Homemade Authentic Korean Appetizer: Kimchi (Kim Chee)

Name: Kimchi
Prep time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1 large napa cabbage; 1 cup of sea salt; 5 cups of water; 1 pound of Korean radish; 1/4 pear; 3-4 scallion; 1/2 cup of chili flakes; 3 tablespoons of fish sauce; 4-6 cloves of garlic; 1 teaspoon of grated fresh root ginger; 1 teaspoon of sesame

How about a sour and spicy pickle? Capture the flavor with this Korean-style Kimchi recipe that looks like sauerkraut.

Korean Cuisine

October 27, 2021

Difficulty Medium

Servings 4 people

Preparation 60 mins

Cooking 0 mins

Total 60 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

1 large napa cabbage
1 cup of sea salt
5 cups of water
1 pound of Korean radish
1/4 pear
3-4 scallion
1/2 cup of chili flakes
3 tablespoons of fish sauce
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of grated fresh root ginger
1 teaspoon of sesame

Directions

Start by cutting the thick white part of the cabbage in half lengthwise, and slowly pull apart the two pieces by hand. Repeat for each half to make quarters.
Dissolve half a cup of salt in a large bowl containing 5 cups of water. Use this salt water to bathe each quarter of cabbage thoroughly. Do it one at a time and shake off the excess before transferring it to another bowl.
Sprinkle the remaining half cup of Korean sea salt generously over the thick white part of the cabbage leaves, starting from the outermost leaf. Use extra salt if required, and repeat with all the cabbage quarters.
Pour the previously made salt water over the salted cabbage quarters and leave alone for 6-8 hours, rotating the bottom ones to the top every 2-3 hours.
Once the white parts of the cabbage become easily bendable, rinse each piece 3 times, taking care to get between the white parts. Then, drain and place cut side down.
Boil the 2-to-3-inch square piece of dashima in 1.5 cups of water for about 5 minutes to make the dashima broth.
Mix rice powder with half a cup of broth and simmer over low heat while stirring occasionally until thickened to a thin paste. Set aside and cool.
Mix all the seasoning ingredients together, including the rice paste and 1/2 cup of broth, and set aside until the Korean pepper flakes dissolve slightly to become pasty.
Cut the Korean radish and pear into matchsticks (use a mandoline if desired) and transfer to a large bowl. Add in the prepared seasoning mix and mix well by hand.
Add in diagonally cut 1-inch pieces of scallions and mix again. Taste and if necessary add more salt, shrimp, or fish sauce until too salty. Leave alone for approximately 30 minutes.
Then cut the tough stem part of each cabbage quarter, leaving just enough to hold the cabbage leaves together. Transfer the quarters to the radish mix and spread over each leaf, using one to two tablespoons for larger leaves.
Fold the cabbage leaves over toward the stem and wrap up with the outermost leaf. Place cut side up in an airtight container or jar, and repeat with the remaining cabbage quarters.
Press down on the cabbages once in the jar or container to remove air pockets, and rinse the radish mix bowl with any remaining dashima broth before pouring over the kimchi.
Leave the homemade kimchi out for a day or two at room temperature to allow the flavors to develop and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Kimchi

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories268

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3.1 g4%

Cholesterol 119 mg39.7%

Protein 23 g46%

Potassium 615 mg13.1%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

For the best kimchi, use a medium to large-sized cabbage that has a moderately thick straight white part and light green outer leaves. The cabbage should weigh 5 to 5-1/2 pounds and have bright yellow inner leaves upon cutting.
Korean kimchi is typically made with Korean coarse sea salt, which is a minimally processed natural salt with a coarse or thick texture. If Korean sea salt isn't available, substitute it with fine table salt but use one quarter less than the amount stated in the recipe.
Use good quality red chili pepper flakes for best results when making this kimchi recipe. Good quality anchovy sauce and salted shrimp are also required, but you can also use raw shrimp if salted shrimp isn't available.
Cut only the thick white part of the cabbage and use your hands to pull apart the rest. Cutting all the way will unnecessarily cut the cabbage leaves.
Salt the cabbage leaves for this Korean kimchi recipe in the same manner you would salt meat.
To make sure all the cabbage quarters get equal amounts of stuffing, divide it into four parts and use one part for each quarter.
Make this homemade kimchi recipe vegan by skipping the shrimp and substituting anchovy sauce with soy sauce.
Leave your kimchi in the fridge for about two weeks so that the flavors can develop fully. This fermented kimchi tastes great and stays good for several weeks after.

Rate This Recipe

Kimchi, a traditional flavor, strengthens the immune system. There are versions prepared with raw or fermented napa cabbage. Gochujang paprika paste is one of the must-have ingredients in this recipe. Kimchi basically tastes similar to spicy sauerkraut. It is an easy and healthy recipe.Try the homemade Fermented Korean Kimchi Recipe, packed with probiotics and vitamins. Bon Appetit.

Equipment for this recipe

Bowl

Measuring Cup

Grater

Oven Mitts

What is Kimchi?

Kimchee is a staple side dish in Korean cuisine made with salted and fermented vegetables like Napa cabbage, Korean radish, and lots of traditional seasonings.

There are about 200 different types of kimchi depending on the quality, type, and ratio of the seasoning and main ingredients, and each family tends to have their own recipe based on the regional flavors of their hometown.

What to Serve with Kimchi?

While generally a side dish, homemade kimchi can also be eaten as is by itself for a delicious, nutrient-dense snack or meal.

Kimchi can be served with main dishes like rice, grain bowls, stews, scrambled eggs, fried fish, grilled steak, deviled eggs, omelette, breaded pork chops, potato salads, French fries, etc.

Here are some our delicious recipes that you can serve with Kimchi:

How to Store Kimchi?

Homemade kimchi is super easy to store. Just add it to a sealed glass jar or container and transfer it to the refrigerator. The refrigerator slows down the fermentation process to make it last longer (up to six months when stored properly).

Kimchi can also be frozen in plastic bags or freezer-safe airtight containers. Divide into several portions and store in the freezer.

Recipe byPetite Gourmets