Baechu – Cabbage Kimchi

I made my first batch of kimchi in a glass jar on the kitchen counter, checking it every day like it was a science experiment. Napa cabbage salted and squeezed, coated in a paste of dried red chilli peppers blended with cooked rice, garlic, onion, jeotgal, gochujang, sugar, and sesame seeds. Carrots, Korean radish, and spring onions mixed in.

The whole jar sat at room temperature for two to three days, bubbling quietly. Then into the fridge. The fermentation slows in the cold but does not stop. It gets more sour and complex over weeks. The first jar did not last a week.

Tips for Making Baechu Kimchi

Salt the cabbage properly

Three tablespoons of coarse salt rubbed between the leaves and left to sit. The salt draws water from the cabbage and wilts it.

After salting, squeeze the cabbage firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Wet cabbage dilutes the paste.

Wear gloves when mixing the paste

The recipe specifies plastic gloves for a reason. The chilli paste stains your hands red and the chilli burns if you have any cuts.

Mix the paste into the cabbage, carrots, radish, and spring onions thoroughly. Every leaf should be coated.

Baechu – Cabbage Kimchi

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Jacqui Gabel
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

A classic kimchi recipe, spicy and tangy. Perfect as a side or addition to your favorite dishes.

---

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 Napa cabbage
• 6 dried red chili peppers
• 0.5 cups (118 ml) carrot
• small piece of Korean radish
• 3 or 4 spring onions
• 3 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 0.5 cups (118 ml) medium white or yellow onion
• 2 tbsp cooked white or brown rice
• 0.5 cups (118 ml) water
• 2 tbsp jeotgal (fish sauce)
• 2 tbsp gochujang (red pepper paste)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 pair plastic gloves

---

Instructions

1. Cut the cabbage in half, remove the core from each side, slice each half in half lengthwise, and then slice into two-inch chunks. Rinse well, place in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and mix gently with gloves. Set aside for at least two hours.
2. Soak dried red chili peppers in water to soften.
3. Wash and peel the carrot and radish, slicing them into matchsticks. Wash and cut the spring onion into two-inch strips. Mince the garlic. Peel and roughly chop the onion.
4. Drain the softened peppers. Blend the rice and onion with ¼ cup water. Add the peppers and the remaining ¼ cup of water. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to reach one cup of sauce.
5. After at least two hours, drain the cabbage. In a large bowl, combine the sauce from step 4, the carrot, radish, spring onion, and garlic from step 3. Add fish sauce, red pepper paste, sugar, and sesame seeds. Mix well with gloves.
6. Add the cabbage to the mixture from step 5 and mix gently but thoroughly. Adjust sweetness with sugar if needed. Transfer to a large container and press the kimchi down lightly to ensure even sauce coverage.
7. Let sit at room temperature for 1-24 hours, then refrigerate.

Notes

• For optimal fermentation, use non-chlorinated water when rinsing the cabbage and preparing the sauce.
• If you don’t have jeotgal (fish sauce), you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste for a similar savory depth.
• Store your kimchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks for optimal flavor and texture.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 500
• Fat: 5
• Saturated Fat: 1
• Unsaturated Fat: 3
• Carbohydrates: 30
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 3

If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These

• Baked Kimchi Cheese Fries
• Bok Choy Kimchi
• Cheese and Kimchi Hot Dogs
• Chef Todd Knoll’s End of Summer Kimchi Salad

The post Baechu – Cabbage Kimchi appeared first on Honest Cooking and Travel.