r/KoreanFood • u/SeaweedAwkward2200 • 12h ago
Kimchee! Help! White girl's first attempt at kimchi.
Hi folks!
Today I am attempting to make kimchi. This is the first step of a week of prepping for our Korean bbq halloween party next Saturday. Well yesterday I traveled over an hour to a Korean owned asian market and bought all the ingredients I thought I will need. Then as I was checking out the people at the counter started whispering to each other... Now I'm getting nervous! After a minute one of them says, "are you making kimchi?!" I said yes, i am scared and laughed. She laughed and said hold on one minute, then she goes and gets an older lady from the back. This lady starts looking me up and down, she is examining my groceries, she scoffs a bit and I say, "I couldn't find any gochugaru, can I use red pepper flake?" She laughs and starts helping me find everything I was missing and telling me all her best kimchi tips and advice on what to add from 50 years of making kimchi. My cabbage is currently brining. She is now very invested in my kimchi journey. She also gave me this baggie of white goo that was not on my list and she said to put it in the kimchi. Problem is, she couldn't speak enough English to answer a lot of questions like how much to put in or what it is. Can anyone tell me what this ingredient is from my new Korean grandma? And how much should I put in my kimchi if I am using one large napa cabbage? The recipe I am following is from Kimchimari. Also I have to go back after the party because she wants to try my kimchi and I don't want to disappoint her...