Homemade Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented cabbage and radish. A quick and easy recipe that only takes 35 minutes to prepare before letting it ferment! This authentic kimchi recipe can be made as spicy or as mild as you like!
I probably don’t need to tell you that kimchi is the best-known Korean dish, and Koreans eat it literally every day with every meal. Kimchi is basically a universal Korean term for fermented vegetables. There are literally hundreds of varieties of kimchi. Mostly with different vegetables as the main ingredients. Kimchi was originally stored in-ground in large earthenware to prevent it from being frozen during the winter months. Kimchi is like the heart and soul of Korean cooking. And it’s tasty with so many things!
Good either fresh or fermented, it goes with everything from meats to noodles. Kimchi goes well with dishes like my Honey Glazed Porkchops or Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin. The best thing about Kimchi is very healthy! It has probiotics that boost immunity. Other advantages include energizing the body and aid digestion. It may look complicated at first, but it really requires no special skills – all you really need is patience. Learn how to make this kimchi with easy to follow instructions! You’ll find it surprisingly easy to make delicious kimchi at home.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Tips for Homemade Kimchi
- Although you can start eating your kimchi any time, it needs about two weeks in the fridge to fully develop its flavors. Your kimchi will continue to age in your refrigerator and will be delicious for a couple of months.
- It will keep for months on end in the fridge when the kimchi is submerged below the brine….getting better and more flavorful with time!
Homemade Kimchi
Ingredients
- 2 napa cabbage chopped
- 1 white radish cut in strips
- 2 large carrots cut in strips
- 1 cup scallions cut in strips
- 1 ½ cup chili powder
- ½ cup onion sliced
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 thumb-size ginger grated
- ⅔ cups fish sauce
For making paste
- 1 ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
For curing cabbage
- ½ cup salt for curing cabbage
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Wash and cut cabbage. Place cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix thoroughly to coat the cabbage evenly. Allow cabbage to sit for 30 minutes. Set aside.
Making the paste
- In a small pot over medium heat. Add water and rice flour and stir until thick and translucent. Add sugar and stir. Remove from heat and let cool.
Mixing the ingredients
- When the paste is cooled down, transfer in a bowl. Add chili powder and mix in with the paste. Add fish sauce, garlic, onion, ginger, scallions, carrots, and radish. Mis well until incorporated.
- Rinse the cabbage 2-3 times in the sink until salt is removed and allow to drain in a colander.
- Add cabbage by three batches in the paste mix making sure cabbages are well coated.
- Once combined, place mixture in a jar pressing down and packing tightly so that the mixture is submerged in its own liquid. Put the lid on the jars and allow to sit at room temperature or in the fridge for 2-5 days.
- Each day of fermentation, remove the lid to release gases and press down on the mixture to keep it submerged. You can taste a sample each day to decide if the level of fermentation is to your liking. Bon Appetit.