korean food: Did I destroy my Kimchi by not using salted shrimp?!

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Hi Richie!
I get all happy when other nationalities eat or make kimchi!!!! :o)

You don't need salted/fermented shrimp, but it help to impart more flavor in the kimchi.. with that said, I don't fully grasp your "sauteed shrimp" if it's raw/cooked shrimp intended for a stir-fry, I wouldn't ferment that kimchi for future consumption.
If I were you, keep it refrigerated and chow down on it tomorrow!!

I tried looking for kimchi recipes with traditional ingredients and techniques. Try this one and see how that works. You can replace the fish sauce with salted/fermented shrimp.

http://www.kimchibulgogi.com/pogi-baechu…

Good luck!!!!

What did you end up doing with the Kimchi?

I always omit the shrimp and the anchovies in my Kimchi (I got my recipe from a Korean friend and she omitted it, too). That being said if you like the salted/fermented shrimp in yours, check the salt level now in your Kimchi and see if it taste salty enough...if not add some salt. That should make up for the difference in shrimps. By the way check the salt in your Dagupan shrimp it is probably pretty salty. Anyway it should not wreck your Kimchi, maybe just a little different than what you are use to. But it does need to ferment or cure in order to be good.

No it won't destroy it. If you like foods that taste realllll fishy you can put that stuff in.

I'm Korean so I think I would know after eating it for most of my life.