Korean · Main
Kimchi
A one-cabbage master batch, fermented in a lidded tub in the walk-in — the backbone condiment for stews, fried rice and banchan spreads
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- Napa cabbage — 1.5 kg (1 head)
- Coarse sea salt — 120 g
- Water — 1.5 L
- Gochugaru — 70 g
- Fish sauce — 40 ml
- Saeujeot (salted shrimp), minced — 20 g
- Garlic — 30 g
- Ginger — 15 g
- Glutinous rice flour — 15 g + water 150 ml
- Caster sugar — 15 g
- Daikon, julienne — 200 g
- Spring onion — 60 g
Method
- Quarter the cabbage through the core; dissolve salt in water and brine the quarters 6 hours, turning hourly, until leaves bend without snapping.
- Rinse three times; drain cut-side down 1 hour.
- Cook rice flour with 150 ml water to a porridge; cool.
- Blend porridge, gochugaru, fish sauce, saeujeot, garlic, ginger and sugar; fold in daikon and spring onion.
- Glove up and paint paste between every leaf.
- Pack tightly into a tub, press out air, surface-cover with film and lid loosely.
- Ferment 36–48 hours at 20°C until it fizzes gently, then refrigerate; peak flavour from day 5.