Chinese Cabbage Kimchi

Baechu Kimchi – Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi

A fermented, spicy, and flavorful cabbage dish – a staple of Korean cuisine.

Ingredients:

For Salting the Cabbage

• 2.7 kg napa cabbage
• 72 g (½ cup) kosher salt

For the Porridge

• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (or white sugar)

Vegetables

• 2 cups julienned Korean radish (or daikon)
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 7–8 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup Asian chives (optional, or use 3 extra green onions)
• 1 cup water dropwort (minari, optional)

Spices & Seasoning

• ½ cup garlic (about 24 cloves), finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup fish sauce
• ¼ cup fermented salted shrimp (saeujeot) with brine, chopped
• 2 cups Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru)

Preparation:

• 1. Quarter the cabbage lengthwise and cut into large chunks. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt. Cover with cold water and let sit for about 6 hours, turning occasionally, until the cabbage softens and wilts.
• 2. Rinse cabbage thoroughly with cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well.
• 3. For the porridge, mix water, sweet rice flour, and sugar in a pot. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until thickened. Let cool completely.
• 4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled porridge with garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, fermented shrimp, and gochugaru.
• 5. Fold in the radish, carrot, green onions, Asian chives, and water dropwort (if using).
• 6. Add the drained cabbage and mix thoroughly until all pieces are coated with the paste. Gloves are recommended.
• 7. Pack the kimchi into a clean, airtight container. Leave at room temperature for 1–2 days to ferment, then refrigerate and allow to mature for 1–2 more weeks.

Enjoy this napa cabbage kimchi as a zesty side dish or a flavorful snack.