Comfort food = writing fuel.

While drafting Grave Matters, I cooked a lot of Korean and soul food to stay in the zone! My cooking skills may not be extensive but I’ve got a few dishes up my sleeve!

This week’s fave: Homemade kimchi (Piper’s go-to post book snack).

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Simple Homemade Kimchi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup sea salt (non-iodized)
• 2 cups water
• 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1–2 tablespoons sugar (optional, for balance)
• 3–4 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru), adjust to taste
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
• 3–4 green onions, chopped
• 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
• 1/2 daikon radish, julienned (optional)

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Instructions:

1. Salt the Cabbage
   • Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
   • Dissolve salt in water and soak cabbage for 1–2 hours, tossing occasionally.
   • Rinse thoroughly and drain well.
2. Make the Paste
   • In a bowl, combine garlic, ginger, sugar, gochugaru, and fish sauce into a thick paste.
3. Mix It Up
   • Toss the drained cabbage with the spice paste.
   • Add green onions, carrot, and daikon if using. Use gloves to mix well.
4. Pack into Jar
   • Press the mixture into a clean jar or container. Leave 1 inch at the top.
   • Press down to remove air pockets; the brine should rise to cover the veggies.
5. Ferment
   • Leave the jar at room temperature (cool, dark spot) for 1–2 days.
   • Then store in the fridge. Flavor deepens after a week.

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