🥬 How to Make Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi (for 1–2 Heads)

 

🥬 How to Make Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi (for 1–2 Heads)

A detailed step-by-step guide, perfect for beginners who want to try authentic kimchi at home!

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📌 Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Main Ingredients:

• 2 medium napa cabbages (firm and fresh)

• About 2 cups coarse sea salt (for salting)

For Kimchi Paste:

• 1.5 cups Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

• 1/3 cup minced garlic (about 7–8 cloves)

• 1 tsp minced ginger

• 3 tbsp salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot) or
  5 tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)

• 2 tbsp sweet rice flour + 1 cup water (for porridge)

• 1 tbsp sugar

• A bit of salt (to taste)

• 1/3 of a Korean radish (julienned)

• A handful of scallions (cut into 2-inch pieces)

• Optional: carrot (julienned), grated pear (for natural sweetness)

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📌 Step 2: Salting the Cabbage

1. Trim the cabbage
   Remove any wilted outer leaves. Cut the cabbage in half or quarters lengthwise, then rinse with water to remove dirt between the leaves.

2. Salt generously
   Sprinkle coarse salt between each leaf layer, focusing on the white stems (they take longer to soften).

3. Let it brine
   Let the salted cabbage rest in a large basin or tub for at least 6 hours, flipping once or twice.
   It's ready when the leaves are soft and bend easily.

4. Rinse thoroughly
   Rinse the cabbage 2 to 3 times with cold water to remove excess salt.
   Let it drain for 30 minutes to 1 hour, preferably standing upright in a colander or tilted in a large basin.

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📌 Step 3: Making the Kimchi Paste

1. Make sweet rice porridge
   In a small pot, mix 2 tbsp of sweet rice flour with 1 cup of water.
   Stir constantly over low heat until it thickens and becomes translucent. Let it cool.

2. Mix the seasoning paste
   In a large mixing bowl, combine gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fermented shrimp or fish sauce, sugar, and the cooled rice porridge.
   Taste and adjust with salt if needed.

3. Add vegetables
   Add julienned radish and scallions (and optional ingredients like carrot or pear).
   Mix everything thoroughly. The paste should be thick but spreadable.

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📌 Step 4: Applying the Paste to Cabbage

1. Spread the paste
   Take one cabbage piece at a time and apply the seasoning paste between every leaf.
   Be generous, especially on the thicker stem parts.

2. Wrap and fold
   Once the cabbage is fully seasoned, wrap the outer leaves around it like a bundle.
   This keeps it tidy and helps retain moisture.

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📌 Step 5: Storing the Kimchi

1. Pack into container
   Put a thin layer of leftover paste at the bottom of a clean container.
   Tightly pack the kimchi bundles, pressing down to remove air pockets.

2. Finish and seal
   Spread any remaining paste over the top.
   Close the lid tightly to minimize exposure to air.

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📌 Step 6: Fermenting the Kimchi

1. Initial fermentation
   Leave the container at room temperature for 1–2 days (3 days if it’s winter).
   When it starts to smell slightly sour, it’s ready to be refrigerated.

2. Refrigeration
   Move the kimchi to the fridge (or kimchi fridge) and let it mature for 1 to 2 weeks.
   After that, you’ll have deliciously fermented kimchi!

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💡 Tips for Best Results

• Don’t refrigerate too early or it may not ferment properly. Let it sit out at least one day.

• For the first few days, you can open the container once daily to release gas buildup.

• As it ages, the flavor will deepen—some people like it fresh, others like it sour!