Crispy Napa Cabbage Kimchi Salad (Geotjeori): A Flavorful Appetite Booster!
Making Fresh Napa Cabbage Kimchi Salad
This Napa cabbage kimchi salad, with its spicy, sweet, and delightfully crunchy texture, is a Korean soul food that’s delicious when eaten fresh or after it has fermented slightly. Even on a hot day, I made this fresh cabbage salad with the air conditioner on. Here’s a magical recipe that will have you finishing a bowl of rice in no time, perfect for when you’ve lost your appetite!
Salad Ingredients- 1 head of fresh Napa cabbage
- 1.5 medium onions
- 1 large green onion
- 1 cup anchovy and kelp broth (dashima yuksu)
- 1 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 5 red chilies
- A small piece of ginger (about thumb-sized)
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 liter water
Flavorful Seasoning Ingredients- 1/4 cup anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 1/4 cup salted shrimp (minced)
- 2 cups Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 4 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/8 cup tuna extract (enhances flavor!)
- A pinch of roasted sesame seeds (for nutty aroma)
- 1/4 cup anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 1/4 cup salted shrimp (minced)
- 2 cups Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 4 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/8 cup tuna extract (enhances flavor!)
- A pinch of roasted sesame seeds (for nutty aroma)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, it’s crucial to prepare the cabbage properly. Cut the cabbage into four quarters, then remove the tough core with a knife. Carefully separate each leaf and rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Once washed, cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Cutting them slightly thick is recommended to maintain a satisfying chew.
Step 2
Now, let’s salt the cabbage to make it tender. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt in 1 liter of water. Dip the prepared cabbage pieces into this saltwater briefly, then place them in a container. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of coarse sea salt evenly over the cabbage leaves. Repeat this process, allowing the cabbage to wilt for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Flipping it halfway through will ensure even salting.
Step 3
We’ll now make the glutinous rice paste, which will serve as the base for our seasoning. Mix 1 tablespoon of glutinous rice flour with a little cold water until smooth and lump-free. Pour 1 cup of dashima broth into a pot, add the dissolved glutinous rice flour, and stir constantly over low heat until it thickens into a paste. Once thickened, remove from heat and let it cool completely. Using warm paste can affect the final flavor.
Step 4
Prepare the onions, green onions, and red chilies. Thinly slice half an onion and cut the green onion into diagonal pieces. Combine the 5 red chilies, the small piece of ginger, and 1/4 cup of salted shrimp in a blender and grind them into a paste to add depth of flavor to the seasoning.
Step 5
Now, we’ll extract the natural sweetness from the remaining onion. Cut the remaining 1 onion into large chunks and blend it in the blender without adding water until it’s very smooth. Strain this pureed onion through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to extract only the clear onion juice. This juice will add both sweetness and umami to the kimchi salad.
Step 6
Now it’s time to combine all the seasoning ingredients. In a large bowl, pour the prepared onion juice. Add 1/2 cup of the completely cooled glutinous rice paste. Next, add 1 tablespoon of plum extract, 4 tablespoons of minced garlic, 2 cups of chili flakes, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/4 cup of anchovy sauce, and 1/8 cup of tuna extract. Mix everything together thoroughly. A little tuna extract can enhance the savory notes.
Step 7
Add the blended mixture of red chilies, ginger, and salted shrimp from step 3 to the seasoning bowl and mix well. This creates the fundamental base for your kimchi salad seasoning. The color is beautiful, isn’t it?
Step 8
Finally, add the thinly sliced green onions and onions to the seasoning and mix everything together. Your delicious kimchi salad seasoning is now complete, with all the ingredients harmonizing beautifully. The aroma alone is incredible!
Step 9
It’s important to remove excess salt from the well-salted cabbage. Rinse the salted cabbage under running water about three times to wash away the saltiness. Place the rinsed cabbage in a colander and let it drain thoroughly. Excess water can make the salad bland, so shaking off the water well is key.
Step 10
All preparations are now complete! Pour the freshly made seasoning over the drained cabbage and gently mix, being careful not to break the cabbage leaves. Toss gently to ensure the seasoning coats every leaf evenly. Your delicious Napa Cabbage Kimchi Salad is ready! You can enjoy it immediately, or chill it in the refrigerator for a refreshingly cool taste.
