Feral mustard greens (Brassica juncea):
At our community garden, people have tended mustard greens (Brassica juncea) as a vegetable sometimes, other times as green manure, but mostly because it now just pops up as a volunteer. For those who had something else in mind, it is then a weed. Mizuna (Brassica rapa nipposinica) also pops up, self-sown from bolted Asian salad green plantings. Same with bok choy (Brassica rapa chinensis), that I have also found cropping up as a weed in a public reserves. In my herb garden, 3 volunteer heads of Chinese (napa or wombok) cabbage (Brassica rapa pekinensis) have also popped up this year after some was left to go to seed last year. This last one is the usual base for kimchi (spiced and salted Korean fermented cabbage), but all of the others can be used as well.
With a new sauerkraut crock (for German-style fermented cabbage, but Kimchi has the same process, just different ingredients), the previously sparsely used bounty of wild brassica greens has an invigorated welcome in my kitchen. A kitchen which also has the requisite fish sauce, red pepper and flaky salt, after a delightfully inexpensive shop at a local Asian grocer (Usagi-ya, Bondi Junction, where the Korean owner seemed thrilled to be kitting out a novice kimchi maker). I am still using some bought Chinese cabbage as at least half of a mix including other brassica greens and other vegetables, because that, along with the low temperature lactic acid fermentation is what defines kimchi (according to the Codex Alimentarius).
Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa pekinensis), salting. This has about 1 cup of coarse salt to a huge head of Chinese cabbage and a good bunch of mustard greens, covered in water and then weighed down by a plate to be submerged for a day before joining other ingredients in the fermenting crock.
I have known I could easily start making kimchi, sauerkraut and other lacto-fermented food for some time (partly inspired by a great Tasmanian blog by a lady named Prue); just as I have known that it is tasty and very healthy; and I have known that an underutilised abundance of volunteer brassicas has being going to waste. I almost regret having taken so long to get to it, but for the enjoyment that I am getting right now out of the discovery of lacto-fermented foods.
The finished product: Partly foraged mixed brassica kimchi
Recipe
I’m not really giving one. The internet abounds with kimchi recipes, but shop around. On the one hand there are many copied, cobbled and concocted recipes from enthralled newbies like me; and there is a lot out there from Koreans (especially expats and descendants in America) who are heir to centuries of the real deal; not to deny that perhaps there are fusions that take the heart of the latter and tweak to the palate of the former.
I have started from the straightest Korean version: Admittedly it required the right Asian grocer for me; and I accept that there are other chilli powders and fresh chilli options, different fermented fish sauces (like Vietnamese nam pla) and lots of flaky salt around; but there are versions of these ingredients made in Korea and exported to speciality vendors for kimchi by the masters of it. I’d suggest trying more authentic variations first, and then work out toward fusion and experimentation. Leaf brassicas other than Chinese cabbage, those that grow feral and volunteer included, are generally on the authentic side of the variation spectrum. There is a well resolved balance of salt, sour, spice, umami, sweetness and crunchy texture to the Korean tradition that is well worth buying into. And making the most of cheap and freely foraged vegetables fits well with it too.
Traditionally fermented kimchi including foraged brassica greens
I love the tag of ‘the ultimate hangover prevention meal’
I hope to try this one day, as I do suffer from hangovers occasionally!
They make sauerkraut on a big scale over here in Poland and we are currently working out way through a 100 litre pot, the second one since harvest in September. Cabbage is big in Poland and I’m now inspired to add more ingredients to the pot. I also hope to post about it, but the future is such a long way off
I’ve made sauerkraut, but never tried kimchi. Plenty of mustard greens, mizuna, cabbage in the garden in the summer, although they don’t volunteer, I need to sow them. I will certainly give this a try, it’s intriguing. Thanks for the introduction to this preserve and its many permutations. Tracey
YUM! our Korean friend introduced me to kimchi and I’ve never looked back. My 2 year old loves it as well, so we’ll definitely be making some in the near future, probably with a combo of sown and foraged greens (fat hen’s our current fave, and massively abundant at our place). Only thing is, we don’t have any kind of Asian grocery down here on the far south coast so may have to wait for a trip to Sydney.
Haha that’s great I’m glad I could inspire someone…..
This looks amazing mate n now you have inspired me back to try this next time I see some wild mustard greens! I have fermented other greens but not these, the last big harvest I got I dried because I’m ready to hit the road shortly and thought it would be more stable dried I will be living in a van now for awhile in warmer climes without a proper fridge so wont be fermenting so much my blog will be more about Aussies bush foods and weeds in the coming years so I will have to get my dreamin fix of wild fermentation goodies from yours n other blogs mmmmmmmmmmmm cheers 
Great post sir! I recently bought a punnet of kimchi from that very store. It is such a healthy and delicious condiment. I also noticed a bag of japanese seaweed salad in the same store for around $20 a kg. I read a report recently that said that wakame seaweed was becoming a problem on NSW coastlines. Have you had a crack at making a batch?
Cheers Cos, I had heard wakame was loose in Tassie but didn’t know it had reached us. I would certainly give it a go but so far confine myself to sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
I grow a lot of moso bamboo, but have had bad luck with drought this year. With the few shoots I got in moist dips, I decided to have one last crack at pickling them, this time following a simple Asian method for root vegetables. After much leaching (necessary for bamboo) I placed the raw slices in a container, pounded them down with salt till their own juice was covering them. I made it an anaerobic ferment just by covering with olive oil, left the shoots for ten days and…yum. Yum!
It’s the only way I want to prepare the shoots now. That will mean a lot of work in good years with many kilos to process, but I have been given a Harsch crock for Christmas – so now it’s war! Of course, I won’t be shy about adding some of the foraged foods suggested here.
Best
Rob