Korean Chili Powder & Salted Shrimps wanted to make Kimchi

[Alison Wright Profile]

Ever since my son raved over the kimchi he ate at a Korean BBQ I'm dying to make it, & posted a thread on the Beeb board about it earlier in the year. Sunflower replied giving her recipe, but I can't find a Korean/Asian online source to buy the above ingredients.

The shop she bought hers doesn't have an online service yet & neither does New Loon Moon where Lizzie (Hollow Legs website) buys hers.

Apparently the Korean chili is essential to the dish according to both Sunflower & Lizzie - not just any chili will do. It's very red & very mild - which gives the right deep colour but not the heat.

I'll be very grateful if anyone knows of a source where I can buy online.



http://sunflower-recipes.blogspot.co.uk ... imchi.html

[Dena Profile]

You should be able to get them from here Alison
http://www.orientaltreasure.co.uk/

[karadekoolaid Profile]

try this, Alison:
http://www.melburyandappleton.co.uk/gochujang-paste-korean-chilli-sauce---500g-3539-p.asp
If not, call the Korean restaurant called " Corean Chilli", in Covent Garden. I'm sure they'll help you out.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Many thanks Clive, Even though it's out of stock, it's the nearest I've come to seeing it for sale online. I've saved the link & will check out the Covent Garden one too. Thankyou!

Thanks Dena, I've already checked out your link earlier along with dozens of others - no joy there I'm afraid.

[Dena Profile]

Hi Alison, I don't know why I didn't think of here before as I get quite a few things from them
http://www.japancentre.com/items?search ... te&x=9&y=9

Didn't look for shrimp

[Dena Profile]

Dried shrimp at Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw ... cdrracyg_b

I keep forgetting how many types of food Amazon now sell. Some of these are for human consumption - honest

[Sakkarin Profile]

Wish I could help you

Wing Yip sell the Korean chilli paste, which I have seen suggested as a substitute for the chilli powder. I have a tub here, and looking at the label the main other ingredient is rice flour, which I see is an ingredient in Sunflower's recipe anyway. They also had loads of different jars of pickled creatures when I popped in there the other day, but I couldn't swear they had pickled shrimps.

Shame you don't live near New Malden, as there are several Korean stores there as I mentioned in the thread on "British Beancurd", which is the same company Sunflower linked to in her Kimchi recipe, I wonder if anyone else here lives close? My grandad used to live there, but he'd be around 113 if he was still alive.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Aww! Thanks Sakkarin (hug smiley!)

After googling for what seems hours/days/weeks/months, I've discovered it's also called coarse Korean red pepper powder! I've found this website which sells it really cheaply, their online ordering service is down - but they offer a phone ordering service which I'll use tomorrow.

Still looking for Sunflower's salted shrimps though! might be easier to buy dried shrimps & re-hydrate?

Yes- I wish I lived in Maldon or anywhere else except the wilds of Nth Yorks!!! You can get nowt here that's out of the ordinary!

http://starryasianmarket.co.uk/red-pepp ... l?sort=20a

[Dena Profile]

Oh well, I tried - glad you've managed to find it. I had a feeling that the Japanese Centre stuff wouldn't be right. Was going to suggest maybe buying the actual pickle but see that isn't necessary now.

[Sakkarin Profile]

This thread has reminded me that when I had my Burmese Food workout a while back, I had intended trying Pickled Tea Leaf Salad, but had never got round to it because the only place I could find that stocked it, I couldn't make head or tail of their delivery service.

They seem to have cleaned up their act, so I will be revisiting that, and more to the point, they also do this pickled shrimp, which looks remarkably like the Korean stuff.

http://www.mumhouse.com/Eng_PickledFoodDetails.asp?product_id=121

P.S. I have this book, although I can't find any copies available online.
http://www.lorenzbooks.com/hermes/hhai.php?oid=109682&bcid=3717
It has a whole section on Kimchi, including seven versions, kimchi fritters, kimchi stew, kimchi salad, and various kimchi stir fries. If you want any comparisons, I will check them out. I had a brief Korean cooking spell, but didn't find much I was particularly keen on, especially as I don't actually particularly like kimchi, which seems to find its way into a fair few dishes although I will give it another try probably. I will post a couple of pix of the stuff I made back then if you are interested.

I am sad to see that Koreana, the Korean restaurant from the old Oriental City which reopened in Headstone Lane, Wealdstone, appears to have closed down.

[sunflower2 Profile]

Hi Alison

For Kimchi if you can do use the coarse red pepper powder. If you really can't find it then use the pepper paste (gochujang) which has been fermented. The paste is widely available in any oriental supermarket about £3.00 a tube of 500g. Look for a red rectangular tub. This paste is very versatile great to use as a marinade for meat for roasting or bbq or as stir in sauce for noodles, stew, Korean mixed rice bowl, dilute with lemon/lime juice to make a dip etc...

For the salted pickled shrimps, don't use substitute. If not can leave it out. Another authentic way to make kimchi is to add few fresh oysters. The seafood is to add umami and flavour to the kimchi and speed up fermentation.

For the fish sauce you can use Thai.


Btw. Sakkarin I have problem logging in for the last week or two. Think I may have forgotten my password. I entered the forgotten password part but never receive the email. I now have to re register.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Hi Sunflower,

Although I can't access your original password, what I can do is reset your password, and send you the new password for your "sunflower" name. You can then logon and change it back to whatever you want it to be, in the user control panel.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Dena, yes you certainly did try - thanks again!

Sakkarin, there are squillions of kimchi recipes online & on blogs. Google says it seems to be the 'new' probiotic super-food. Something about the bacteria lactobacillus which forms while it's fermenting, which is anti-inflammatory, aids digestion & is high in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, calcium & iron.

Hi Sunflower, how good to see you here at the Refugee Centre Since I last posted I've discovered a small Filipino store about two miles from a friends' house. I googled for Filipino cuisine & it seems it's quite similar to Korean food & they do make kimchi in the Philipines using gochugaru.

They're closed today but have emailed to ask about the chili powder & shrimps, so keeping my fingers crossed they can source both for me.

I remember you were a bit nervous of using oysters - & used shrimps instead! But if if can't source the shrimps I'll be brave & use oysters! Eeeek!

[Alison Wright Profile]

Sorry Sakkarin,

I meant to say - yes please, I'd love to see pics of the kimchi you made - thankyou!

[sunflower2 Profile]

Sakkarin, Thanks

Alison hope you are not put off making kimchi it's very tasty if you like a tangy spicy pickled vegetable, very versatile too not just eating raw can also added to fried rice, stew etc...

Please post any picture if you are making any. I have just eaten mine it's time to make another batch cucumber kimchi is also very good. With the weather this warm, it will be ready within 24hour before ready to keep in the fridge. Kimchi is still alive in the fridge will give out gas so make sure you check the container to release the gas on a regular basis.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Sunflower,

No I'm not put off, I love pickled veg & often make pickled radishes, sliced onion & cucumber.

I've had a reply to the email I sent to the Filipino store. I asked for baby salted shrimps, but all they can supply is salted shrimp paste. Is it possible to use that instead of your baby salted shrimps? and if so - about how much, & will it need roasting in foil first?

I'm waiting for the coarse Korean red pepper powder to arrive - which will give me time to make room in the fridge for a large container of kimchi, & will remember your advice to release the gas regularly.

[AZCook Profile]

I've been making kimchi for a couple of years and any pungent hot/medium hot chile flakes will work.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Hi Odette,

Thanks, but it's not the chili I'm concerned about as it's been ordered & on it's way to me. It's the baby salted shrimps as in Sunflowers recipe I can't source - hence my query about using the salted shrimp paste in it's place.

Kimchi is a time-taking prep & a procedure I'm not familiar with, & if I'm going to make it - I want to make it right first time rather than risk a failure.

[sunflower2 Profile]

Hi Alison

Glad you got the Korean red pepper powder. If you use any other non Korean chilli powder make sure you know it's mild or you will spoil the whole batch being too spicy. If you are not used to spicy food I recommend you can reduce the qty of red pepper powder per my recipe.

For the Korean salted shrimps it's not a paste but whole baby shrimps pickled with salt. It's quite fresh smelling, none of that pungent fermented smell like Thai/ Malaysian salted shrimps or shrimp paste. If you use fermented shrimp paste the flavour of the kimchi can be too fishy.

My recommendation is leave out the salted shrimp if you can't find the right type and not use any substitute. You kimchi will be ok I promised you.

Once you are happy with your 1st batch try the 2nd with 1/2 tsp of shrimp paste if you like to use it. I never use any fermented shrimp paste with Kimchi not sure how strong it will be or the right qty to use.

When I go the Korean supermarket next time I can get one and send it to you if you like.

[Global_Worming Profile]

My fave fermented cabbage stall,