Baechu Kimchi

Korean (Napa) Cabbage kimchi is the most common kimchi found in or out of Korea. Nearly every Korean household and restaurant has some variation of this dish available year round.

Ingredients

2 heads napa cabbage (approximately 2 lbs)
1/2 cup salt (for brine)
1/4 small Daikon radish
8 each spring or green onions
1 bunch Asian Chives
1/4 cup fish sauce

Seasoning paste:

8 Each Hot red chili peppers
1 tablespoon finely ground red chili powder
3 tablespoons coarse ground red chili pepper
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 small nashi pear
2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt

 

Procedure

Cut the cabbage in half from bottom to top.

Place the cabbage in a large pot or other container big enough to handle the cabbage cut side up. Carefully lift the leaves and salt between them using about 1/2 the salt

Slowly add water until there is enough to submerge the cabbage.

Add the rest of the salt spread over the cabbage and let sit for at least 4 hours. (overnight is best)

After soaking discard brine then rinse cabbage in cold water..

Cut larger daikon in half from top to bottom.

Shred the daikon into a strainer or colander.

Rinse 1 time in cold water and drain.

Place in a small bowl and lightly sprinkle with salt.

Cut the green/spring onion into roughly 1 inch sections and add to shredded Daikon.

Cut the chives into roughly 1 inch sections and add to Daikon/Green Onion.

Add fish sauce and mix well.

Set aside until time to mix.

Slice the ginger and pear into small pieces and toss in blender.

Remove stems from peppers and add to blender.

Add garlic cloves and just enough water to blend into a thick paste.

Pour blended mix into a small mixing bowl, then add all other paste ingredients and mix well.

Let stand about fifteen minutes.

Add the seasoning paste to the Daikon/Green Onion/Chives and mix well.

Add the seasoning mix to the Napa cabbage. Be sure to raise the leaves and spread the mix throughout the cabbage

Place into storage container(s), leaving room at the top to accommodate swelling, and refrigerate.

Depending on your “sour” level, the kimchi will be ready to serve in anywhere from one hour to several days.

Tip:

To jump start the fermentation/souring, leave the kimchi on the counter top for several hours before refrigerating.

Storing Kimchi

Kimchi will swell and create pressure during the fermentation process. It is important to release pressure every so often to prevent breakage of storage container

A Secret Ingredient

Don’t throw out the onion peels!!!
Put the onion peels in a pot with about two to three cups water.
Bring to a slow boil and simmer for about twenty minutes.
Strain the broth into a bowl (Discard onion peels).
Cool and add the broth to the seasoning paste before mixing with the shredded radish.
This adds an extra dimension to the flavor of kimchi.