Homemade Kimchi (Fermented Korean Vegetables)

Kimchi. That feisty little dish that’s the fiery heart and soul of Korean cuisine. It’s an alchemical masterpiece of cabbage, chili, garlic, and time, an ancient tradition passed down through generations. So why do we still buy this stuff pre-packaged from the store when we could be performing culinary magic at home?

Making your own kimchi is like signing up for a masterclass in patience and taste. You're taking humble ingredients, adding a dash of time and a healthy helping of fermentation, and ending up with a mouth-puckering, gut-healthy wonder-dish. Let's face it, folks, this isn’t just cooking – this is edible science.

So put down that store-bought jar, roll up your sleeves, and let's get fermenting. Sure, it’s a project. Yes, your hands will smell like garlic for days. But when you taste your homemade kimchi for the first time, and those intense flavors punch you straight in the taste buds, you'll know it was all worth it. Trust me, once you go homemade, you'll never turn back. 🤘🏼Adam

Yield: Variable

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Kimchi (3 Ways)

Cook time: 72 HourTotal time: 72 Hour

Ingredients

Main Vegetables

• 3 pounds Napa cabbage (1360g)
• 1 1/2 pounds Korean or Daikon Radish (680g)
• 1 1/2 pounds Korean or Kirby cucumber (680g)
• 1 cup Kosher Salt (150g)

Secondary Vegetables

• 16 Scallions, trimmed (300g)
• 1 cup Carrot, Julianned (250g)
• 2 cups Korean Radish Matchsticks (325g)

“Porridge” for Paste

• 3 Tbsp Glutenous Rice Flour (25g)
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (30g)
• 2 1/2 cups Water (750ml)

Kimchi paste

• 24 cloves of garlic (60g)
• 1 White Onion (285g)
• 1/2 Apple, peeled (135g)
• 2 inch knob of Ginger (25g)
• 1/2 cup Fish Sauce (120ml)
• 1/4 cup Fermented Salted Shrimp (75g)
• 1 1/2 cups Gochugaru (150g)

Instructions

1. Begin by selecting your vegetables. This could be Napa cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, or others.
2. Cut your Napa cabbage into quarters, and prepare the cucumbers by removing watery seeds. Slice radishes into large chunks. Rinse the cabbage in cold water to help the salt adhere to the leaves.
3. Apply a generous amount of salt to your vegetables, ensuring to reach all crevices. Let the salted vegetables sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, flipping them every 30 minutes.
4. While the vegetables sit, begin making your kimchi paste. Start with a porridge made from starch, sweetener, and water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 3-4 minutes, and allow it to cool to room temperature.
5. For the flavor component of the paste, combine ingredients including onion, apple, ginger, garlic, fermented shrimp, and fish sauce in a blender. Puree them until smooth.
6. Once your porridge has cooled, add it to the flavorful mixture along with gochugaru powder. Combine until it forms a thick, red paste.
7. Cut up secondary vegetables such as additional radishes, carrots, and scallions to supplement the main vegetables.
8. After 2 hours, rinse and clean your salted vegetables. Make sure they are flexible enough that they bend back without breaking. Rinse and clean them thoroughly, then let them drain for 10-15 minutes.
9. Cut your cabbage into manageable sizes and cover all of your vegetables with the kimchi paste. Massage the paste into each vegetable, ensuring full coverage.
10. Pack the kimchi into glass jars, pressing down to remove air and ensuring that the kimchi juice or brine is covering the vegetables completely. Cover the jar loosely to allow it to breathe.
11. Let your kimchi ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days. Check it daily to monitor progress.
12. After the fermentation period, store the kimchi in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process. It is ready to be eaten once it has reached your preferred level of tanginess.
13. Note: Kimchi will taste different throughout the stages of its life. It starts off fresh, then gradually gets tangier and eventually sour. Adjust the fermentation period based on your preferred taste.

Adam's Notes

• Kimchi will taste different throughout the stages of its life. It starts off fresh, then gradually gets tangier and eventually sour. Adjust the fermentation period based on your preferred taste.
• Serving sizes very based on the size of the vegetables used for kimchi.

Stuff that I Use:

“Full Pan”

Large Ball Jar (64oz)

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