Today I was flipping through my Korean cookbooks with a hankering for some good, down home kimchi. Remembering the delicious oi chi from Dong-A, I set out to the farmer’s market to purchase cucumbers to transform into the spicy, pickled side dish I grew so fond of during my time in Korea. Back home, I chopped garlic, onions, and ginger. I pondered what I would substitute for the red pepper powder (more or less the main ingredient). I know what it looks like in Korea, I could have gone across town to the Korean markets to purchase some, but it seemed too much of a hassle. I found a hot red powder (curiously not labeled) in my pantry. I tossed a large portion in and now I wait. In warm weather it takes about 30 hours for oi chi to ferment. In San Francisco? I’m betting at least a few days…