Homemade Kimchi
Homemade kimchi recipe is one banchang that should always be in your recipe book. This healthy and flavorful Korean side dish is refreshing, and can be made in just a few minutes!
I probably don’t need to tell you that kimchi is a popular Korean cuisine, and Koreans eat it literally every day. Kimchi is a universal term for fermented vegetables in Korea and I usually keep a batch in the fridge ready for whenever we want. It’s goes perfectly well with fried or grilled meat or if you want to make kimchi fried rice.
It may look complicated to make at first, but it really requires no special skills – all you really need is patience. You can make the dish using different vegetables that you prefer with this easy kimchi recipe. It’s so delicious with so many things that you’ll probably have it everyday. Learn how to make this kimchi with easy to follow instructions!
What Is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish (banchan , bansang) made from salted and fermented cabbage or radish. Traditionally, it is stored in-ground in large earthenware to prevent it from being frozen during the winter months. It’s consumed either fresh or fermented and pairs well with everything from fried or grilled meat to noodles.
This Korean staple have different varieties with the most popular being, baechu kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi) or kkakdugi (radish). The dish is rich with beta-carotene, vitamins and other antioxidant compounds that is beneficial to the body. It has probiotics that boost immunity and also helps energize and aid digestion.
Notes On Some Ingredients
Tips for Homemade Kimchi
How to Serve And Store
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Homemade Kimchi
Ingredients
- 2 small napa cabbage (chopped)
- 1 large white radish (cut in matchsticks strips)
- 2 large carrots (cut in matchsticks strips)
- 1 cup scallions (cut in matchsticks strips)
- 1 ½ cup chili powder (or red chili flakes)
- 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 (or glutinous rice flour)
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
For curing cabbage
- ½ cup rock 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.2 small napa cabbage, ½ cup rock salt, 4 cups water
Making the paste
- In a pot over medium heat. Add water and rice flour and stir until thick and translucent. Add sugar and stir. Remove from heat and let it cool down completely.1 ½ cup water, ⅔ cup rice flour, ¼ cup granulated white sugar
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. Mix well until incorporated.2 large carrots, 1 cup scallions, 1 ½ cup chili powder, ½ cup onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1 thumb-size ginger, ⅔ cups fish sauce, 1 large white radish
- 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.
- Secure 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.
Notes
- Aside from using mason jars to store kimchi, you can also use plastic containers with tight fitting lid.
