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Kimchi

How to Make Kimchi without Napa Cabbage

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Green Cabbage Kimchi. We are so excited to bring you this recipe! In many parts of the world, Napa cabbage is not sold! But green cabbage is ubiquitous. And did you know it can be Kimchi’d? Yes! Green Cabbage Kimchi is a trendy thing in Korea. Let us show you how to make authentic Kimchi with ordinary green cabbage. Don’t worry, we nailed the right ratio of spice, umami and personality in this Kimchi rub 😎

Cabbage-Kimchi-Reduced

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I personally love that crunch in Green Cabbage Kimchi. It’s a nice offset to cooked dishes, which are usually soft in texture. Green Cabbage also has a natural sweetness. When you bite into it, you’ll taste a sweet note of cabbage juice. That juice, layered with spicy gochugaru, makes for a surprisingly tasty Kimchi. If you haven’t tried making Kimchi at home, consider this one!

Few eating/storage notes:

  • This Green cabbage Kimchi doesn’t need to sit out for a day before eating – you can eat it right away!
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight container. Each day, it will ferment and the flavor profile will gradually change.
  • Tastes best when eaten within 1-2 weeks.
Cabbage-Kimchi-Reduced
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5 from 1 vote

Green Cabbage Kimchi

Traditional Korean Kimchi... using Green Cabbage! 
Course: Easy
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • Green cabbage - 1/2 a whole head
  • Kosher coarse salt - 2 Tablespoons
  • Water - 3-4 Tablespoons

Kimchi Rub

  • Onion - 1/2 a whole
  • Korean Pear - 1/4 a whole or 1/2 a Western Pear 
  • Minced Garlic - 1.5 Tablespoons
  • Sugar - 1.5 Tablespoons
  • Fish Sauce - 5 Tablespoons
  • Gochugaru - 8 Tablespoons

Instructions

Instructions

  • Cut your whole head of cabbage in half. (We're only going to use half of the cabbage for this recipe). Now cut that half piece into two pieces again. Use your knife and cut out the stem from the two pieces. Chop the cabbage into bite-size pieces (reference video).
  • Take out a large container. Place chopped cabbage in. Place container under faucet and thoroughly wash the pieces. Then drain out in a strainer. Now, the pieces will still have some water droplets on them - good! 
  • Place Kosher Salt (2 Tablespoons) in and thoroughly toss the mixture. Make sure that the salt gets evenly spread. Fill a cup with water (3-4 Tablespoon) and spread over the mixture. Then give it one more toss. Let it salt for 15-20 minutes. 
  • In the meanwhile, let's make the kimchi rub. Start by peeling and grating an onion (1/2 a whole) and Korean Pear (1/4  a whole) into a mixing bowl. (You can also use a food processor). Then add Minced Garlic (1.5 Tablespoons), Gochugaru (8 Tablespoons), Fish Sauce (5 Tablespoons) and Sugar (1.5 Tablespoons). Mix thoroghly
  • After 15-20 minutes, place your cabbage pieces under running water. Thoroughly wash off the salt and drain the pieces. (I usually do this process 2-3x to make sure!) Then place in a strainer and let it drip off excess water. 
  • Now, dry-off your large container with a paper towel. Place the cabbage pieces back in. Add spoonfuls of the kimchi rub (don't add all at once). And mix until you get that bright red color. 
  • Bon Appetit - eat with rice and other banchans. 
  • Save the rest in an airtight container (eat within 2 weeks). 

Notes

  • This Kimchi can be eaten right away - no need to sit it out for a day and ferment
  • This Kimchi tastes best when eaten within 2 weeks. 
  • See video below for more details

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Summer Kimchi – Mom’s personal recipe.

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Summer Kimchi. Today, I share with you my mother’s Kimchi recipe! I think its the perfect beginner’s recipe: simple with no complicated steps or ingredients. If you want to try a food project this year, consider homemade Kimchi! It’ll be one of those lifetime recipes.

Kimchi

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This is actually our 2nd Kimchi recipe on Future Neighbor. In our previous Kimchi recipe, we seasoned the Kimchi paste with fish sauce. When you use fish sauce, Kimchi will taste sharp, pungent and bold. Many people (and restaurants) in Seoul like this style of Kimchi – where flavors are sharp and upfront.

My mom’s recipe is much more balanced. More closer to homecooking. It’s less pungent and more smoother in taste. Think about it as like a latte vs. an espresso. The key ingredients to this “balanced” taste are saeujeot (Korean salted shrimp) and a potato.

Saeujeot is very salty. It’s fresh baby shrimp that have been immediately salted and left to ferment. (And no, we don’t ever just eat this by itself – its always mixed into a sauce or paste). But it also has a kick of rich flavor without the pungency of fish sauce. So Koreans (especially in Seoul) love to use this ingredient when making Kimchi.

Well, what about the potato? The potato serves as a binder for the Kimchi paste. Traditionally, we use rice or glutinous rice powder. But those two rice-based ingredients are passive. They merely act as a binder. The mashed potato, however, also rounds-out sharp flavors. Remember, we added gochugaru peppers, saeujeot and fresh garlic. That potato starch harmonizes the flavors!

The result is a well-balanced Kimchi. Not overly spicy. Not overly garlic. Not fishy at all. Something that you can eat in the morning, lunch or dinner.

In fact, we actually finished the batch we made in the video in 3 days! And made a second (family) batch using 10 Napa cabbages.

Summer Kimchi
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5 from 1 vote

Summer Kimchi - Your 1st batch!

A perfect Kimchi recipe for the summer. 
Course: Medium
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

Salting Napa Cabbage

  • Napa Cabbage - 1 whole
  • Kosher salt - 1/2 cup
  • Water - 1/2 cup 

Spicy Kimchi Paste

  • Gochugaru - 1 Cup
  • Potato - 1 medium-sized size of your palm
  • Saeujeot - 4 Tablespoons
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole 
  • Apple - 1 whole
  • Garlic - 15 cloves
  • Ginger - 1 ping-pong sized piece 
  • Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame seeds - 1 Tablespoon

Radish Salad  

  • Korean Radish - 1/5 of a whole make "L" to gauge length - refer to video
  • Green onion - 5 stalks
  • Sesame seeds - 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Salt Napa Cabbage

  • Make two perpendicular cuts at the stem of the Napa cabbage. Then split the head into TWO separate pieces with your hands. (We will split it again into four pieces later - not now)
  • Give both cabbage pieces a thorough wash under running water. Place the cabbage in a large plastic basin or mixing bowl. 
  • Then grab a few pieces of Kosher salt (not dining salt!) and sprinkle salt between each layer of cabbage. Focus the salt near the white stems where it is thick. Salt the other piece as well. (Note: You will use a total of 1/2 cup of kosher salt for both pieces)
  • Now split each cabbage again into four pieces. This will makes it easier to fit into your large basin or mixing bowl. 
  • Then get a 1/2 cup of water. And pour it over all four cabbage pieces. Cover your mixing bowl or basin with a lid and set it aside for 6 hours. (This salting will kick off the fermentation process).
  • While you wait, skip to the next section... 
  • After 3 hours, rotate the bottom cabbage piece to the top. (This ensures that each piece spends some time in the salty water at the bottom of the bowl).
  • While you wait, skip to the next section...  

Make Kimchi Paste

  • Take out a mixing bowl. Measure 1 cup of gochugaru and add it in. Next, we will prep the other fresh ingredients.
  • Skin the potato. Then cut the potato into smaller pieces. Place into a microwave friendly bowl. And cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes. Then cook in microwave for 3 minutes. 
  • Next, peel the onion. Cut the 1/2 piece into smaller pieces. Skin the apple. Core the apple and cut into smaller pieces. Next, peel off the garlics. Set aside 15 cloves. Next, skin off the ginger. Cut off a ping-pong sized piece. 
  • Place the potato, onion, apple, garlic and ginger pieces into a large blender. Then blitz it smooth until it becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes. (Note: Make sure to check that there are no big chunks!)
  • Now add the potato mix into the bowl with the gochugaru. 
  • Next, add the saeujeot into the mix. (Pro-tip: Blitz the saeujeot in a blender before adding to the mix - this will make the small shrimp invisible in the kimchi later) 
  • Add 1 Tablespoon of sugar.
  • Add 1 Tablespoon of sesame seeds
  • Then mix everything together with a spoon. 
  • Place this spicy Kimchi paste into the refrigerator - let it chill down. 

Make Spicy Radish Salad

  • Before we make the salad, let's finish off the Napa Cabbage leaves... 
  • After 6 hours of soaking, the Napa leaves will turn limp. Try bending the stem and it should bend without snapping. (If it snaps, place in salt water for longer.)
  • If ready, thoroughly wash each of the four cabbage pieces under running water. Get in between each leaf and wash off all of the salt.  
  • Then give 3-4 good squeezes to each cabbage. (Note: Don't squeeze it completely dry - just a few good squeezes). Then set it aside in a colander and let it drip-off excess water. 
  • Trim stems off each green onion. Split each green onion stalk near the white stems. Then cut the green onion into finger-length pieces. 
  • Peel the Korean radish. Dice small sections. Then julienne into thin small strips (refer to video).
  • Take out a large mixing bowl. Now place in the spring onion and Korean radish pieces.
  • Take the Kimchi paste out of the refrigerator. Mix-in half of it into the spring onion and radish salad. Give it a thorough mix with your hands. Top-off with sesame seeds. Set aside for next step.

Rub-on Kimchi paste.

  • Take each Napa cabbage - that has been soaking off excess water. Then get a dab of Kimchi paste and apply it to each layer of the cabbage. (Don't put too much Kimchi paste - we will add the radish salad too)
  • After you apply the kimchi paste, grab a few pinches of the spicy radish salad. Add a few pinches in between each layer of leaf as well. Repeat for all four cabbage pieces. 
  • Make sure to coat the leaf tips at the end as well.
  • Add each finished Kimchi piece into a Tupperware. Sprinkle a few coats of sesame seeds. Place lid on. 

Fermentation

  • Set the Tupperware aside at room temperature. Let it sit out for 24 hours. (Note: This step speeds up the fermentation process and ages the Kimchi)
  • After 24 hours, place the Tupperware in the refrigerator. Once its turns cold, cut it and eat as you please! 
  • Bon Appetit! Send us a photo on Instagram (we would love to see!)

Notes

  • You can blitz the salted shrimp in a blender before adding it to the potato mix.
  • You can eat the fresh Kimchi immediately after making (without having to wait 1 day). 
  • Watch video below for more details.

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Green Onion Kimchi (Pa Kimchi)

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Green Onion Kimchi. It’s one of my Top-3 favorite Kimchi. This particular Kimchi is very popular during the spring – it’s when green onions are in season. Today, I will show you a (very) simple recipe to try at home.

Green Onion Kimchi

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When I think of Green Onion Kimchi, I always think of late-night Shin Ramen. It’s from childhood memories.

When I was in junior high, I would love to cook up Neoguri Ramen after doing some late-night studying.

My mom would smell that ramen flavor from her room and come down to the kitchen. As she came down the stairs, she would alway tell me to stop eating ramen – as it isn’t healthy. But once in the kitchen, she would pull out a small tupperware filled with green onion Kimchi from the refrigerator. Then instinctively tear it into smaller strips and place them into my bowl. It was her way of showing motherly love – that’s just how Korean mom’s do!

As I mentioned, our Green Onion recipe today is very simple. We will only use 5 essential ingredients for the wet rub. However, the taste is authentic and quite addictive! It’s the right balance of spicy, salty and umami. Complements the mild, sweet taste of the green onions.

Make sure to pair this kimchi with a bowl of hot rice, and a few other savory banchans. It’s too spicy to eat on its own!

Bon Appetit ya’ll 🤤

Green Onion Kimchi
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Green Onion Kimchi | Pa Kimchi

Turn green onions into Kimchi! A delicious banchan for any Korean meal. 
Course: Easy
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Green Onion or scallions - 400 grams (2 large fistfuls) 
  • Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes - 1/2 cup
  • Sugar - 1.5 Tablespoons
  • Fish sauce or Korean anchovy sauce - 7 Tablespoons
  • Water - 1/4 cup
  • Minced garlic - 1.5 Tablespoons
  • Sesames seeds optional - few shakes

Instructions

  • Give the greens onions a thorough rinse. Cut the roots off. Then use a small knife and scrape it against the white portion of the stalk. Peel off the outer layer. And repeat these steps for all of the stalks. Give a final rinse. Place in a strainer and let them drip-off excess water.
  • If you see any white stalks that are large, split those in half (refer to video).
  • Take out a mixing bowl. Thoroughly mix gochugaru, sugar, fish Sauce, water and minced garlic together. 
  • Put on a pair of plastic gloves. Then dip a few fingers into the kimchi rub. Rub the paste over each green onion. Make sure to get the white part well coated. Repeat for all of the green onions. (Note: You don't have to coat one-by-one. Grab a bundle and spread over multiple at a time).
  • Place coated green onions into a Tupperware. Chill in refrigerator. Once it is cold, cut and sprinkle a few shakes of sesame seeds. Serve alongside a bowl of hot rice. Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • The taste and color of the green onion will change as it slowly ferments in the refrigerator - it is still edible! 
  • Keep stored in the refrigerator - taste best when eaten within 1 month.
  • See video below for more details 

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Kimchi Jjim – Braised Kimchi & Pork

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Kimchi Jjim is one of those ugly but very delicious dishes. It’s a shame not too many foreigners know about it. It’s rarely served at Korean restaurants, as it more of a homecooked dish.

Kimchi Jjim

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To make this special dish, we will braise aged (well-fermented) Kimchi. Kimchi, as it ferments, starts to taste sour. And that sour taste is what produces a very flavorful broth. Sounds counter-intuitive, no?

Furthermore, if you braise Kimchi in its own broth, the overall flavor is concentrated but the sharp pungent notes are rounded out. What you are left with is a silky, melt-in-your-mouth Kimchi.

It’s the perfect banchan for Kimchi lovers. The taste is deep, complex, and soothing. You will most likely have to go for a second bowl of rice. Another rice-bowl killa – I tell ya!

Kimchi Jjim
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Kimchi Jjim - Braised Kimchi with Pork

Kimchi Jjim is all about braising aged Kimchi. Turning it into a concentrated, melt-in-your-mouth banchan!
Course: Medium
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • Aged Kimchi - 1/4 of a whole head or 2 cups
  • Pork - 200-300 grams 
  • Tofu - 1/2 block
  • Spring onion - arm's length
  • Sesame oil - 2 Tablespoons
  • Brown sugar - 1 Tablespoon
  • Mirim - 3 Tablespoons optional

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Half the 1/4 head of Kimchi. Or if you are using chopped Kimchi, measure 2 cups. Then place the Kimchi into a large frying pan (with high walls). 
  • Place the pork into a small mixing bowl. Pour in mirim and let it soak in it for 10 minutes (optional).
  • Chop the spring onion into small pieces. Cut tofu into small blocks. Cut pork into bite-sized strips.

Braise Kimchi

  • Place frying pan on a medium heat. Pour sesame oil around the kimchi. Then sauté the Kimchi and flip it occasionally so it doesn't burn (reduce heat if necessary). Sauté until you see the Kimchi start to develop a golden-orange color. 
  • Then add in the pork pieces. And add in the brown sugar. Continue to sauté everything until you see the pork pieces start to lose their pink on the surface. (Note: The pork doesn't need to be fully cooked now)
  • At this point, pour in 2 cups of water (or enough water to barely submerge the Kimchi). Raise the heat to a medium-high and bring the stew to a boil. Let it boil and reduce. We will reduce the stew until there is only a small amount of broth left (refer to video). Should take 10-15 minutes.
  • When there is a small amount of liquid left, pour in 2 more cups of water. Repeat the process. And reduce the stew (again) until there is only a small amount of broth left.
  • Then pour in 2 more cups of water. (This is the 3rd pour - final time). Now place in the tofu and spring onion pieces. During this last boil, we will reduce the broth to only about half its original amount - not the whole amount. When the stew reduces to half, turn off the heat and plate. 
  • Plate and garnish with spring onions. Cut the stem of the Kimchi before eating. Enjoy with a bowl of hot rice!  

Notes

  • Used aged Kimchi for this recipe
  • Make sure to sauté on medium-heat, so you don't burn the Kimchi
  • See video below for more details 

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Kkakdugi – Korean Radish Kimchi

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Kkakdugi. It’s the second most popular type of kimchi. Easy to make and tastes great with Korean stews or noodles.Kkakdugi Korean Radish Kimchi

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Kkakdugi is the go-to kimchi when eating starchy soups or stews in Korea. These pickled radish pieces taste salty, spicy and slightly tart. A nice wake-up call for your taste buds.

Korean radish is naturally filled with lots of juice. So when you salt it, it will release this juice into the thick Kimchi paste. You will end up with a small layer of refreshing Kimchi juice. Grab a spoonful of this and use it to lightly season your stew or noodle dish. Or spread it over your rice. I think its one of the best parts of eating Kkakdugi.

Please note that every household has their own recipe for Kimchi. Some families like it spicier. Some prefer a sharper seafood flavor. And some like it sweeter. Our recipe is a good starting point to nail down the basic flavors.

After you make the first batch, you will see what flavors you like as well as modifications you would like. Make a second batch with the other 1/2 of the Korean Radish.  Here are a few suggestions on how to enhance/mask some of the main flavors.

  • Make it taste sweeter
    • Add 1/2 an Apple or Korean Pear to the kimchi paste (Place fruit in blender and blend finely, add 2-3 Tablespoons of sauce to the kimchi paste)
  • Minimize fishy taste or smell
    • Reduce fish sauce from 3 to 2 Tablespoons in the kimchi paste
    • Add minced ginger to the kimchi paste (Grate finely or place in blender, few teaspoons)
  • Increase tartness
    • Leave out at room temperature for 18 hours (Instead of overnight)

Note: Kkakdugi is typically served as banchan, alongside a bowl of white rice and stew. Not eaten by itself as it is too salty/spicy.

Kkakdugi Korean Radish Kimchi
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5 from 1 vote

Kkakdugi - Turning Korean Radish into Kimchi

Kkakdugi is the second most popular type of Kimchi. Korean radish is pickled and tossed in a salty and spicy Kimchi paste. 
Course: Medium
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • Korean radish - 1/2 a whole
  • Coarse kosher salt  - 1/2 a cup (dining salt also ok, but see notes)

Kimchi paste

  • Fish sauce - 3 Tablespoons If you have Korean anchovy-fish sauce, use that
  • Korean red chili flakes gochugaru - 3 Tablespoons
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sprite - 2 Tablespoons
  • Sesame seeds - 1 Tablespoon optional

Instructions

Prep Korean Radish

  • Peel skin off the radish. Measure one finger-width and cut the radish into thin circle slices. Then cut each slice into a square. Cut each square into bite-sized cubes. 
  • Take out a mixing bowl. Place Korean radish pieces in. Add in the salt. Mix it around. Let the pieces sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use your hands or a wooden spoon to grab some the juice that is on the bottom of the bowl and spread it over all the pieces. Then let it sit for another 10 minutes.

Make Kimchi paste

  • Mix in all of the listed ingredients. [I didn't add in the video - but also nice to add some finely minced ginger into the paste. It will help balance the salty flavor.]

Make Kkakdugi

  • After a total of 20 minutes, rinse the radish pieces under cold running water. Make sure to wash away all of the salt pieces. Then place in a strainer and let it drip off excess water. 
  • Place a few large spoonfuls (~3 scoops) of the Kimchi paste and mix it into the radish pieces. 
  • Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes into the wrap.
  • Let it sit overnight at room temperature (~12 hours).
  • Place in the refrigerator. Once it is cold, it is ready to eat. 

Notes

  • If you will use dining salt instead of coarse salt, use a 1/4 cup only. (Dining salt is finer and saltier than coarser salt). 
  • If you have ginger, mince it and add into the kimchi paste. Will help balance sharper flavors
  • Keep in refrigerator - tastes best when eaten within 1 month. 
  • See video below for more details

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Kimchi Dumpling – Cooking with Momma

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Kimchi Dumpling. Most people first learn how to cook from their mom. It was the same for me. One of the vivid cooking memories I still have is making Kimchi Dumplings with my mom.

Kimchi Dumplings

She woke me up from bed – nagging at me that it was 10:30 already! She told me to wash my hands and help her squeeze the water out of a tofu block. I remember being annoyed – with sleep leftover in my eyes. I would effortlessly squeeze the water out and then stand by her side as she mixed it into the dumpling mixture.

My next task was then to help my mom fold the dumpling skins. She showed me once. But I could never get it right. The meat mixture would always be seeping out the sides. And they didn’t look too appetizing. But I remember sitting down in a sun-lit kitchen with my mom, making these dumplings and talking about random things for hours.

Kimchi Dumpling is a labor of love – an experience which you may remember in the future. Not necessarily because of how tasty the dish is, but because it gives you the time to talk and connect. I share below a simple but delicious recipe that you can try with a loved one.

Kimchi Dumplings
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Kimchi Dumplings

Kimchi Dumplings are delicious snack to eat in between meals. Requires some work (and alot of love). But the end result will make you smile. 
Course: Medium
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 60 Dumpling Skins

Dumpling Mix

  • Kimchi - 1 cup
  • Minced pork - 1 cup
  • Korean sweet potato noodles - 1 cup
  • Asian garlic chives - 1/2 cup
  • Spring onion - 1/2 cup

Seasoning

  • Korean red chili flakes - 2 Tablespoons
  • Minced garlic - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
  • Oyster sauce - 1 Tablespoon
  • Soy sauce - 2 Tablespoon

Dipping Sauce

  • Soy sauce - 2 Tablespoons
  • Vinegar - a splash
  • Sesame oil - a splash
  • Sesame seeds - a shake

Instructions

Make Dumpling Mixture

  • Chop kimchi into very small pieces. Make sure the pork is finely minced pork with your knife.
  • Cut asian chives and spring onion into small pieces as well.
  • Then grab a large handful of Korean glass noodles and boil in a pot for 7 minutes. Drain the pot and rinse the boiled noodles in cold water. Chop the long noodles into small pieces as well. Place all of these chopped pieces into a bowl.

Season Dumpling Mixture

  • Add all of the listed "seasoning" ingredients into the mixture.
  • Then mix it all together very thoroughly with your hands.

Make Dumplings

  • Fill a small dish with cold water.
  • Then get a dining spoon. Grab one spoonful of the dumpling mixture and place into the middle of the dumpling skin.
  • Dip your finger in the water and wet the outer edge of the dumpling skin.
  • Fold the dumpling in half and squeeze it shut with your fingers (like a mini-quesadilla). Then make two creases on each side of the dumplings (watch the video again!). Finish by making one fold in the top-center.
  • Repeat until you run out of dumpling skins.

Pan-frying

  • Put frying pan on medium-low heat. Place oil in frying pan. Once hot, place dumplings in.
  • Once the bottom-side gets crispy, lay on one side. Once it gets crispy on one side, then flip over to the opposite side.
  • Let it cool down and enjoy! Dip dumplings in soy sauce as well.

Notes

  • This will make around 50-60 dumplings. Sounds like alot - but they get eaten quickly! Instead of pan-frying the dumplings, you can also use them in a soup.
  • Watch video below for more details

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Kimchi at home – Your First Batch

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Kimchi is the quintessential Korean dish. There are many different types of Kimchi, but the most famous one is Napa Cabbage Kimchi.

Korean Kimchi

You will find this healthy dish in virtually every refrigerator in Korea. It is so important to the culture of Korea that there is even a “Kimchi Index” in Korea. It helps Koreans track the change in price of the main ingredients used in Kimchi – Napa cabbage, chili, radish and anchovies. When the price volatility is high, it makes national headlines.

It seems with the ever-busy lifestyle of Korea, the art of making Kimchi is being lost. It is rare to see families (let alone, single dwellers) to make it at home. Traditionally, a family would schedule a weekend in winter to make a large batch of Kimchi for the year, often using up to 10 Napa cabbages at a time! It is a labor of love.

Today, we show you a simple recipe that you can make at home – using only one head of Napa cabbage. This way, you can sample the flavors, gauge spice level and reduce prep time. Also, it’s okay if you mess up with one cabbage. Big deal – just buy another one! However, if you mess up with a batch of 10 cabbages, chances are you will never try making Kimchi again! Our recipe is simple and has the right balance of Korean flavors

Key taste variable: Time
The taste of the Kimchi will change slightly as you leave it longer in the refrigerator. This is normal and you should try it at its different stages.  Try tasting it fresh – right after you finish coating it with the Kimchi paste. Then sample it after 1 day of sitting out (and fermenting). Then try it cold, after it has had time to chill in the refrigerator. You will notice the flavor get deeper and more concentrated. I think it taste best when it has had some time to sit in the refrigerator for a few days.

Korean Kimchi
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Kimchi - A simple recipe for your first time

Kimchi is spicy, fermented cabbage. A quintessential dish to Korean cuisine. We eat it with just about everything.
Course: Hard
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • Napa cabbage - 1 head
  • Kosher salt or Sea Salt - 1.5 cups Don't use regular dining salt - the salt crystals should be large
  • Korean radish - 2 inch piece
  • Asian Chives - 20 stalks

Kimchi Paste

  • Dashima Kombu - iPhone size piece of
  • Shiitake mushrooms - 4
  • Glutinous rice powder - 2 Tablespoon ok to use all-purpose flour as well
  • Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes - 1 cup
  • Minced garlic - 2 Tablespoon
  • Minced ginger - 1 Tablespoon
  • Anchovy sauce - 1/4 cup
  • Honey - 2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Kosher Salt - 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Brine Cabbage

  • Cut the Napa cabbage into 4 pieces. Wash thoroughly and get off any dirt - especially near the stems.
  • Fill a large plastic bowl with 6 cups of water. Then add-in 1/2 cup* of kosher salt.
    [*NOTE: In the video, we state to add 1 cup of kosher salt. That's because we purposely didn't stir the water until the salt pieces completely dissolved. Some of our viewers have stirred the water until all of the salt crystals disintegrate - which makes the water too salty! To avoid confusion, we recommend using only 1/2 cup of kosher salt.]
    After adding the 1/2 cup, give the water a few stirs with your hands. (Again, no need to completely dissolve the salt into the water.) Then quickly dip each cabbage piece into the water - just so its wet, don't leave it sitting in the water. Afterwards, set it on a strainer and let it drip-off excess water for a few minutes.
  • Then pour-out 1 cup** of kosher salt - we'll use roughly this amount for the entire 4 cabbage pieces. Now, grab some salt with your fingers and toss it onto each layer of the cabbage - just a few sprinkles for each layer. (Imagine sprinkling salt on an egg - thats the amount you want to put on each layer.) Focus the salt onto the white stems of the cabbage.
    [**NOTE: You do NOT need to sprinkle on the whole 1 cup of salt - okay to use like 3/4 cup and have some leftover (as cabbage sizes are not always the same). Don't over-salt in this stage or your Kimchi will taste too salty]
    Then cover it with a lid (to prevent bugs from getting in) and let it sit in room-temperature for at least 6 hours (or overnight).

Check Cabbage

  • Next day, bend the cabbage stem and check that it doesn't snap. If it does snap, let it sit for longer in the salty water.
  • Drain the cabbage from the brine and wash each layer thoroughly under a running faucet. After one round of washing, wash again! This second wash will help reduce the overall salty flavor from the leaves.
    [IMPORTANT: At this point, taste the cabbage leaf - it should taste slightly-salty, but not overly salty.]
    Wash it again for a third time - if it tastes too salty. 
  • Set the washed cabbage pieces on a strainer and get rid of excess water.

Prep Veggies

  • Peel Korean radish. Then cut each section into thin circles. Then cut each circle into thin match sticks.
  • Cut asian chives into 2 inch sections.

Make Paste

  • Take out a pot and fill with 2 cups of water. Place in 4 Shiitake mushrooms and dashima pieces. Put it on a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes to extract broth. Strain the broth and let it fully cool down. (Note: It is important to let the stock broth cool down completely)
  • When the broth is cooled down, place in the glutinous rice powder (or flour) and mix into the stock. Mix thoroughly to get rid of all clumps. (Note: Don't turn on the heat until you have fully mixed the powder into the stock). Then place the pot onto a medium heat. Keep stirring until the paste thickens up and gets a gravvy-like consistency.
  • Get a large plastic bowl. Put in Gochugaru, minced garlic, minced ginger, anchovy sauce, honey, salt and sugar. Then put-in the paste as well. Give all of the ingredients a good mix.
  • Then put-in the Korean radish and garlic chive pieces as well. Mix veggies in and coat them in the thick paste.

Layering Kimchi

  • Place Kimchi paste on each layer of the cabbage leaf (reference video). Repeat for all 4 cabbage pieces.
  • Place the finished Kimchi pieces into a large Tupperware or large mason jar.
  • Place plastic wrap over the container and poke some holes into it. Let it sit out in room temperature for one day.
  • The next day, you will see bubbles in the kimchi liquid (from the fermentation). Now place the fermenting kimchi in the refrigerator. Let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours
  • Once the kimchi is cold, chop the cabbage into sections and serve! Enjoy! 

Notes

  • Make sure to cool down the stock soup before placing in the glutinous rice powder. Fully stir in the powder until you see no lumps - then turn on the heat.
  • With each week, the Kimchi will taste more sour as it ferments longer. Kimchi is edible for many months. "Aged" Kimchi is popular in Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi panackes.
  • If you have any specific questions, leave us a comment.
  • Watch video below for more details.

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Perilla Leaf Kimchi – Pickled Wraps

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Perilla Leaf Kimchi is a popular type of Kimchi made with perilla leaves.

Perilla leaf kimchiSkip to Recipe

The leaves look similar to Japanese Shiso leaves but taste very different! Shiso leaves are smaller and mintier than the larger, rounded perilla leaves favored by the Koreans.

Today, we will marinate the perilla leaves in a soy sauce with Korean red chili flakes, sesame oil and garlic.  A powerful mix of herbal, salty and spicy flavor in one bite.

When I was growing up, my mom would often lose her appetite due to overwork and stress. So my sister and I would visit the Korean mart and buy her a fresh batch of Perilla Leaf Kimchi. It was the one banchan that my mom could not resist – regardless of her mood. She told us that the taste of Perilla Kimchi reminded her of her mother’s cooking in Korea. Over the years, I frequently ate this Kimchi with my mom and it has now become one of my favorite types of Kimchi.

Key Taste Variable: Time
Let the leaves sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating. The leaves will turn from a bright green to a dark-green as they soak in the soy sauce marinade. Don’t panic – the leaves are fermenting and the flavors are coming together.

Perilla leaf kimchi
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Perilla Leaf Kimchi - Herbal, salty and spicy!

Korean Perilla Kimchi is perilla leaves pickled in soy sauce and chili flakes. A satisfying mix of herbal, salty and spicy flavors in one bite.
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Perilla leaves - 40

Marinade

  • Onion - 1/2 whole
  • Soy sauce - 4 Tablespoons
  • Fish sauce - 3 Tablespoons
  • Water - 3 Tablespoons
  • Korean red chili flakes - 2 Tablespoons
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Spring onion - 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Thoroughly wash perilla leaves. Use scissors to trim off long stems, leaving just about ~1 cm. Then, thinly slice onion into small strips.
  • Take out a small mixing bowl and put in the rest of the listed ingredients to make the marinade. Then mix in the sliced onions into the marinade.

Marinate Leaves

  • Take out a Tupperware which is large enough to fit a perilla leaf. Take 3 perilla leaves and place them at the bottom. Take one spoonful of the marinade and spread over the top leaf. Then stack 3 more perilla leaves on top and repeat the process. (Note: Do not spread marinade in between every leaf - will taste too salty. Rather spread it on the top of every third leaf).
  • Once you use up all of the leaves, cover the Tupperware and put it in the refrigerator for at least one day.
  • After one day, it should be ready to eat. Eat along with a bowl of rice. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Do not spread too much sauce on the leaves! A spoonful (max) on every third leaf.
  • Also, do not dump any leftover marinade into the Tupperware. It will make the leaves turn too salty.
  • Eat the Kimchi with a bowl of hot sticky rice.
  • See video below for more details

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Kimchi Jjigae – An Iconic stew of Korea

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Kimchi Jjigae is one of the most iconic dishes of Korea. It is a staple in virtually all Korean households and served as a meal a few times a week.

Kimchi-Stew

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With an angry red color, the stew looks aggressive and intimidating! However, the broth is surprisingly mellow, neither too spicy nor too salty. The stew is typically paired with a bowl of hot sticky rice. To eat, take a spoon of the broth, along with a piece of kimchi and pork and pour over your rice. Then balance it on your spoon and take a large bite!

Kimchi Jjigae is comfort food for virtually all Koreans. When Koreans travel or stay abroad, the first thing we crave is a bowl of hot kimchi jjigae. While many people have tried kimchi by itself, few have tried it as a stew! Try it at home and sample how Koreans eat everyday! If you can enjoy it, I think it’s a good sign that you will enjoy traveling and/or living in Korea.

Note, that this stew tastes best with “aged kimchi“. The longer the kimchi ages, the more sour it becomes. That flavor provides a deep flavor to the broth.

Kimchi-Stew
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Kimchi Jjigae - Taste of Korea

Kimchi Jjigae is one of the most iconic stews in Korea. Spicy, hot and refreshing. It is an ultimate comfort food for most Koreans.

Ingredients

  • Kimchi - 1.5 cup If you have Aged Kimchi, even better!
  • Pork - 1/2 cup Choose a cut with some fat on it - I like pork collar/neck
  • Rice water - 3 cups or use anchovy-kelp broth
  • Cheongyang chili peppers - 2 or use 1/2 Jalapeno, no seeds
  • Spring onion - 10 inch piece size of your forearm
  • Gochugaru - 1.5 teaspoons
  • Minced garlic - 1 teaspoon
  • Soup soy sauce - 1 teaspoon
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Prep work

  • Chop green chili peppers and green onion into small circular pieces.
  • Chop pork and Kimchi into bite-sized pieces.
  • Rinse rice a couple of times and extract rice water - see video below for reference. (Or you can use an anchovy-kelp broth - reference this video)

Make the broth

  • Place pork in a large pot. Put rice water (or anchovy-kelp broth) into the pot as well. Turn on medium heat and bring water up to a boil.
  • Boil for one minute or longer (until pork is fully cooked through). Skim the surface and get rid of any scum. Add your kimchi to the broth as well as your green onions and chili peppers (save a few onions and pepper pieces for garnish).
  • Then add in the garlic, Korean red chili flakes, soup soy sauce, salt.
  • Let the soup boil for an additional 10-15 minutes on a medium heat. This will reduce the stew and combine all of the ingredients together.
  • Garnish the stew with spring onion and chili peppers. It is ready to eat now.

Notes

  • If you can resist... save some of the soup. Let it sit overnight (or 6 hours) and give it another boil in the morning. You will see that the soup tastes even better!

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Kimchi Pancakes – Perfect for Leftover Kimchi

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Kimchi Pancakes is a comforting meal to make if you have left-over kimchi. In fact, the longer the Kimchi has been sitting in the refrigerator – the better the taste!

Kimchi Pancakes

In Korea, I like to cook these Kimchi pancakes when it is raining outside. You know, when you don’t feel like leaving the house. After you make a few stacks of these delicious pancakes, pull out a bottle of Makgeolli rice-wine and serve it together. Sets the mood, and it just feels good 🙂

The best part of this dish is that it is so simple – only requires 4 ingredients.

Kimchi Pancakes
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Kimchi pancakes

When you have some kimchi left in the refrigerator, you make pancakes out of them!
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • Kimchi - 2 cups
  • Flour  - 1 cup
  • Water - 1/2 cup
  • Korean red chili flakes gochugaru - 1 tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1 teaspoon optional, if you are using aged kimchi

Instructions

  • Cut the kimchi into small pieces. Then use scissor to chop them into even smaller pieces (~2 cm). Place them into a large mixing bowl.
  • Place flour, water and red chili flakes into mixing bowl as well (add sugar if you're using old kimchi). Thoroughly mix together.
  • Put frying pan on medium-high heat. Then add oil and reduce to medium heat. Use a soup ladle and pour two spoonfuls of batter. Press down on the batter with the soup ladle and gently mold into a circle.
  • Fry on each side for 30 seconds and check that each side turns golden brown (leave on for longer if needed)

Notes

  • Double-check the expiration date on your flour - I've made this mistake more than once!
  • Tastes best when served hot!
  • Recipe inspired by Chef Baek Jong Won
  • Watch video below for hands-on direction

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Kimchi Fried Rice – With That Sunny-Side Up Egg

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Kimchi Fried Rice. It’s a simple and unassuming dish that encapsulates the unique flavors of Korean cuisine – including the famous Kimchi! If you have never tried cooking Korean at home, I would recommend this dish as the starting point.

Kimchi Fried Rice

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Kimchi fried rice is one of those childhood comfort foods that I crave frequently. I have this fun memory associated with it. When I was young, my sister and I would have a contest to see who can best spell their name out with ketchup over the fried rice. I remember being so annoyed that I had two more letters in my name than my sister (Her name is Mina). I usually would put my spoon through her egg out of spite. Which then led to her hitting me in the face. And then both of us getting spanked by our mom. Gotta love Korean families!

So yes – this dish bring back a flood of childhood memories. Though even today, I enjoy breaking the egg yolk and seeing it mix into with the rice 😉

Here is the Korean fried rice from my home – including the (mandatory) sunny-side egg. Enjoy!

Kimchi Fried Rice
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Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi fried rice is a great introduction into Kimchi and the spices of Korean cuisine. Absolutely delicious!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 person

Ingredients

Ingredients (for 2 people)

  • Rice - 2 cups
  • Kimchi - 1/2 cup scoop out 2 Tablespoons of the Kimchi liquid as well - if you have
  • Onion - 1/2 of a whole
  • Diced carrots - 1/3 cup
  • Spring onions - 1/3 cup
  • Bacon - 2 strips
  • White Rice - 2 cups
  • Cooking oil - 2 teaspoon

Rice Seasoning

  • Gochugaru Korean red chili flakes - 1 teaspoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
  • Soy sauce - 3 teaspoons
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Toppings and Garnish

  • Sesame oil - 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame seed garnish, optional
  • Sunny side-up eggs garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Scoop out the short-grain sushi rice and let it cool down on a flat dish for at least 15 minutes (this allows the rice to get rid of its moisture, which is better for stir-fry)
  • Then cube the onion, spring onions, carrots and kimchi into small pieces. Also cut the bacon into small bite-sized pieces as well.
  • Take out a large frying pan and put it on a medium-high heat. Put some oil in. Once it is hot, put the bacon pieces in. Once the bacon starts to sizzle, add-in the onions, spring-onions and carrots. Stir around until you see the onions turn slightly translucent.
  • Next, add the seasonings (Korean red chili flakes, sugar, soy sauce, and black pepper) into the stir-fry. Stir-it around and get it mixed-in well.
  • Then throw in the Kimchi pieces and stir everything together for ~2 minutes.
  • Then add in the rice as well as some Kimchi liquid (if you have it). Continue to stir to get the rice evenly mixed. Turn off the heat. Add in the sesame oil and a few shakes of sesame seeds.
  • Plate them up and add a sunny side-up egg to each plate (optional)
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • For vegetarians: skip the bacon and use shiitake mushrooms instead
  • Watch video below for more details

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Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad – Under 20 minutes

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Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad is the perfect beginner’s recipe to Korean cooking. This recipe will take under 20 minutes. Pairs well with meat and other vegetable banchans.

Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad

It requires little prep work and uses common pantry sauces. The cucumbers have a slightly spicy yet tangy kick, which helps refresh the palate after eating something greasy or meaty. In Seoul, we see this often in restaurants (often BBQ joints) as a complementary side-dish. Lately, we have been eating these cucumbers at home with a bowl of hot sticky rice. It tastes amazing! Even better, this recipe is both vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
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5 from 2 votes

Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad

Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad (pronouced ‘oh-e-moo-chim’) is the perfect beginner’s recipe to Korean cooking. It requires little prep work and uses common pantry sauces.

Ingredients

  • Cucumbers - 3 whole
  • Vinegar - 3 Tablespoons
  • Korean red chili flakes - 2.5 Tablespoons
  • Sugar - 2.5 Tablespoons
  • Soy Sauce - 1 Tablespoon
  • Minced Garlic - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame seeds - Few shakes garnish

Instructions

  • Wash all three cucumbers and skin each cucumber with a peeler. Do not peel-off all of the skin, rather make uneven peels
  • Chop cucumbers into half inch circles
  • Pour salt onto the cucumbers and give them a good mix with your hands to coat thoroughly. Set the cucumbers aside for 30 minutes and they will slowly release water. Rinse them off and get rid of excess water
  • For the marinade: Thoroughly mix vinegar, Korean red chili powder, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and minced garlic in a bowl
  • Dress the cucumbers with the marinade. Get in there with you hands and coat all of it!

Notes

  • Refrigerate – taste better when served chilled
  • The cucumbers taste best when eaten within 1-2 days
  • When placed in refrigerator, the cucumbers will release water. This is normal - no worries. 
  • Watch video below for detailed walk-through

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