Crisp and Refreshing Bok Choy Kimchi
A Luxurious Kimchi Appearance: Bok Choy Kimchi
A dear friend sent me a whole box of bok choy! While I’m grateful, I initially worried about how to possibly eat it all, especially since my daughter and I were planning a trip the very next day. I couldn’t bear to leave a whole box to go bad for a week! So, I decided to make kimchi. Honestly, bok choy isn’t one of my go-to ingredients because it can have a slightly bitter taste, so I was a bit apprehensive about whether the kimchi would turn out bitter. To my surprise, it was absolutely delicious! There was no bitterness or raw vegetable taste at all; it was even better than I had imagined. Perhaps it’s because I prefer fresh kimchi, but it suited my palate perfectly! Each head of bok choy, neatly arranged, looks so elegant and tastes wonderfully crisp, matching its beautiful appearance. I highly recommend this unique bok choy kimchi as an exotic side dish! Let’s start this Monday with energy! ♡
Kimchi Ingredients- Bok choy: 2/3 of a box
- Water: 7 large bowls (for salting bok choy)
- Coarse salt: 16 Tbsp (for salting bok choy)
Kimchi Seasoning Paste- Sweet rice flour paste (Japchae-pul): 4 cups (well-cooked and cooled)
- Anchovy sauce: 1.5 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine): 2.5 cups
- Salted shrimp (adjust to taste): 0.5 cup
- Minced garlic: 2 Tbsp
- MSG (optional, to taste): 1 Tbsp
- Scallions or green onions (chopped): a moderate amount
- Sweet rice flour paste (Japchae-pul): 4 cups (well-cooked and cooled)
- Anchovy sauce: 1.5 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine): 2.5 cups
- Salted shrimp (adjust to taste): 0.5 cup
- Minced garlic: 2 Tbsp
- MSG (optional, to taste): 1 Tbsp
- Scallions or green onions (chopped): a moderate amount
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Trim the very bottom of the fresh bok choy heads slightly. Carefully wash each stalk under running water, ensuring no dirt or debris remains, especially between the leaves. Shaking the heads gently while washing can help clean them more thoroughly.
Step 2
In a large basin, place the thoroughly washed bok choy. Dissolve 16 Tbsp of coarse salt in 7 large bowls of water to create a brine, then pour this brine over the bok choy to salt it. Ensure the brine evenly coats the stems and leaves.
Step 3
After salting for about 1 hour, check if the bok choy has softened. Rinse the salted bok choy under running water 2-3 times to remove excess salt. Place the bok choy on a colander, ensuring they don’t overlap, and let them drain completely.
Step 4
Prepare the kimchi seasoning paste by mixing all the listed ingredients. It’s best to cook the sweet rice flour paste ahead of time and let it cool completely. Combine the anchovy sauce, gochugaru, salted shrimp, minced garlic, MSG (if using), and chopped scallions. Stir well until you achieve a thick, paste-like consistency.
Step 5
Carefully spread the prepared seasoning paste onto the drained bok choy. Gently coat each leaf and stem, ensuring the seasoning gets between the leaves. Be careful not to rub too hard, as this could tear the delicate leaves.
Step 6
Arrange the seasoned bok choy kimchi neatly in a kimchi container. Leave it at room temperature for about half a day to a full day to ferment slightly, then transfer it to the refrigerator. Let it ripen further in the fridge to your desired taste. It will develop a delightful crisp texture and refreshing flavor when stored cold.