Mexican-Style Kimchi ๐ŸŒถ️๐ŸŒฝ (with Bay Leaves and Chipotle)

-

A jar of Mexican-style kimchi showing vibrant napa cabbage, carrot, corn, and red bell pepper coated in a smoky, tangy paste of chipotle, smoked paprika, garlic, lime, and bay leaves, ready for fermentation.

Fermented vegetables with chipotle, smoked paprika, corn, bell pepper, and bay leaves — inspired by memories, flavor, and a little rebellion.

A vibrant fusion of Korean fermentation and Mexican flavors — smoky, tangy, and full-bodied. Bay leaves add subtle warmth, while chipotle and fresh herbs bring depth and character. Inspired by the same spirit of memory, mood, and a little rebellion, this kimchi brings the soul of Mexico into your kitchen.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium napa cabbage, chopped

  • 1 small carrot, julienned

  • ½ cup corn kernels (fresh or lightly roasted)

  • 1 small red bell pepper, julienned

  • 2–3 fresh chilies (or 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo for smokiness)

  • 4–5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1–2 bay leaves

  • 1–2 tsp lime juice

  • 1–2 tsp sugar (or agave syrup)

  • 1–2 tsp salt (for salting cabbage)

  • Optional: handful fresh cilantro or epazote

Method:

  1. Salt the cabbage – Sprinkle chopped cabbage with salt, massage gently, and let sit 1–2 hours until softened. Rinse lightly and drain.

  2. Prepare other vegetables – Julienne carrot, bell pepper, corn, and slice chilies.

  3. Make the spice paste – Blend garlic, ginger, chipotle (or fresh chilies), smoked paprika, bay leaves, sugar, and lime juice into a smooth paste. Add a splash of water if needed.

  4. Combine everything – Toss cabbage, vegetables, and spice paste until evenly coated.

  5. Pack into a jar – Press tightly into a clean jar, leaving ~1 inch for fermentation.

  6. Ferment – Leave at room temperature 2–3 days, pressing down daily and releasing gas.

  7. Store – Once the flavor develops to your liking, refrigerate. Flavors will deepen over time.

Tips / Story-Driven Notes:

  • Feel free to adjust chipotle or fresh chilies depending on heat preference — this is your kimchi.

  • Corn and bell pepper add “body” and texture, while smoked paprika and lime give that unmistakable Mexican soul.

  • Fresh herbs like cilantro or epazote added at the end lift the flavor and aroma.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Carrot pickle...Indian style

-
Image
Spicy Carrot Pickle: A Nostalgic Family Favorite When I was younger, my mother used to make grilled sandwiches with spicy carrot pickle . I loved them—but when I tried making the pickle myself, I didn’t do it often. Cutting carrots into finger-like strips was such a chore! That all changed when my mother bought me a grater. It’s not the original German brand, but it works wonders. Thickly slicing carrots now takes a fraction of the time it once did. Honestly… why did I ever do it by hand? This pickle has become a staple in our household. We eat it with almost everything: alongside salads, as a quick side when a fresh salad hasn’t been made, or even rolled into flatbreads. It’s an effortless way to get carrots into the kids’ diet—they love it! The heat level is entirely flexible, so you can turn it up or down to your taste. Ingredients 2 lb thickly grated carrots (optional: soaked in salt overnight; my mother swears by this to prevent digestion issues, but I’ve never had proble...
Read more

Health in Islam: Cleanliness - clean clothes

-
Image
Jurists unanimously have agreed upon the obligation of wearing clean clothes during prayers.  They have also ruled the invalidity of the prayers that are performed by those whose clothese are intentionally unclean. ['Clean clothes' in Islam does not only refer to apparent dirt being removed, but also blood, urrine, alcahol, or any 'impure' substances.  There are also specific instructions for the water required to be used and the standards for this cleansing by which the clothes are deemed acceptable for praying in] They rule that such prayers should be repeated with clean clothes.  It is quite acceptable that the cleanness of dresses plays a big role in the achievement  of individual and social physical soundness and protects against definite diseases. The educational system In Islam By: Baqir Sharif al-Qarahi Aside from the laws governing the cleanliness of clothes, we also know that the skin is the largest organ of the body.  Most of the detergents...
Read more

Health and Islam - Discussion on Health in Islam

-
Image
Islam has adopted positively the principals of the general health to concentrate in the legislative fields.  All of the precepts and laws of Islam yield the best fruits that preserve the physical health and guard against many diseases.  Some Western physicians, after they had been acquanted with the Arab and Islamic medicine, accepted Islam. Dr Georgeo Dar Blanto says. "All of the Islamic precepts, rituals, and recommended practices have a good relation to health.  They always intend to achieve two goals at the same time; religion and physical." Dr Ronan confirms the same fact. Dr Rondsandge says, "The Islamic instructions represent health since they call to contentment and moderation in food and drink, cleaning, and washing with pure water five times a day before every ritual prayer.  In addition, the ritual prayer is a set of physical activities.  Islam has also decreed to confine those who are defected by infectious diseases.  The Islamic sci...
Read more