Two Vegetarian Kimchi Recipes: Napa Cabbage Kimchi and Radish Kimchi

🧂 Ingredients

• 3 pounds napa cabbage

  cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup natural coarse salt

  see note
• 6 scallions

  sliced into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup cooked kabocha squash cubes

  peeled
• 1 yellow onion

  cut into chunks
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• 1- inch piece of ginger
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• ½ cup Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons natural coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• 1 pound white daikon radish

  cut into thin 2-inch sticks
• ½ medium onion

  sliced thinly
• 1 Asian pear

  sliced thinly
• 2 scallions

  cut in half lengthwise, then into 2-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves

  peeled and sliced
• ½ inch piece of ginger

  grated or minced
• 1 fresh chili pepper

  sliced thinly

Instructions

• 1 Chop the napa cabbage, wash it, and spin it dry. Three pounds of napa cabbage
  will fill two large bowls, but after it is salted for some time it will reduce
  to one bowl. Divide the salt and sprinkle it to cover the cabbage evenly. Use
  both hands to combine well. Let the cabbage soak in the salt for two hours,
  stirring every 30 minutes. The salt draws out moisture from the vegetable and
  hastens the fermentation process.
• 2 Meanwhile, prepare the kabocha squash by steaming it until soft. Remove the peel
  before steaming or after as you prefer. Gather the remaining ingredients for the
  paste. Blend all paste ingredients using a blender or mini chopper/grinder.
• 3 After two hours, cover the salted cabbage in cold water and rinse off the salt.
  Drain cabbage well. Chop the scallions and add them to the cabbage.
• 4 Mix the paste with the cabbage using your hands to fully incorporate. Pack the
  mixture tightly into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in a cool place,
  out of direct sunlight.
• 5 Wait a couple days (exactly two for me) until bubbles start to form on the
  surface. Taste the kimchi. If you like, keep it out another day or two. The
  longer it sits at room temperature, the stronger the kimchi will taste. When you
  are happy with the taste, store your vegetarian kimchi in a glass jar and keep
  in the fridge. Enjoy! 
• 6 In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add half the sea salt and all the
  sugar, and stir well to dissolve. Turn off the heat and allow brine to cool.
• 7 Wash the radish well, and chop into ¼ inch thick sticks, 2 inches in length.
  Place in bowl and toss with the rest of the salt. Allow radishes to marinade in
  the salt for 20-30 minutes. Cover in cold water and rinse the salt off. Drain
  well.
• 8 In the container you will use to prepare the radish kimchi, layer in the
  prepared onion, Asian pear, scallions, garlic cloves, ginger, and chili pepper.
  Place the radish on top and then pour the prepared sweet and salty brine over
  everything. The brine should fully cover the radish. If necessary, top it up
  with water.
• 9 Make a cover for the kimchi with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and press it
  into the vegetables slightly. If necessary, use a plate or something heavy on
  top of the cover to keep the vegetables fully submerged in liquid.
• 10 Put a lid on the container, and place it on the counter out of direct sunlight
  for 2-3 days, until bubbles start appearing on the surface, and the liquid has
  developed a sweet and tangy flavor.
• 11 Once it is fermented to your liking, remove the Asian pear. Transfer the kimchi
  and brine to glass jars and refrigerate. It will keep for months. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info