Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Seonkyoung Longest recipe - Korean
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 20 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 cups Korean kimchi sea salt or flake sea salt
- 3 Large size Napa Cabbages (about 18 lb total) quartered
- 24 cups Room temperature water
- 2 1/4 cup water
- 4 oz Dried pollack (approximately 1/4 cup)
- 1 Sheet of 5”x 5” dried seaweed (Konbu/Dahsima)
- 1 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
- 1 1/4 cups Good quality fish sauce
- 3 tbsp Korean salted shrimp (Saewoo-Jeot. You can substitute with Thai fermented shrimp paste)
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Kosher sea salt
- 25 Garlic cloves (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 1 Thumb size ginger, sliced (approximately 1 1/2 Tbs)
- 1/2 Onion, quartered (approximately 1cup)
- 1 Apple, quartered & seeded (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 to 5 Red chili, roughly sliced (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 cups gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes
- 1 Medium size(2lb.) Korean radish, thinly julienne (approximately 8 cups)
- 6 to 8 Green onions, cut in halves lengthwise, then cut into 1” long pieces (approximately 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 bunch of Korean mustard, cut into 1” long pieces (approximately 4 cups)
- 1 bunch Water parsley(water celery Minari), cut into 1” long pieces (approximately 2 cups)
- 1 bunch of Garlic chive, cut into 1” long pieces (approximately 2 cups)
- Large plastic cookie/treat bags or 2.5-gallon Ziploc bags
- Kimchi container with lid
Instructions
- 1
Separate the salt into two parts: 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup. Wet your cabbage with water. In a large basin or sink, add 24 cups of water and 2 1/4 cups of sea salt. Stir until the salt dissolves.
- 2
Grab a quartered cabbage and sprinkle the remaining salt (3/4 cup) on each layer, focusing on the stem part. Use a small pinch at a time. Place the salted cabbage in a clean basin or sink. Repeat this process until all the cabbage is salted. If more salt is needed, use 1 tablespoon at a time. Pour the salted water over the cabbage. Salt for 7-9 hours if the temperature is below 60°F (fall to winter) or 4-5 hours if above 60°F (summer). Rotate the cabbage once or twice during the salting process to ensure even salting.
- 3
Bend the thick stem part to check if the cabbage is salted enough. If it snaps, it needs more time. If it bends nicely, it’s ready. Rinse the cabbage thoroughly at least three times. Move to a large strainer and drain for about an hour before adding the kimchi filling.
- 4
In a small saucepan, add water, dried pollack, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the solid ingredients. Ensure the broth measures 2 cups. If not, add water to make 2 cups.
- 5
Return the broth to heat, add rice flour, and whisk continuously. Bring to a soft boil over medium-high heat, whisking for 2 minutes. This step is crucial for proper fermentation. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- 6
In a blender, combine all the kimchi paste ingredients with the cooled rice flour porridge, except for the Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). Blend until smooth.
- 7
Line your kimchi container with a plastic cookie/treat bag or a 2.5-gallon Ziploc bag to prevent the kimchi’s smell and color from soaking into the container.
- 8
In a large basin or mixing bowl, combine the blended kimchi paste, Gochugaru, and filling vegetables by hand. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the spice.
- 9
Take one-quarter of the cabbage at a time. Hold the cabbage with one hand and brush the filling between the leaves with the other hand, leaving some vegetable pieces. Wrap the filled cabbage tightly and place it in the prepared container. Repeat until all the cabbage and filling are used.
- 10
Tie the plastic bag with a rubber band and seal the container tightly with the lid. Place the kimchi at room temperature for 24 to 40 hours, then store it in the refrigerator.