fermented kimchi

A quick and easy recipe for authentic Kimchi, full of healthy probiotics that will keep for months in the fridge. Easy, flavorful and adaptable! Vegan adaptable!

How to Make Kimchi

napa cabbage,

sea salt

daikon radish,

scallions,

ginger,

garlic,

shallot, quartered (optional)

Korean-style red pepper flakes (gochugaru) See notes!

fish sauce

sugar

glutenous rice powder (see notes)

SALT THE CABBAGE (6-8 hours): Reserve 1-2 outer leaves of the napa cabbage and refrigerate for later use (wrap in plastic). Cut the remaining cabbage and place it in a large bowl with the salt and toss. Add enough cool water to cover the cabbage and stir until salt is dissolved. Keep the cabbage submerged with a plate over the bowl and let stand at room temperature 6-8 hours (giving a stir midway through if possible) or overnight.

Drain the cabbage, saving the brine. Rinse the cabbage (not excessively, just a little quick rinse), drain, squeeze out any excess water, or blot with paper towels, and place it back in the bowl,  adding the daikon radish and scallions.

Make the PASTE: Place the ginger, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, fish sauce (or alternatives) and sugar in your food processor. Add optional rice powder (see notes!) Process until well combined, pulsing, until it becomes a thick paste.

MASSAGE: Scoop the paste over the cabbage and using tongs or gloves, mix and massage the vegetables and the red pepper mixture together really well, until well coated.

PACK the cabbage into a large, two-quart jar (or two, quart jars)  or a crock, leaving 1-2 inches room at the top for juices to release. Add a little of the reserved brine to just cover the vegetables, pressing them down a bit ( so they are submerged) Place the whole cabbage leaf over top, pressing down- this should help keep the kimchi submerged under the brine. You can also use a fermentation weight placed over top of the whole leaf to keep it submerged. Or a small zip lock filled with water.  Basically anything that touches air may mold &#8211; but no worries if this happens (see notes) it is not ruined. 

 FERMENT (3-4 days) Cover loosely with a lid (allowing air to escape) and place the jar in a baking dish (or big bowl) to collect any juices that may escape. (The idea though, is to keep as much of the flavorful juice in the jar, so don&#8217;t overfill.) Leave this somewhere dark and cool (55F-65F is ideal) for 3 days. A basement or lower cooler cabinet in the pantry or kitchen away from appliances works best. 

EVENING OF DAY 3: Check for fermentation action or bubbles. Tap the jar and see if tiny bubbles rise to the top. Check for overflow (which also indicates fermentation).  If you see bubbles, it is ready to store in the refrigerator where it will continue to ferment and develop more flavor slowly. For a softer tangier kimchi, you can continue to ferment for 3 more days or longer.  If no action, give it another day or two. If you don&#8217;t see bubbles when tapping the jar, it just may need a couple more days- especially in cooler climates. Be patient. See the troubleshooting section below. 

REFRIGERATE: After you see bubbles (usually 3-5 days) the kimchi is ready, but it won&#8217;t achieve its full flavor and complexity, until about 2 weeks (in the fridge) slowly fermenting. The longer you ferment, the more complex and tangy the taste.  If you like a fizzy brine, tighten the lid, burping every week or so. If you don&#8217;t want to think about it, give the lid one loose twist, so it&#8217;s on there, but gases can escape. 

Maintenance: This will keep for months on end in the fridge (as long as it is submerged in the brine)  and will continue to ferment very slowly, getting more and more flavorful. Feel free to remove the cabbage leaf and just press kimchi down under the brine, after each use. ( See notes for adding more brine.) 

SERVE

Serve it as side dish: scoop it out using a slotted spoon, place in a small bowl, drizzle with sesame oil , toasted sesame seeds, and fresh scallions. Or Use it in Kimchi Fried Rice, Kimchi Burritos, Seoul Bowls, Kimchi Soup!

Thank you for your detailed descriptions before he recipe! I made your sourdough recipe yesterday and just placed my ready to ferment kimchi In my pantry... which looks like it’s going to turn out as perfectly as my sourdough did!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/YKmUPv5r.mp4

How to make Kimchi, an easy step-by-step video and guide!

How to Make Kimchi Video – V3

Kimchi is a spicy Korean side dish that is traditionally fermented, similar to sauerkraut. It is usually made with napa cabbage along with other vegetables like carrots, onions, ginger, and garlic. Korean chili flakes give it a spicy kick! Kimchi is surprisingly easy to make and so delicious!

Kimchi

Napa cabbage (about 1-2 medium cabbage)

Tbsp Ball® Salt for Pickling and Preserving (plus more as needed to make extra brine)

garlic

Korean chili flakes ((gochugaru))

Tbsp fresh ginger (grated)

Tbsp fish sauce

Tbsp lite soy sauce

carrot

onions

Remove any bruised outer leaves of the Napa cabbage, then cut it into quarters. Remove the core and cut the cabbage quarters again lengthwise into long 2.5 inch (6 cm) wide ribbons.

Put the cabbage ribbons into a large bowl and sprinkle them with salt. Massage the salt into the cabbage (this works best by using your clean hands), squeezing to release the liquid. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile, process the garlic, ginger, Korean chili flakes, soy sauce, and fish sauce in a food processor until a paste forms.

After the salted cabbage has sat for 1-2 hours, add the grated carrot, green onions, and chili paste. Massage everything in the bowl to combine, wearing gloves if desired.

Pack the kimchi into a Ball® Wide Mouth Quart Jar, pressing it firmly down with your hands or a spoon. Leave at least 2 inches (5 cm) of headspace. Pour any liquid from the bowl over the kimchi, pressing down firmly to help the liquid cover the cabbage. There may or may not be a lot of natural brine, but the cabbage will continue to release it as it ferments.

Place the fermentation spring on top of the kimchi, flat side down, then twist the lid on. 

Wipe the jar down and cover it with a cloth. Store in a cool place for 24-36 hours.

After this time, if the brine is still not covering the cabbage by one inch (2.5 cm), remove the lid and spring and add some additional brine to cover. You can make more brine by dissolving one teaspoon Ball® Salt for Pickling and Preserving into one cup of water. Wipe the jar rim before replacing the spring and lid, and discard any unused brine.

Check daily to make sure that the cabbage and vegetables stay under the brine.

Let the kimchi ferment for one week, then do a taste test. If you like the mild tangy flavor, proceed to the next step. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can ferment for one more week, tasting every 3 days, until the desired flavor develops.

Once it has finished fermenting to your liking, remove the spring and add fresh brine as necessary to cover. Wipe the jar rim before replacing the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

sea salt (60 grams)

Korean-style red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

Thank you this was an easy recipe. Did go to the Asian Market &amp; bought Korean chili pepper flakes. Really good. I am a Spice Girl! 2 quarts gone working on the 3rd one. No left😫

Great tasting recipe everyone I give it to loves it third batch stuff is great

My family loves this kimchi recipe. It’s spicy and crunchy and salty. Kimchi is a great side dish for those nights you don’t have time to make a salad.

Green Cabbage Kimchi Recipe

green cabbage

bok choy

green onions, sliced

daikon,

carrots,

salt (non-iodized)

ginger

red pepper flakes

sesame seeds, optional

Reserve one outer leaf of cabbage. Chop the...

Reserve one outer leaf of cabbage. Chop the remaining cabbage, bok choy, and green onions coarsely and put in large bowl. Mix in daikon, carrot, and salt. Work the ingredients with your hands. This step helps the cabbage release its juices. The bulk of the greens will reduce by about half as you work it.

Set greens aside; mince the garlic and ginger...

Set greens aside; mince the garlic and ginger and stir into the cabbage along with the pepper flakes.

Transfer mixture to a half gallon jar (or...

Transfer mixture to a half gallon jar (or two quart jars). Push the greens down until they’re covered by juices.

Place the retained cabbage leaf over the top...

Place the retained cabbage leaf over the top of the kimchi to help keep the small bits under liquid. Place one or two glass weights on top of cabbage. If the solid ingredients are not entirely covered by juices, top it off with a bit of filtered water. It’s essential that the ingredients for this kimchi recipe are completely submerged.

Let sit at room temperature for a several...

Let sit at room temperature for a several days or a week, then refrigerate or store in a cool, dry place.

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How to Make Kimchi

Kimchi

How to Make Kimchi

Green Cabbage Kimchi Recipe

Top 4 fermented kimchi recipes from across the web

The most viewed fermented kimchi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

How to Make Kimchi

Kimchi

How to Make Kimchi

Green Cabbage Kimchi Recipe

The most viewed fermented kimchi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine