored, well-rounded, and slightly effervescent.
• Refrigerated, kimchi will basically never go bad and will actually improve in flavor for months after going into the jar. Cooking will mellow its flavors, so if it gets too funky for you, it's time to make kimchi fried rice.

Steps:

• Place cabbage and radish in a large colander. Sprinkle liberally with salt and mix to combine. Set aside for 1 hour. Add additional salt, mix, and set aside 1 hour more. Rinse cabbage and let drain.
• Meanwhile, combine garlic, onion, ginger, and rice vinegar in a blender. Add water and blend aromatic mixture on high power.
• Transfer drained cabbage to a large bowl and add aromatic mixture. Add persimmon, cucumber, green onions, and red pepper flakes and mix well.
• Transfer kimchi to airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 days.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Save a few tablespoons of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta in a colander.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet set over medium heat, add the chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the fat behind as possible.
• With the heat still on medium, add the kimchi and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the red pepper paste, and stir until it is combined.
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the butter and the reserved pasta water. Stir continuously until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Season to taste with salt.
• Serve the pasta garnished with scallions, sesame seeds, and the cooked bacon. Add more salt if needed.

Steps:

• Dice the bacon, mince the shallots, and grate the garlic on a microplane.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot to the pan with the bacon fat. Cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and kimchi and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the butter and heavy cream to the pan. Season with salt. Bring to a low simmer and cook until bubbling. Add the cooked pasta and toss until well coated.
• While stirring constantly, gradually add the Parmesan cheese, mixing until melted. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water as needed. Continue stirring until all of the cheese has been added and the sauce is creamy. Add some of the crispy bacon, reserving some for garnish, and stir to incorporate.
• Divide the pasta between 2 serving bowls and top with the reserved bacon, scallions, and furikake, if using.
• Enjoy!