Thai and Lao Som Pak Recipe - Pickled Cabbage
Som Pak, known as Laotian Kimchi, is a delicious comfort food that is found in most Lao family kitchens and is often served with grilled fish and meats, braised pork and eggs, minced meat salad, papaya salad, and sticky rice.
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 large cabbage head
- 10 green onions cut into 2-inch stems, green stems only (white bulbs removed)
- 1-16 ounce bottle of drinking water
- 2 tablespoons of salt
Instructions
- 1
Cut the cabbage and chop it into 1 inch pieces.
- 2
Put in a large bowl and add cold water. Wash the cabbage and drain three times.
- 3
In a clean container, pour in the bottle of water. Add in the salt.
- 4
Put the cabbage and green onion into the salt water mixture.
- 5
Pack the mixture really tight into the container. Put plastic wrap on the top of the mixture to prevent air.
- 6
Seal the container with a lid, ensuring it is on tight.
- 7
Leave on the kitchen counter at room temperature for at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, taste it to see if it is sour enough to preference. If not, allow it to ferment for another 12-24 hours, up to 72 hours.
- 8
Once it gets to taste, stop the fermentation process by putting it in the refridgerator.
- 9
Serve with sticky rice, grilled fish and meat, sausage, and larb.