Easy Small Batch Green Cabbage Kimchi
Korean · Organized from the video by Aaron and Claire
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Ingredients
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Steps
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- 1
Cut 1 kg of green cabbage into bite-sized pieces, removing the tough core. Separate the leaves to ensure even salting.
💡 If you want to use the core, slice it very thin.
- 2
Rinse the cabbage, drain well, then sprinkle 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt (or 1/4 cup if using kosher salt) over the cabbage and toss to coat.
💡 If using kosher salt, use only 1/4 cup to avoid over-salting.
- 3
Pour 4 cups of water over the cabbage and mix. Let it sit for 30 minutes, tossing a few times during the process.
💡 Toss occasionally to ensure even salt distribution.
⏱ 30 minutes
- 4
In a blender, combine 5 cloves of garlic, 4 g of ginger, 1/4 onion, 1/2 red apple, 2 tablespoons of cold rice, and 3 tablespoons of water. Blend until smooth.
💡 The cold rice acts as a substitute for glutinous rice porridge to aid fermentation.
- 5
In a separate bowl, combine the blended mixture with 1/2 cup of Korean chili pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of fish sauce. Mix well.
💡 The apple and sugar provide food for the bacteria.
- 6
Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly to wash away excess salt, then place in a colander and drain for 10 minutes.
💡 If the cabbage is still too salty after rinsing, rinse it a few more times.
⏱ 10 minutes
- 7
Transfer the drained cabbage to a bowl. Add the kimchi paste and mix thoroughly to coat every piece.
💡 Ensure the bowl used for salting is cleaned of leftover salt before this step.
- 8
Add the long-cut green onions and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds to the cabbage. Mix everything together.
💡 You can also use garlic chives instead of green onions.
- 9
Taste the kimchi. If needed, adjust seasoning with more salt or fish sauce. Serve immediately as fresh kimchi (geotjeori) or leave at room temperature overnight before refrigerating for a tangier flavor.
💡 Leaving it out overnight speeds up the fermentation process.
Tips
- Use cold rice in the paste to mimic the depth and fermentation-boosting properties of glutinous rice porridge.
- If using kosher salt instead of Korean coarse sea salt, reduce the amount to 1/4 cup to prevent the kimchi from being too salty.
- For a tangier, fermented flavor, leave the kimchi at room temperature overnight before moving it to the fridge.
- Green onions can be substituted with garlic chives.
This recipe was organized from the source video's transcript. Amounts follow what the video presents. Source: Aaron and Claire on YouTube