Kimchi (Korean Fermented Spicy Cabbage)

Homemade kimchi, a Korean dish made by fermenting cabbage with red chile flakes and garlic, is a great spicy addition to any meal.

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 88 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, or more to taste
• ½ cup fish sauce
• 3 heads napa cabbage
• 4 cups coarse sea salt
• 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
• 4 cups Korean red chile flakes (gochugaru)
• ¼ cup dried salted shrimp (saeujeot)
• 2 cups Korean radish, cut into matchstick-size pieces
• 3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Remove discolored, bruised outer leaves of cabbage and rinse cabbage under cold water. Cut cabbage head into 2-inch pieces.

Step 2

Divide 3 cups water among 3 bowls. Stir 1 cup sea salt into each bowl of water. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup sea salt over cabbage.

Step 3

Place salted cabbage in the 3 bowls salted water until partially submerged; let sit 6 to 12 hours.

Step 4

Rinse cabbage thoroughly under cold water several times. Squeeze cabbage to remove excess water. Cabbage should have a rubbery texture. Transfer cabbage to a colander or basket to thoroughly drain the cabbage, at least 2 hours.

Step 5

Combine 3 cups water and rice flour in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk mixture until a glue-like consistency, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool rice mixture to room temperature.

Step 6

Combine onion, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor; pulse until smooth, adding more water if needed.

Step 7

Pour chile flakes into a large bowl; stir in onion-garlic mixture, cooled rice flour mixture, fish sauce, shrimp, brown sugar, and sesame seeds until well mixed. Add radish and green onions and mix well.

Step 8

Coat each cabbage piece with chile mixture by using your hands. (Rubber gloves are highly recommended.) Pack coated cabbage leaves inside air-tight glass jars or containers; cover each tightly with a lid. Keep jars at room temperature for fermentation to occur, about 2 days. Refrigerate kimchi after the 2 days.