Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe
Kimchi is a popular Korean side dish made from fermented vegetables, and Napa cabbage kimchi is a classic variety. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 820g Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage)
- 240g Korean radish or daikon radish
- 50g brown onion
- 40g green onion
- 2/3 cup rock salt or Korean coarse sea salt
- 1 cup water
Kimchi Sauce
- 1/4 cup Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Korean fish sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar (raw sugar preferred)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Cabbage:
- Rinse the Napa cabbage and cut off the stem.
- Tear or cut the leaves into long pieces.
- Prepare Other Vegetables:
- Rinse and peel the radish, then thinly slice into julienne.
- Peel and thinly slice the onion.
- Rinse and cut the green onion into 3-5 sections.
- Brining the Cabbage:Many consider brining the most critical step for successful kimchi. Brining helps to dehydrate the cabbage, season it, remove its fresh smell, and prevent the growth of germs.
- Cut the Napa cabbage into quarters and rinse in running water, keeping the stem intact.
- Dissolve coarse salt in water in a large bowl.
- Dip the cabbage in the saltwater and transfer to a tray for salting.
- Sprinkle cooking salt over the thick white parts of the cabbage leaves.
- Place the salted cabbage in a plastic bag or bucket, pour in the reserved saltwater, and weigh it down.
- Make the Kimchi Sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix Korean chili flakes, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, Korean fish sauce, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds.
- Combine and Mix:
- After the cabbage is wilted, rinse it well under cold water and drain for 20-30 minutes.
- Pack and Ferment:Pack the kimchi tightly into a 1-quart jar, pressing down until the brine covers the cabbage, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top.
- Place the kimchi in the refrigerator to ferment. “Burp” it after a day by pressing down to release trapped air bubbles.
- Fermentation:Kimchi will develop its distinctive funky, sour notes after a week or two of fermentation.
Tips for Success
- Brining: Use the correct amount of salt to prevent the kimchi from becoming too salty.
- Ingredient Preparation: Finely mince ginger and garlic to blend seamlessly, but cut carrots, radishes, and Asian pears into batons for a crunchy texture.
- Selecting Cabbage: Look for dense, unblemished heads of Napa cabbage, weighing between 3 and 4 pounds.
- Flavor: Adjust the amount of gochugaru to control the spice level.
- Salt: The salt helps kill harmful bacteria and draw out excess water.
Enjoy your homemade Napa cabbage kimchi!
