Easy homemade kimchi.
I make kimchi in every winter. Yes, I am! As a foodie who loves fermentations and pickled vegetables, kimchi is one of my top selections along with common Szechuan style pickled vegetables. This possible not authentic Korean kimchi, but the final taste is good enough for me.If you prefer an authentic Korean style kimchi, check this post on beyond kimchi.
How to choose a cabbage for kimchi---Usually a fresh and denser napa cabbage is great for kimchi. I usually use one around 1000g.
Roughly clean the cabbage and remove any bad leaves. Cut it into two or four pieces. I cut into four pieces.
Spread kosher salt evenly on the leaves. Do a little message and make sure all parts are well coated with salt. Set aside for around 6-8 hours or overnight until the leaves starting to soften and wilt.
Wash the cabbage under running water to remove extra salt and avoid over salty kimchi. Squeeze the water out and set aside.
In a small pot, add around 1 cup water with 3 tablespoons of glutinous rice powder. Heat over medium slow fire and continue stirring during the process until the mixture becomes transparent. Add sugar when it is still hot. Stir to dissolve. Set aside to cool down.
Place garlic, ginger, apple chunk and pear chunk in a food processor, break them into puree or small dices.
Transfer to the rice glue. Add around 4 tablespoons of Korean chili powder, 1 tablespoon salted shrimp, 1 tablespoons of fish sauce and the chive pieces. Give a big stir to combine everything well.
Evenly spread the fermentation sauce on the cabbage and radish strips. Evenly, evenly, evenly!!! If you need to use hand, wear a plastic glove.
Transfer them to a pre-cleaned airtight jar. Rest at room temperature for 24-48 hours until it is slightly sour with the lid unsealed completely. And then seal the jar completely and keep in refrigerator. Serve directly as a side dish after 7 days fermentation or use in other recipes like soups, pancakes after 2 weeks.
After 7 days fermentation: slightly sour and crispy in texture
After 2 weeks fermentation: sour and soft in texture.
At this time, the sauce is perfect for kimchi fried rice.
Homemade Kimchi
Ingredients
- 1 fresh Napa cabbage , around 1000g
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons Korean chili powder
- 1 small bunch of Asian chive , or green onion , hard root removed
- ¼ middle size radish , cut into small strips
- 4 garlic cloves , peeled
- 1 thumb ginger , peeled
- ¼ middle size apple , peeled
- ¼ middle size pear , peeled
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Korean salted shrimp
Rice glue
- 3 tablespoons glutinous rice powder
- 1 cup water
- 1-1.5 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Roughly clean the cabbage and remove any bad leaves. Cut it into two or four pieces. I cut into four pieces. Spread kosher salt evenly on the leaves. Do a little message and make sure all parts are well coated with salt. Set aside for around 6-8 hours or overnight until the leaves starting to soften and wilt.
- Wash the cabbage under running water to remove extra salt and avoid over salty kimchi. Squeeze the water out and set aside.
Prepare the fermentation sauce
- In a small pot, add around 1 cup water with 3 tablespoons of glutinous rice powder. Heat over medium slow fire and continue stirring during the process until the mixture becomes transparent. Add sugar when it is still hot. Stir to dissolve. Set aside to cool down.
- Place garlic, ginger, apple chunk and pear chunk in a food processor, break them into puree or small dices. Transfer to the rice glue.
- Add around 4 tablespoons of Korean chili powder, 1 tablespoon salted shrimp, 1 tablespoons of fish sauce and the chive pieces. Give a big stir to combine everything well.
- Evenly spread the fermentation sauce on the cabbage and radish strips. Evenly, evenly, evenly!!! If you need to use hand, wear a plastic glove.
- Transfer them to a pre-cleaned airtight jar. Rest at room temperature for 24-48 hours until it is slightly sour with the lid unsealed completely. And then seal the jar completely and keep in refrigerator. Serve directly as a side dish after 7 days fermentation or use in other recipes like soups, pancakes after 2 weeks.
Kort
Thanks for this. My girlfriend in high school was Korean and her mother made some awesome kimchi, and beef bulgogi. I look forward to trying this out, though I may have to use red cabbage.
Elaine
I never tried red cabbage. Let me know the result if possible.
Chris
Sounds interesting, Is there a vegan version of this?
Elaine
I don't think so as fish sauce is quite important to the final flavor.
Serra
I make vegan version without fish or shrimp. I loved it and people say there is no much deifference.
Daniel Armstrong
You can use sea weed in place of shrimps/fish sauce!
I'll recommend Dulce, you can get it finely chopped in the package, otherwise sharp knife minced really fine!
moni
Hello,
since you are from china, i wonder if you could tell me if water of capers (capperi in italian) and cardamom are used in china for kimchi recipes?
i found one recipe (its german, a new cookbook) but i honestly never saw a recipe using cardamom and capers. it wasnt cabbage kimchi but cucumber kimchi 🙂
Elaine
Hi Moni,
We do not use the water of capers and cardamom in kimchi. The two are unnecessary.
Konstanz
I just made this recipe & WOW! it turned out great! Tastes just like the Kimchi I buy locally at a Korean market for almost $30! I only omitted the radish, and added some thinly sliced carrots, but the flavor is absolutely on point! Thanks again for sharing an outstanding recipe!
Elaine
Thanks Konstanz,
Kimchi has always been my favorite dish in cold winter days. Kimchi is quite expensive in my country too. I love my own homemade version, as I can adjust the sourness via fermentation time.
Pamela McGill
I’m going to try this. I have a friend who loves kimchi. So I’m going to make it for her.
Jamie
If I was doing more like 2 or 3 heads of napa cabbage, would I need to double and triple your recipe? They are between 3 and 4 pounds each.
Elaine
Triple the recipe, please.
kt
Do you have a recipe for Sichuan style kimchi, similar to the spicy cabbage served at Little Sheep or other hot pot restaurants?
Elaine
Hi,
It should be pickles. I will find a chance to post a recipe. Before the recipe, you can check this pickled carrots.
Ms. Linda
Interesting recipe. Have not used both apple and pear in same batch before. I will try in a smaller batch to see if I like it. Also in my kimchi I add 1 carrot, grated, or cut in matchsticks, and cleaned snow peas, sliced small pieces. And I leave my jars at room temperature for 2 weeks and then refrigerate. I don't know how long it will actually last before becoming inedible because the longest I've ever kept a jar is 2 months (when I made a gallon instead of a quart).
Corrina Rameka
love kimchi