My first successful kimchi ferment felt like a miracle

I started my first batch of kimchi last Tuesday using a recipe from a Korean cookbook my neighbor gave me. I checked it every day and on day 5 I popped the lid and got that perfect sour smell. The cabbage was still crunchy and the flavor was balanced, not too salty. Has anyone else had a first batch actually turn out right?

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dylanh974mo ago

Followed Maangchi's recipe and got bubbly success on my first try.

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ben4864mo ago

Wait, did you have to sacrifice a chicken or something to get it right on the first try? I've tried three times and mine keeps coming out flat and sad... like a pancake that gave up on life. Maangchi makes everything look so easy, but my kitchen turns into a disaster zone when I try her recipes. I'm starting to think my starter is just lazy and has no ambition in life. Actually, maybe I just need to stop hovering over it and let it do its thing.

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