Kimchi

Summary

Maangchi’s Napa cabbage kimchi

Ingredients

cabbage

• 3 napa cabbages (about 3.5 kg)
• 70 g salt

porridge

• 480 ml water
• 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour (or other types of flour)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

vegetable mix

• 500 g radish or turnip
• 500 g carrot
• 15 green onions (or substitute half with buchu if you can find them)

seasonings

• 24 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 onion
• 120 ml fish sauce
• 60 ml shrimp paste (I used this Thai one, but if you can, try to find Korean fermented salted shrimp)
• 480 ml gochugaru
• (optional) sichuan pepper to taste
• (optional) dried shrimp

Preparations

salting the cabbage

• Split the cabbage into quarters by making a cut on the bottom core. Remove the hard part and cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
• In a large container, put down one layer of cabbage followed by one layer of salt. Turn every 30 minutes.
• After 2 hours, thoroughly rinse the cabbage, and drain the water.
• In the meantime, do the other preparations for porridge and spice mix.

making the porridge

• Add water and glutinous rice flour in a small pot, cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until it starts to bubble.
• Add sugar and cook for another minute.
• Turn off heat and let cool completely.

chopping time

• Cut the radish/turnip and carrot into matchsticks.
• Chop up the green onions (and buchu if using).
• Finely mince the garlic, ginger, and onion.

making the spice paste

• In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled porridge, minced garlic, ginger, and onion. Also add fish sauce, shrimp paste, and gochugaru.
• Mix well into a paste.
• Add the chopped radish/turnip, carrot, green onion (and buchu). Mix well.

Assembly

• Add the cleaned and drained cabbage into the spice paste, mix well.
• Put them in glass jars, making sure to squeeze out any air bubbles.
• Store in a warm place for 5-7 days to let the kimchi ferment. Make sure to open the jar once a day, and press down to release the air bubbles!
• After 5-7 days, store in the fridge.