Easy Kimchi (Mak kimchi)
Fermentation can often seem intimidating, but this easy kimchi recipe is simple to make. This recipe scales down the time and materials it takes to make traditional kimchi, but not flavor!
Servings: 2 large mason jars
Calories: 386kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large napa cabbage 3-4 lbs
- 1/4 cup salt (~50 grams)
- 6 green onions, julienned
- 1 carrot, julienned sub with more daikon or omit
- 1 cup julienned daikon
Porridge
- 1 cup water (240 mL)
- 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour (15 grams)
- 1 tbsp sugar (12 grams)
Kimchi Paste
- 9 garlic cloves (35 grams)
- 2 inches ginger
- 1/2 Asian pear or apple, optional
- 1/2 medium onion (16 grams, about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (56 grams)
- 1/3 cup gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes (45 grams, more to taste)
Instructions
Prep and Salt the Cabbage
- Discard the discolored outer leaves of the napa cabbage.
- Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the core. Chop it up into roughly one inch chunks.
- Place the cabbage into a large bowl and toss with the 1/4 cup of salt.
- Every 45 minutes or so, turn the cabbage over to salt and draw out water evenly.
- After 2 hours, the cabbage pieces should be flexible and bendy. Scrub and rinse the cabbage at least 3 times to clean it thoroughly and remove excess salt.
- Drain the cabbage, squeeze out exces water, and set aside.
Make the Porridge
- Whisk the porridge ingredients together in a small saucepan until no lumps remain.
- Place the saucepan on the stove over medium/medium-high heat and stir constantly until the porridge begins to bubble (about 4 minutes). The slurry should be thickened and slightly translucent. Set aside to cool.
Kimchi Paste
- Blend the garlic, ginger, onion, and optional pear/apple in a food processor into a smooth consistency.
- Add this mixture into a bowl along with the cooled porridge, fish sauce, and gochugaru. Mix well to combine.
Mix everything together
- Add the kimchi paste, green onions, daikon, and carrot to the cabbage and mix together.
- Taste and adjust the amount of salt, gochugaru, and/or sugar to taste.
- Put the kimchi into an air-tight plastic container or glass jar. You can eat it immediately or wait until it’s fermented. Remember to open the container to release some of the gas produced in fermentation during the first few days of room-temp fermentation or the first week of refrigerated fermentation.