Spicy Fermented Korean Kimchi (Printer-friendly)

Fermented napa cabbage with chili, garlic, and ginger for a spicy, tangy Korean classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Produce

01 - 1 large napa cabbage, approximately 2.5 pounds
02 - 1 medium daikon radish, approximately 7 ounces, julienned
03 - 4 scallions, sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned (optional)

→ Salt & Water

05 - ⅓ cup coarse sea salt
06 - 6 cups cold water

→ Spice Paste

07 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
09 - 1 small onion, roughly chopped
10 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce for vegan variation
11 - 1 tablespoon sugar
12 - 3 to 5 tablespoons Korean red chili flakes, adjusted to taste preference
13 - 2 tablespoons rice flour
14 - ⅔ cup water

# Directions:

01 - Cut the napa cabbage lengthwise into quarters, then chop into 2-inch pieces.
02 - Dissolve sea salt in 6 cups cold water in a large non-reactive bowl. Add cabbage pieces, tossing to coat. Place a plate and weight on top to keep submerged. Let sit for 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes.
03 - Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly under cold water 2 to 3 times to remove excess salt. Drain well.
04 - Whisk rice flour with ⅔ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until thickened, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely.
05 - In a blender, combine cooled rice paste, garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce or soy sauce, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Stir in Korean red chili flakes to achieve desired spice level.
06 - In a large bowl, combine drained cabbage, daikon radish, carrot if using, and scallions. Add spice paste and, wearing kitchen gloves, massage thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
07 - Pack the kimchi tightly into clean glass jars or fermentation crock, pressing down to eliminate air pockets. Leave at least 1 inch headspace at the top.
08 - Seal and leave at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 1 to 2 days, burping the jars daily to release accumulated gas.
09 - Taste after 48 hours. Once sour and tangy to your preference, store in the refrigerator where kimchi will continue to ferment slowly and develop deeper flavors over several weeks.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It's a living, breathing condiment that gets better as it sits in your fridge, so you're never really done tinkering with it.
  • One batch makes enough to last weeks, turning it into the ultimate kitchen project that keeps giving back.
  • The probiotics and umami pack more flavor into a spoonful than most dishes manage in a full plate.
02 -
  • The salt quantity is crucial—too little and your kimchi won't ferment properly and may develop off-flavors; too much and it becomes inedibly salty, so measure carefully.
  • Room temperature and time are flexible variables; cooler kitchens ferment slower (perfect for control), warmer ones faster (which means more tangy flavor in 1 to 2 days instead of 3 to 5).
03 -
  • If your kimchi tastes too hot immediately after fermentation, refrigerate it—the flavors mellow and integrate as it sits, making it more approachable after a week in the cold.
  • Always reserve some kimchi liquid when you use up a jar; it becomes a starter culture for your next batch and speeds up fermentation significantly, sometimes cutting fermentation time by half.
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