This is a Korean recipe for preserved cabbage. Chinese leaf is seasoned with salt, garlic, chilli, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Serve as a side dish or condiment.
As a Korean myself, I find this recipe a little odd. I used to watch my mother make Kimchee and she never used fresh ginger, vinegar, or sugar in the mix. You want to break off the leaves of the cabbage and place them in a bowl, sprinkling a little salt on each leaf as you go. After salting the cabbage, fill the dish with water and then let it soak for 3-4 hours. Massage the cabbage then drain and rinse. Chop cabbage into 2-3 inch segments then toss well with the rest of the ingredients (I wouldn't suggest using ginger, vinegar, or sugar; but do what you think you'll like). Then pack it tightly into a jar, you don't want a lot of air within the jar, so use the right size jar. Kimchee is a fermented cabbage dish, therefore, if you leave it out in a warm area for 24-48 hours instead of refridgerating, the taste will be authentic. It's more of an acquired taste. It will also last way more than a week, I'd say about a month easy. We ate it straight out of the bottle; it goes well with some rice! - 22 Aug 2006 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)
This recipe is very good. I have another idea to substitute the vinegar with a natural ones. Boiled 3/4 cup water with 1/4 cup rice powder( may double),cook until thick and set aside until completely cool. Mix with another spices and cabbage. After more than 24 hour it becomes natural sweet and sour. - 27 Jun 2004 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)
I did not care for the taste at first but the longer I let it sit in the frig the better it tastes, not I can not keep enough. It lasts way longer than one week, I made mine at least 3 months ago still going strong. - 30 May 2005 (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)