Nappa Cabbage Kimchi

So, I have been creating some amazing fermented foods lately and wanted to share one of my favourites. Kimchi....
There are many, many recipes out there on the net and this recipe is sort of a "mash up" of some of the ingredients I have seen being used by others. This jar has been going since some time in November. My intention was to have it ready for the holidays, but I have been patiently letting it sit in a cool cupboard. It has been opened a couple of times, especially the first week or so to release any build up of CO2 and it smelled amazing even then.
Here are the ingredients I put into this jar. I think it will be a keeper.

                                                                             

                                            Nappa Cabbage Kimchi

                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                           

1 head nappa cabbage
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 daikon radish, grated
1/4 cup sea salt

4 scallions, thinly sliced (green part only)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp cayenne powder
1 tsp Chinese 5-Spice powder

                                                                                                 Thinly slice the napa cabbage cross-wise into thin strips. Place in a large bowl.
Thinly slice the carrots and add to your bowl. Grate the daikon radish and add to the bowl as well. Lastly, add the 1/4 cup sea salt. Mix these four ingredients thoroughly and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let this mixture sit on the counter for 1-1/2 hours to release any juices. Get your hands in that bowl about every half hour to mix this up a bit. Place this mixture in a colander and rinse a bit so the salt flavour will not be so intense. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, cayenne powder and the 5-Spice powder. Pack the vegetables tightly into a quart size mason jar, being sure to only fill up to the shoulder of the jar (the point where the jar curves toward the mouth of the jar). If the mixture seems too dry, then add some of the liquid from the bowl and use a chopstick or skewer poked into the kimchi to release any bubbles that may have formed throughout the mixture. These bubbles are where any mold may start to grow. Be sure to immerse any vegetable mixture under the brine. I use clear flat oval discs I found at the dollar store to cover my ferments. Leave this jar out on the counter for a minimum of 10 days. During the first week, unscrew the lid and allow any air to escape once a day or so. Taste your kimchi occasionally and when it is flavoured to your liking, place it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.
Ideally, a spice mixture called Gochujang is used, but I have always substituted cayenne powder and it seems to work just fine. I also do not use fish sauce in my recipe. Play around and see what you like best. I hope you make your own soon.