Spicy Kimchi Recipe (How to Make Kimchi)

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 quarts unchlorinated water

  filtered or bottled water are good
• ½ cup kosher salt or sea salt
• 1 head

  about 3 pounds; 1.3kg Napa cabbage
• 1 carrot

  sliced into matchsticks
• 1 bunch scallions

  end trimmed, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 small daikon radish or turnip

  peeled, sliced into matchsticks
• ½ Asian pear

  peeled, sliced into matchsticks
• 6 garlic cloves

  chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup gochugaru

  Korean chili flakes
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons salted shrimp

  saeujeot, minced – as an alternative, use 1.5 tablespoons shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp (soaked), or 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 2 tablespoons miso paste

  red or white – optional, for extra umami flavor

Instructions

• 1 Whisk together the unchlorinated cold water and sprinkle salt in a large bowl.
• 2 Slice off the root end of the cabbage. Slice the cabbage into quarters and
  submerge them in the brine. Use a plate or other small weights to keep the
  cabbage completely submerged.
• 3 Set aside for 8-12 hours at room temperature.
• 4 Set the cabbage into a colander and drain the brine. Rinse the cabbage and
  squeeze out excess water using your hands. Chop the cabbage into 1 inch pieces
  (if desired, or leave the pieces whole).
• 5 Add the cabbage to a large bowl along with the carrot, scallions, radish or
  turnip, Asian pear, garlic and ginger. Toss to combine.
• 6 Add the rice flour and 1 cup water to a sauce pan. Heat to a simmer, then whisk
  for 3-4 minutes until smooth and the mixture forms a smooth, loose paste.
• 7 Remove from heat and stir in the gochugaru. The chili flakes will bloom as the
  mixture cools.
• 8 Stir in the fish sauce, salted shrimp, and miso paste (or your other umami
  alternatives).
• 9 Pour the mixture into the cabbage and vegetables. With your hands, rub the
  gochugaru mixture into the vegetables, covering them as completely as possible.
  Be thorough. Really get in there with your hands!
• 10 Taste and adjust for salt or any other desired seasonings.
• 11 Pack the kimchi into a large mason jar (or several). You can use other vessels,
  like a fermentation crock. Press the contents down and weigh it down with glass
  fermentation weights (or use a plastic bag filled with water).
• 12 Cover with a fermentation airlock lid, or use fermentation membranes (see
  notes). If you don’t have such lid options, use a 2-piece lid, but don’t screw
  it down, just set it on top. This is to allow any gases to escape while
  fermenting.
• 13 Set aside away from any sunlit areas and ferment for 1-3 days at room
  temperature (you CAN ferment longer if you’d like – see RECIPE NOTES on
  fermentation times). Moisture should release from the kimchi, so press the
  kimchi down if needed to keep it below the liquid. Gases should escape via the
  fermentation membrane, or just loosen the lid to let any gas build up out.
• 14 Set into the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week to let the flavors mingle. You
  can enjoy it right away, but it is better to wait. The fermenting kimchi will
  continue to ferment slowly in the fridge.
• 15 Use as desired.

Nutrition Info