Recipe Archives->Preserving->Kim Chee 26

Eggplant Kim Chee

1 pound long purple eggplant
2 cups water
2 cups salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 stalk green onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons Korean coarse-ground Korean red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup shoyu
1 tablespoon sugar

Remove stems from unpeeled eggplants and cut deep lengthwise slits
down the center of each one.

In a large nonreactive bowl, make a brine by stirring together 2
cups water and 2 cups salt until salt dissolves. Immerse eggplant
in brine, placing a plate on top to keep the eggplant submerged.
Brine the eggplant until it is softened. Roll eggplant in kitchen
towel, twist ends and squeeze to remove water, but don't wash salt
off.

Mix garlic, ginger, green onion, red pepper flakes, salt, 1 teaspoon
sugar, 2 tablespoons water and fish sauce. Pack this spice mixture
into the eggplant slits. Layer the eggplant, cut side up, in a crock
or deep casserole (anything glass, porcelain-lined or ceramic is
OK). Blend vinegar, shoyu and 1 tablespoon sugar and pour over
eggplant. Weight eggplant down with heavy weight (bowl of water on
top of plate or a clean stone on top of a plate). Marinate in
refrigerator 2 days.

Cut into 2-inch pieces and place in sterilized jars. It's ready to
eat at this point; store in refrigerator a week or two.

Printable version: kim-chee26.txt.