Spicy Korean Pork Spare Ribs (Dwaeji Galbi) and Pickled Cabbage (Kimchi)

I have had a lot of experience of  Korean Cuisine there don’t seem to be a lot of Korean restaurants, however a few months ago I had Kimchi , fermented pickled vegetables in a noodle bar in Nottingham.

This pickled vegetable dish traditionally made with fermented Chinese Cabbage is such a characteristic dish of Korea, that according to Wikipadeia the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) developed  space kimchi to accompany the first Korean astronaut to the  Russian-manned space ship Soyuz.

You can buy Kimchi in jars, but I wanted to try making my own , lots of cabbage in the vegebox this time of year it usually finds its way into stir-frys. After a few days the pickle was wilted with spice and vinegar. This picked cabbage is a good accompaniment for meats but also a key ingredient in Korean stews.

I then wanted something to go with the pickles, this is the way my mind is working at the moment start from the spicy pickle and work up. A quick google suggested Korean Pork Ribs but the key ingredient is Gochu Jang if a mix of soybeans, red chili powder, salt, water and is traditionally fermented in the sun a salty sweet and fiery paste quite addictive

Although I was hoping the Bank Holiday would prove BBQ weather, in the end these ribs cooked perfectly in the oven, eaten with hands and easily falling off the bone . Fiery and sticky perfectly cut through with zingy kimchi pickle and sticky rice.

Pickled Fermented Cabbage (Kimchi)

1 small green cabbage, about 200g core removed
2 tbsp of sea salt
50ml rice vinegar
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 thumb of  fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced

1. Shred the cabbage , place in a seive over a bowl
2. Scatter over the sea salt and leave for 2 hours
3. Crush together the  ginger, garlic , white parts of the onions, chilli flakes, sugar & dissolve in the vinegar and sesame oil
4. Rinse the salt from the cabbage add the green parts of the onions
5. Place the cabbage and onions in a glass jar our over the vinegar mix
6. Leave in a warm place for a couple of days until you see bubbles, the refridgerate.

Spicy Korean Pork Spare Ribs (Dwaeji Galbi)

1kg of pork ribs
Marinade
2 heaped tbsp Korean red pepper paste (Gochu Jang)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of honey
1 medium onion, sliced
3 tbsp of soy sauce
1 thumb of fresh ginger minced

1. Mix together the marinade ingredients
2. Rub over the pork ribs
3. Leave in a bowl over the fridge overnight.
4. Place in a roasting dish and cover with foil
5. Roast at 180degc for 50 minutes, remove the cover and baste the ribs again
6. Roast for a further 50 minutes, basting every 15 minutes