Authentic Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Make Delicious Homemade Napa Cabbage Kimchi! It’s Easier Than You Think~^^
I made kimchi at home after a long time. Although a few ingredients were missing, seeing the fresh kimchi I made myself made my mouth water. The fresh scent of newly made kimchi really stimulates the appetite. It’s truly delicious! ^^
Main Ingredients
- 3 heads Napa cabbage
- 3 cups coarse sea salt
- 1/5 Korean radish (daikon)
- 1/2 carrot
- 1 bunch green onions (scallions)
- 1/2 apple
Kimchi Seasoning
- 3 cups red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 cups glutinous rice paste (chapssal)
- 1 cup minced garlic
- 5 cloves ginger (minced or juiced)
- 1 cup anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 2 cups anchovy and kelp broth
- 2 cups plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 3 cups red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 cups glutinous rice paste (chapssal)
- 1 cup minced garlic
- 5 cloves ginger (minced or juiced)
- 1 cup anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 2 cups anchovy and kelp broth
- 2 cups plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the outer leaves of the napa cabbage and clean it thoroughly. Cut each head into 4 wedges. Generously sprinkle coarse sea salt between the thick stems of the cabbage leaves. Let the cabbage salt for 2 hours. Halfway through, flip the cabbage wedges to ensure they salt evenly and press down.
Step 2
After 2-3 hours, rinse the salted cabbage about 3 times under running water to remove excess salt. Place the cabbage wedges upside down in a colander and let them drain for at least 1 hour to remove excess water. Proper draining prevents the kimchi from becoming mushy and helps maintain its crisp texture.
Step 3
While the cabbage is salting, prepare the broth that will add a deep flavor to the kimchi. Using a rich broth made by boiling anchovies and kelp is recommended.
Step 4
Also, prepare the glutinous rice paste (chapssal) to thicken the kimchi seasoning and add umami. Mix glutinous rice flour with water, cook until it thickens, then turn off the heat.
Step 5
Prepare the vegetables that will add crunch and flavor to the kimchi. Julienne the Korean radish and carrot thinly. For the apple, remove the seeds and grate it finely or mince it.
Step 6
In a large bowl, combine the red pepper flakes, prepared broth, glutinous rice paste, anchovy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, sugar, and plum extract. Mix well to create the seasoning base. Letting this seasoning rest while the cabbage salts and drains will allow the flavors to deepen. Add the julienned radish and carrot, and the grated or minced apple. Finally, add the toasted sesame seeds and gently mix everything together to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the vegetables.
Step 7
Carefully spread the prepared seasoning between the leaves of the well-drained napa cabbage. It’s important to ensure the seasoning coats the cabbage evenly along the leaves. Arrange the kimchi neatly in a container, and your delicious Napa cabbage kimchi is complete! It’s quite simple, isn’t it? ^^
Step 8
Tear the finished kimchi into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on a plate. Sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds. Placing this on top of a bowl of hot white rice will provide a truly fantastic taste experience.
Step 9
Additionally, dice 1 Korean radish into bite-sized cubes, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to salt. Drain the salted radish and mix it with the remaining kimchi seasoning to make radish kimchi.
Step 10
Finally, clean and trim one bunch of green onions. Mix them with the remaining seasoning to create green onion kimchi. With this single seasoning recipe, you can make three different types of delicious kimchi!
