South Korea / Sauces & condiments
Cabbage Kimchi
Kimchi (김치), also spelled kimchee or gimchi, is a Korean dish of pickled vegetables, usually napa cabbage or Korean radish and is commonly served as a side dish. It is usually fermented in a brine of anchovy sauce, ginger, garlic, green onion, and chilli pepper. There are countless varieties—at least as many as there are households. The following is a standard recipe for baechoo kimchi (napa-cabbage kimchi), a common variety and often the first kind of kimchi that jumps to mind for non-Koreans.
Ingredients
- napa cabbage, baechu, Chinese cabbage, wombok1 head
- sea salt, or any coarse salt1/2 cup
- water1 cup
- garlic, minced2 tbsp
- ginger, minced1 tsp
- gochugaru, Korean chile flakes1/2 cup
- salt2 tsp
- sugar1 tbsp
- aekjeot, Korean fish sauce1/4 cup
- onion, thinly sliced1/2
- carrot, thinly julienned1/4
- Korean radish, muwoo, thinly julienned1/4
- green onions, cut into 3-cm pieces4
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 12 steps
Quarter the napa cabbage, wash, and drain.
Combine coarse sea salt and water.
Put cabbages in salted water and take out one at a time to get salt down.
Add cabbages to a container. Pour salted water over top, and set aside for at least 6–8 hours (overnight is great). The cabbage should be soft enough to bend.
Wash cabbages and drain well.
Combine gochugaru, salt, sugar, jeot gal (Korean fish sauce), minced garlic, and minced ginger.
Mix the onion, carrot, radish, and green onion into the chilli powder mixture.
Take one cabbage, and stuff the above mixture between every layer.
Try to fold the cabbage in half. With 2 outer leaves, wrap the whole thing securely.
Put cabbages in an airtight container, and let it sit at room temperature overnight.
Refrigerate for 2–3 days at minimum. After a few days, you will notice some liquid. This is totally normal and a sign that the kimchi is ripening.
Enjoy your kimchi!
