Make Your Own Kimchi

Photo: William Brinson

Kimchi: Korean Classic Kraut
Makes 2 quarts (2 liters)

This fermented cabbage is a national dish of Korea; it’s served as a side to just about every Korean meal and it makes its way into soups, stews, pancakes, and any number of main-dish recipes in that country’s cuisine. There are many different styles of kimchi; what most have in common is that they call for first soaking cabbage in brine before fermenting and they typically include hot pepper, ginger, garlic, fish or anchovy sauce, and dried shrimp. I’ve included an option for making it vegetarian by swapping in another ferment, miso, and omitting the dried shrimp. The most common base is Napa cabbage and daikon radish, but variations abound.

If this recipe whets your appetite, you might want to look at Lauryn Chun’s The Kimchi Cookbook, which offers sixty different seasonal kimchi variations. If you like a super-crisp kimchi, use just the stalks of the cabbage, increasing the amount of stalks to equal 2 pounds (900 grams), and set aside the tender top parts for salads or stir-fries. Korean red pepper powder, fish sauce, and salted shrimp (also fermented) can be found in Korean and Asian markets. Make sure your fish sauce doesn’t contain additives or preservatives, as these could inhibit fermentation. Red Boat is a new artisanal brand that boasts all-natural, extra-virgin first-press processing.

Tools for kimchi making:
Large nonreactive bowl
Plate or bowl that fits in the bowl to keep the cabbage in its brine
Weight that fits in the fermentation vessel to keep the kimchi in its brine (drinking glass or small ramekin with a small rock for smaller vessels; plate or bowl topped with a zip-top bag filled with brine, jug filled with water, or large rock for bigger vessels)
2-quart (2-liter) wide-mouth jar or ceramic crock or food- grade plastic bucket if you are scaling up the recipe
Clean dish towel

Ingredients:
One 2 1/2-pound (1.2-kilogram) head Napa cabbage
About 2 quarts (2 liters) Basic Salt Brine (page 20)
1 small daikon radish (about 10 ounces/285 grams), peeled and cut into 2-inch (5-centimeter) matchsticks
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5-centimeter) matchsticks
5 scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) pieces
2 teaspoons Korean salted shrimp, minced (optional; omit for vegetarians)
1 to 8 tablespoons Korean red pepper powder 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) fish sauce, or 2 tablespoons light miso paste dissolved in 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) water
2 tablespoons grated fresh unpeeled ginger
6 large garlic cloves, minced

Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, then into quarters; core it and separate it into individual leaves. Fill a large nonreactive bowl with water and swish the leaves around in the water to clean them. Rinse the bowl.

Cut the cabbage leaves crosswise into 2-inch (5-centimeter) pieces. Put them in the bowl and add enough brine to just cover, making sure the cabbage is submerged. Place a plate over the cabbage and top it with a heavy weight such as a zip-top bag filled with brine (so that if it accidentally breaks, brine rather than water goes into the jar), a jug filled with water, or a rock.

Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, pressing on the weight from time to time to make sure the cabbage stays submerged in the brine. Drain in a colander, reserving the brine. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid and return the cabbage to the bowl. Add the daikon, carrots, scallions, and salted shrimp, if using.

In a medium bowl, combine the red pepper powder, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic and stir to form a paste. Add the paste to the cabbage mixture; put on disposable gloves and use your hands to thoroughly coat the vegetables with the paste. Pack the mixture along with its juices tightly into a clean 2-quart (2-liter) glass jar (if there is extra, pack it into a smaller jar); press on it to release liquid and form a brine. If the cabbage is not completely covered in brine, add some reserved brine.

Set up a weight for your fermentation vessel (see the choices above) to keep the kimchi covered in brine. Place the vessel on a rimmed plate (a glass pie plate works nicely) to catch any potential overflow, cover with a clean dish towel to keep out insects, and set aside in a cool place away from sunlight to ferment. Check every day to make sure the cabbage is covered with brine, pressing down on it or adding a little extra brine if it isn’t. If any mold develops, remove it, clean your weight if it came into contact with the mold, and don’t worry; you’ve created an anaerobic environment in which it is almost impossible for bad bacteria to take root. Your kimchi will be ready in 3 days to 2 weeks, depending on the season and kitchen temperature and how tangy you like it. Taste it along the way to check for doneness and consider eating from it at various stages of fermentation for some cultural diversity. Cover and place in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about 6 months.

Variations:

Bok choy kimchi: Substitute 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) whole baby bok choy leaves for the Napa cabbage.

Brussels sprouts kimchi: Substitute 2 pounds (900 grams) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half, for the Napa cabbage.

Excerpted from Cultured Foods for Your Kitchen by Leda Scheintaub (Rizzoli, 2014). 

Cook with kimchi:
A Lighter, Brighter Pork Tenderloin with Kimchi
Spicy Kimchi Stew
Odd Food Combinations That Actually Work