Kimchi Recipe

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Remove the thick outer cabbage leaves. Cut the napa cabbage (4 kg) into quarters, keeping each quarter attached at the stem, and rinse under running water.

   Uses 4 kg napa cabbage, thick outer leaves removed · Running water to wash cabbage

2. 2

   Step 2: Dissolve 285 g coarse sea salt in 3840 ml brine water. Dip each cabbage quarter in this brine, then put it on a tray. Gently open the leaves and rub the medium-crystal cooking salt (97 g medium) over the thick white parts, using the 97 g total across all quarters. Keep the dipping brine for the next stage.

   Uses washed quartered cabbage · 3840 ml water for the cabbage brine (16 cups) · 285 g Korean coarse sea salt or natural rock salt for the brine (1 1/2 cups) · 97 g medium-crystal cooking salt for rubbing the cabbage (1/2 cup)

3. 3

   Step 3: Put the salted cabbage in a large food-grade bag or bucket with the wedge sides facing up, then pour over the reserved dipping brine. Close the bag, or use a weight to keep bucketed cabbage submerged. Begin a 6-hour brining period, turning at 2 hours and again at 4 hours. Leave for the first 2 hours now.

   First brining interval; then turn · 120 minUses salted cabbage quarters · reserved coarse-salt dipping brine

4. 4

   Step 4: After the first 2 hours, turn the cabbage upside down in the brine. Close the bag or replace the weight and leave for another 2 hours.

   Second brining interval; then turn · 120 minUses cabbage in brine after two hours

5. 5

   Step 5: After 4 hours total, turn the cabbage upside down again. Close the bag or replace the weight and leave for a final 2 hours, completing the 6-hour brining period.

   Final brining interval · 120 minUses cabbage in brine after four hours

6. 6

   Step 6: At the end of the total 6-hour brining period, remove the cabbage and discard the brine. Rinse under running water, especially between the thick white parts, to remove excess salt. Put the cabbage in a colander and drain for 1 hour.

   Drain rinsed cabbage · 60 minUses cabbage after six-hour brining · Fresh running water to rinse away brine

7. 7

   Step 7: While the cabbage drains, mix the 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour with the separate 360 ml paste water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring, until it thickens.

   Cook rice paste · 8 minUses 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour) · 360 ml water for the rice paste (1 1/2 cups)

8. 8

   Step 8: Transfer the thickened rice paste to a bowl and let it cool. Only once cooled, mix in all the gochugaru (141 g).

   Uses cooked glutinous rice paste · 141 g gochugaru (Korean chili flakes; 1 1/2 cups)

9. 9

   Step 9: Mix the julienned radish with the separate tablespoon of fine sea salt (1 Tbsp), Korean fish sauce (3.5 Tbsp) and minced fermented shrimp (2 Tbsp). Leave for 10 minutes so the radish salts down. Keep this mixture and its liquid for the seasoning.

   Salt down radish · 10 minUses 540 g Korean radish or daikon, julienned · 1 Tbsp fine sea salt · 3.5 Tbsp Korean fish sauce · 2 Tbsp salted fermented shrimp (minced)

10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the salted radish mixture, including its liquid, with the Korean chives (90 g), julienned carrots (140 g), minced garlic (42 g), minced ginger (1/2 Tbsp), raw sugar (2 Tbsp), blended or grated onion (75 g) and cooled chili-rice-paste mixture. Mix thoroughly to make the kimchi seasoning.

    Uses salted radish and seasoning liquid · cooled chili rice paste · 90 g Korean chives, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) lengths · 140 g carrots, julienned · 42 g minced garlic (1/4 cup) · 1/2 Tbsp minced ginger · 2 Tbsp raw sugar · 75 g onion, blended or finely grated

11. 11

    Step 11: Put a drained cabbage quarter on a tray. Spread the prepared seasoning over one side of each leaf, leaving the leaves attached to the stem. Use about 1–2 small fistfuls per quarter as a guide; distribute the whole seasoning batch across all the cabbage quarters so you do not run out before the end. Repeat for all cabbage.

    Uses rinsed drained cabbage quarters · prepared kimchi seasoning

12. 12

    Step 12: Pack the seasoned cabbage into clean kimchi or airtight containers, filling each only about 70–80% to leave room for liquid and fermentation gas. Close the lids. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours, then proceed to refrigeration.

    Room-temperature fermentation, then refrigerate · 1440 minUses seasoned napa cabbage kimchi

13. 13

    Step 13: After the 24-hour room-temperature fermentation, move the closed containers to the refrigerator. The kimchi can be eaten once chilled; leave it refrigerated for another 3–4 days if you prefer more developed flavor.

    Uses kimchi after initial fermentation

14. 14

    Step 14: Once chilled and ready to eat, cut only the portion you need and keep it in a smaller covered container for convenient serving. Keep the rest of the cabbage quarters intact in the main container and refrigerated at 3–5°C.

    Uses chilled fermented kimchi