Spicy kimchi soup with grilled prawns, tofu & mushrooms

Most Japanese and Korean supermarkets here stock decent versions of kimchi—if you do not wish to make your own.

BURN FACTOR: 3/5

Serves 4 Prep time 35 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes

kimchi
1 whole Chinese cabbage
160g salt
120ml vinegar

marinade A
1¼ cups water
2 tbsp tapioca flour
5 tbsp opossum shrimp chilli paste
2 tbsp anchovy sauce

marinade B
2 bunches chives
150g green onions, finely chopped
50g grated ginger root
2 cloves garlic, crushed
200g ground chilli pepper
80g sugar

• Slice cabbage into quarters then sprinkle salt between the leaves. In a pot, soak cabbage in vinegar, then leave to marinate with a heavy weight over it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
• Rinse the cabbage with water to wash away the salt and lightly squeeze the leaves. In a non-stick pot, add marinade A ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Combine the two marinades. Using gloves to prevent skin irritation, spread the paste between the cabbage leaves.
• Fold each cabbage quarter into compact bundles, then tightly pack in a rectangular glass container. Cover with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 to 5 days.

soup
10 king prawns
45g whole hot chilli pepper
100g white radish, sliced to 1cm thickness
2 litres chicken stock
150g honshimeji mushrooms
8 pieces Japanese dry tofu
pinch salt and sugar

• Heat up a grill pan till red hot. Grill prawns for 1 minute on each side then set aside.
• Heat up a pot with cooking oil and fry the hot chilli pepper. Then add in the radish, marinated kimchi and chicken stock. Simmer and bring to a boil for 20 minutes.
• Finally, add in the mushrooms, tofu and prawns and bring to a boil. Season with salt and sugar, then serve with rice.

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