Fresh Kimchi (Geotjeori)
Oh, this has to be one of our best Kimchi recipes thus far! I’m so excited to share this incredible recipe with you today.
Fresh Kimchi is called Geotjeori (겉절이 in Korean). This fresh version is made to be eaten quickly – without any fermentation.
This is in contrast to Traditional Kimchi, in which the cabbage leaves are first salted. This salting kicks-off the fermentation process, which makes the kimchi taste more and more sour over time. More importantly, the salt keeps the kimchi edible for months (even years – if stored properly!)
This salting process is skipped when making Fresh Kimchi. That’s because it’s meant to be eaten right away (can store for a few days too)
Fresh Kimchi has a sharp, bold and fresh flavor.
Another key difference is that we don’t need to make a Kimchi Paste.
Typically, a paste is made with a mix of glutinous rice powder, broth, gochugaru and other aromatics. Then spread evenly onto each leaf.
The spicy paste sticks onto the cabbage leaves – and doesn’t wash off even as the cabbage slowly starts to release its water.
With Fresh Kimchi, all we need to do is toss and mix the cabbage with the aromatics – like a Salad!
Easier, Spicier and Mouth-Watering…
What foods do Fresh Kimchi pair well with?
In Korea, you’ll find Fresh Kimchi at restaurants that specialize in Korean soups like Seolleongtang (Ox bone Soup) and savory noodles like Kalguksu or Sujebi.
But no need to get fancy – make it at home and eat it with a bowl of fresh rice!
Cooking Tips
In our recipe, we’re using a Baby Napa Cabbage. This is much smaller than the regular-sized Napa Cabbage used to make Traditional Kimchi.
Ours weighed around 800 grams – you can use up to 1000 grams (no worries!) This translates to roughly 2 pounds.
If you can get your hands on Saeu-jeot (Korean Salted Shrimp), make sure to use it! It adds a deep, salty flavor with plenty of umami. Much better than salt.
But if you can’t find it, substitute it with ½ Tablespoon of Salt.
In Korea, we typically used Anchovy Fish Sauce when making Kimchi. If you can find it, go with that as well.
And don’t forget those 5 pinches of sugar!
When mixing the Kimchi, make sure to stir thoroughly. Use your fingers to break-up any clumps of gochugaru on the leaves.
After its stirred, place in the refrigerator until cold!
Then Bon Appetit – with a bowl of fresh rice and a few banchans!
If you make this at home, snap a photo and share with us at IG – we’d love to see them in the morning.
Ingredients
- 1 Baby Napa Cabbage (800-1000 grams)
- 5 Stalks Green Onion
- 1.5 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Minced Ginger
- 3/4 Cup Gochugaru (Korean Red Chili Flakes)
- 2 Tablespoons Saeujeot (Korean Salted Shrimp) (Or Substitute with 1/2 Tablespoon of Salt)
- 1/4 Cup Korean Anchovy Fish Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Maesil (Korean Plum Extract Syrup)
- 5 pinches of Sugar
Instructions
Prep Cabbage
- Take off each leaf from the baby Napa Cabbage. Then rinse and clean the leaves in water to remove any residual dirt.
- Tear each cabbage leaf into smaller pieces (reference video). Place the pieces into a large mixing bowl (place into the biggest mixing bowl you have)
- Then wash 5 stalks of green onion and cut it into finger-length pieces. Place them into the bowl as well
Add Marinade to the Leaves
- Now, lets add the marinade ingredients into the bowl: Add Minced Garlic (1.5 Tablespoons), Minced Ginger (1/2 teaspoon), Gochugaru (3/4 cup), Saeujeot - Korean Salted Shrimp (2 Tablespoons), Anchovy Fish Sauce (1/4 cup), Maesil (3 Tablespoons).
- Put on a pair of gloves and give it a good mix. After you toss it a few times, add in 5 pinches of Sugar (Don't forget!)
- Continue to toss it and mix it until it turns redder and redder. Keep your eye out for any clumps of chili pepper - mix them evenly onto the leaves. Keep tossing it!
- After a good amount of tossing, the color will look vibrant red. Now, sample a piece of the Kimchi. Feel free to add in a few more pinches of sugar if you'd like.
- Now move the Kimchi to a Tupperware container. And chill it down in the refrigerator.
- When the Kimchi is cold, it's ready to eat. Place some onto a plate and garnish with a few shakes of Sesame Seeds. Then serve with a bowl of hot rice - Bon Appetit!
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This is my first time making kimchi and it was absolutely delicious! I only had regular fish sauce instead of anchovy sauce and my husband (who is korean) totally tasted the difference. But he still liked it! This was so simple and tasty. Will definitely be making it again!
Hiii !!! Is there anything I can substitute for Maesil?
Grate a piece of pear (to the consistency of apple sauce) and it should also do the trick!
I’ve made these fine times since you’ve posted this recipe. Absolutely perfect, addictive bagels.
I made this at noon today, let it sit in the fridge and am enjoying at dinner tonight. This is a spectacular fresh kimchi…as good as or better than from the banchan bar at my little local Korean market in Seattle (I refuse to support the famous big chain LOL.) I found the maesil, and for the first time bought a bottle of the Korean anchovy sauce instead of using the Thai sauce. I can’t wait to try it in my soondubu chigae. It’s a bit funkier than the Thai brand I use (and with no sugar!) and I was skeptical at first. After making it, the anchovy sauce overpowered everything, but after chilling down, it all came together and the kimchi is spectacular. I also used slightly less gochugaru, about 1/2 cup because my cabbage was smaller, about 800 grams and I knew this gochugaru I had was on the hotter side. It’s perfectly spicy. Found the fermented shrimp. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the explanation of the “hand flavor”…couldn’t be easier!
Amazing! I’m so happy that you gave it a try – even finding the small shrimp! Awesome, awesome. Yes, reducing it to 1/2 a cup of gochugaru should be just fine as well 😉
Can the plum syrup be replaced with rice syrup or honey? Can’t seem to find it at my local store.
Plum sauce extract syrup? Is there a good substitute? I love your recipes and am trying to learn a few tricks. Why do Korean products contain so much HFCS? How can I make my own gotcha paste easily? The store made has HFCS. GAMSA❤️❤️❤️ Also, can you provide ingredients for a yummy broth base? Please. Gamsamidaaaa
Hi Margo! Many Korean recipes use Corn Syrup as a flavorless sweetener. But this Corn Syrup is a different product from High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – which is quite bad for your health.