Homemade Fish Sauce for Making Kimchi (Aekjeot-kimchiyong)

Store-bought fish sauce is fine, and I used it to develop all of my kimchi recipes. But homemade fish sauce will make your kimchi even more tasty and deeply flavored. If you’ve made your own fermented sardines, it is very easy to make homemade fish sauce.

Makes about 1½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Fermented Sardines, with their liquid
• 1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put the fermented fish and liquid in a small saucepan, add the water, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until reduced to a little more than 1½ cups, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Pour through a fine strainer set over a bowl to remove the bones and solids. Let the fish sauce cool completely.
3. Use the fish sauce right away to make kimchi or put it in an airtight glass jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week.