Savoy Cabbage Kimchi Recipe - Great British Chefs

Step 1

Begin a week in advance, to allow the kimchi to ferment. Remove any discoloured or damaged large outer leaves from the cabbages

Step 2

Weigh the remaining cabbages, then work out 2% of the weight – you will need this amount of salt to kickstart the fermentation process (e.g. 2kg of cabbage means you’ll need 40g of salt). Sprinkle the salt in between the leaves of the cabbages, gently scrunching, squeezing and rolling the cabbages as you work. Place them in a large bowl and set aside to sweat, sprinkling any remaining salt over the top. Leave for 30 minutes

Step 3

Meanwhile, place the rest of the ingredients in a blender along with another 13g of salt and blitz into a paste

Step 4

Once the cabbages have been salted for 30 minutes and look a bit sweaty, squeeze them once more (as if you’re wringing out a wet towel) to remove excess water. Make sure you have a clean, sterilised fermentation jar or vacuum bag ready

Step 5

Place a cabbage in the base of the fermentation jar or bag, pulling it apart slightly if needed so it creates a flat layer. Spread a quarter of the ferment paste on top, then repeat with the rest of the cabbages, creating alternate layers of cabbage and ferment paste. The top layer should be ferment paste. If using a jar, push a sheet of cling film onto the top layer of paste to limit air exposure, then seal. If you're using a vacuum bag, compress and seal the kimchi using a vacuum machine

Step 6

Leave at room temperature for at least 1 week, ‘burping’ the jar by opening and closing the lid each day to allow built-up gas to escape (there's no need to do this if you're using a bag, but it will probably inflate). Once you’re happy with the flavour, you can transfer the jar to the fridge to halt the fermentation process. If you have a PH meter, it should be below 3.5