I use a variant of Emmymade's variant of Maangchi's recipe. It works really well.
Rinsed pickle jars work great, a head of Napa cabbage usually fills about 2+1/2 ~ 3 jars. If you're not into high spicy, dial back the red pepper by about half, for your first try. If you don't like funky, skip the fish sauce or any seafood component, I always do this so that the flavor won't clash with some dishes, you can always add fish sauce to a dish but you can't remove it.
I ferment it for about 3 days at about 65 ~ 68 degrees(f), then into the fridge. It keeps indefinitely but is best within a few months.
Do not bring it into work, just as you would not microwave fish at work. The aroma is very much not to everyone's preference, even when made without seafood.
it would never have occured to me not to bring kimchi to work. Durian? Stinky Tofu? ok but Kimchee? I'll bet most company cafeterias have blue cheese around
Not GP and don't have one to suggest, but as you're asking for 'easy' (and at risk of stating the obvious, but only once you know I suppose) - ignore anything that says something like 'refigerate for 30mins and enjoy'.
Or don't, I'm not denying quick such er salads can taste great, just that if what you want is a fermented or pickled product, that takes time. (And much longer if at all in the fridge - that's their purpose!)
A 'proper' recipe for sauerkraut for example will tell you something on the order of weeks at minimum, and it's done when you like the taste. Kimchi I think is typically fermented for longer, more like months or over a year (not including any transferred to the next batch).
Most lactofermented foods are: Main ingredient, spices, a few tbsp of salt. Add to sterile jar, fill with water (add a glass weight to the top if needed to keep everything submerged) and leave in a dark cabinet for a few weeks. Trial and error to get the flavor the way you want it, but that's basically it. If you see little air bubbles forming near the bottom after 2-4 days, you have a live culture.
Rinsed pickle jars work great, a head of Napa cabbage usually fills about 2+1/2 ~ 3 jars. If you're not into high spicy, dial back the red pepper by about half, for your first try. If you don't like funky, skip the fish sauce or any seafood component, I always do this so that the flavor won't clash with some dishes, you can always add fish sauce to a dish but you can't remove it.
I ferment it for about 3 days at about 65 ~ 68 degrees(f), then into the fridge. It keeps indefinitely but is best within a few months.
Do not bring it into work, just as you would not microwave fish at work. The aroma is very much not to everyone's preference, even when made without seafood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaoA7SKN0g0 https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi