My husband and I have a deep love and respect for kimchi. So much so, I remember a drunken karaoke night in LA about 8 years ago that ended with the purchase of a very large economy size jar of kimchi from the adjoining Korean restaurant that lasted us a good 6 months in the fridge. We actually get kimchi withdrawals if we haven’t had it in a while. Now that we live in the countryside, it’s near impossible to get good kimchi so I’ve been messing with making my own recipe using readily available ingredients and a quick-ish fermenting time. It’s taken a few months and lots of trials but I’ve finally formulated something that we’re both loving and I think you will too.

This recipe uses a variety of crunchy vegetables because I LOVE a crisp kimchi. It’s also not overwhelmingly spicy but you can adjust the heat by adding or subtracting the chilli content. The method was derived from traditional ways that i’ve researched but I am 100% not claiming this is an authentic Korean recipe. It’s simply a tribute. Enjoy!

Ps…I’ve posted an instructional video at the bottom of this post!

Equipment needed: Half gallon (2.2 litre) glass jar with airtight lid. A small bowl(pinch pot) that fits inside the jar. Strong tape if jar doesn’t have a closing latch.

Ingredients:

2 heads Chinese leaf cabbage or savoy cabbage

1 c. radishes, sliced thinly

8 Tbsp sea salt + 1 Tbsp for seasoning

1/4 c. red chillis (about 5 chillis), seeds removed for less heat

1 Tbsp chilli powder

12 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 c. fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2” chunks

1/2 c. Water

1 tsp sugar

1/2 c. fish sauce

8 green onions, sliced in 1” pieces

1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/ Wash cabbage thoroughly with cool water then cut into quarters. Fill a 1 gallon pot or bowl with water and dissolve the 8 Tbsp of salt. Place cabbage and sliced radish in the salt water to soak for 6 hours. Use a heavy bowl placed on top to keep them submerged. This is the brining process.

2/ Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the chillis, chilli powder, garlic and ginger till a chunky paste is achieved. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 1 tsp salt, sugar, and the fish sauce. Set aside.

3/ Strain cabbage and radish from salt water and rinse thoroughly with cool water. Slice cabbage into 1 inch chunks kept uniformly on the cutting board. Mix together the radish, green onion pieces and carrot matchsticks in a separate bowl. Now it’s time to layer all ingredients into the jar.

4/ Add a spoonful of chilli mix to the bottom of the jar then layer in 1 inch of cabbage and a small handful of the radish/green onion/carrot mix. Repeat this layering till the jar is full. Be conscious of evenly distributing the chilli throughout. You can gently press down the ingredients with a potato masher or wooden spoon to create more space as you fill. A well packed kimchi is best. Once full you can top up the jar with fresh water then close it tight. Store in a cool dark area for 1 week. I use a box in my garage but anywhere like a closet or cupboard will work as long as it’s not warm. Label the jar with a post-it note of the date and time the lid was sealed.

5/ You can check your kimchi at day 5 to see if it’s sour enough for your liking but if not let it sit a further 2 days. After that, store in refrigerator for up to 3 months. Enjoy on it’s own or mixed into recipes like fried rice with a dollop of gochujang and fried egg on top.

*the liquid can also be taken as a shot for probiotic benefits.

Easy One Week Kimchi!