Kimchi
Korean
Type of Dish Pickle

Ingredients
- 900 g (2 lbs) napa cabbage
- 50 g (1/4 cup) sea salt
- to cover Water
- 15 g (1 Tbsp) garlic (crushed)
- 5 g (1 tsp) ginger (grated)
- 5 g (1 tsp) sugar
- 35 ml (2 ½ Tbsp) fish sauce
- 45 g (3 Tbsp) Korean chili flakes
- 200 g (8 oz) Korean radish (cut into julienne)
- 4 spring onions (sliced)
Preparation
- Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 2 hours.
- Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 1 hour.
- Combine garlic, ginger, sugar, chili and fish sauce.
- Squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
- Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. Pack kimchi into a jar, press it down until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with a lid. Leave to ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1-5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.)
- Use salt that is free of iodine and/or anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation. Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Further Information
Yield 4
Preparation Time is approxmiately 30 minutes.