Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi (Kimjang Kimchi)
🇰🇷 South Korea
Ingredients
- 2 napa cabbages, about 5 lb (2.3 kg) each
- 2 1/2 cups (360 g) Korean coarse sea salt, divided
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water
- 1 dried pollock fish head (or 20 dried baby shrimp)
- 6 dried large anchovies
- 1 piece dried sea kelp
- 4 oz (100 g) Korean radish
- 1 sweet apple, halved
- 1 Asian leek (or onion)
- 1 cup (240 ml) kimchi stock
- 2 tbsp (16 g) sweet rice flour (chapssal-garu)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 Korean pear (or Bosc pear), diced
- 20 cloves garlic
- 1/2 oz (15 g) fresh ginger, diced
- 4 tbsp (40 g) Korean salted shrimp
- 1 lb (450 g) Korean radish, julienned into 1/8-inch matchsticks
- 2 cups (250 g) Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Asian leek, white part only, thinly sliced
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) green onion, chopped
- 10 oz (300 g) mustard greens, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) rice flour paste
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) Korean anchovy sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) Korean plum extract (maesil cheong)
- 1 tbsp (12 g) sugar
Steps
- Cut the napa cabbages in half or quarters and salt each leaf generously with the coarse sea salt.
- Let the cabbage sit in a large basin for several hours, turning occasionally, until leaves are wilted and flexible.
- Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly under cold water 2-3 times to remove excess salt, then drain well.
- Simmer the dried pollock head (or dried shrimp), anchovies, and sea kelp in water for about 20-30 minutes to make kimchi stock; strain and cool.
- Whisk the sweet rice flour into a portion of the stock and cook over low heat until it thickens into a smooth paste; let cool.
- Blend the radish, apple, leek, onion, pear, garlic, ginger, and Korean salted shrimp with the cooled rice flour paste and remaining kimchi stock into a smooth seasoning paste.
- Mix the seasoning paste with julienned radish, sliced leek, green onion, mustard greens, chili flakes, anchovy sauce, plum extract, and sugar to form the kimchi filling.
- Spread the seasoning mixture between each leaf of the drained cabbage, coating thoroughly from base to tip.
- Fold the seasoned cabbage halves inward and pack tightly into a fermentation container or jar.
- Cover and let the kimchi ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days, then transfer to the refrigerator for long-term storage and continued slow fermentation.
Notes
Fermentation time affects sourness; taste periodically once refrigerated. Dried pollock head can be substituted with dried baby shrimp for the stock. This recipe reflects a traditional kimjang (large-batch) approach to making napa cabbage kimchi.
Source: www.beyondkimchee.com