Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish of seasoned vegetables, known for its bold, spicy, salty, and slightly sour flavor. Even this quick version has that garlicky heat and satisfying crunch. I demoed this recipe at DASH last year and it was one of our highest attending classes, and this is our number one requested recipe.
The best part was how easy the recipe comes together. After the cabbage soaked for an hour, you can assemble in a few minutes. The kimchi keeps in the fridge for seven days and can be served with rice. Simple, fast, and full of flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 lb napa cabbage
- 3 cups cold water
- 1/3 cup fine sea salt
- 10 to 12 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp gochugaru, (Korean chili flakes) or a Mexican chili flake like Chingonas Salsa Macho
- 2 tbsp fish sauce like Iwashi Whiskey Barrel Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or Haku Mizunara Whiskey Barrel Age Shoyu
- 3 tbsp Maesilaek, Korean green plum extract. If your store does not carry plum extract, then you may substitute apricot jam for sweetness.
- 4 to 6 green onions, cut into halves lengthwise then cut
into 2-inch long pieces
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt to taste
Cut cabbage in a quarter lengthwise and remove the stem. Add whole smaller cabbage leaves and cut larger outer leaves into about 3” long by 1” wide pieces, place all into a large mixing bowl.
Mix cold water and Korean kimchi sea salt until the salt has dissolved. Pour salted water over the cabbage and gently press down with your hand. Let cabbage soak in salted water for 1 hour.
Halfway through, toss cabbage upside down to soak them evenly.
In a mixing bowl, combine chopped garlic, gochugaru, fish sauce, soy sauce/shoyu, and maesilaek/apricot jam. Set aside.
Drain salted cabbage and rinse under cold water to rinse off excess salt. Rinse 3 times (because that’s what Koreans do) and drain completely for about 5-10 minutes.
Place cabbage, green onion, and kimchi sauce in a large mixing bowl, mix by hand with gentle pressure and squeeze action so that cabbage will absorb the color and flavor. Add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt to taste.
Add toasted sesame seeds and give a final light toss. Transfer to a serving plate or in an air-tight container.