Bowl of Jumbled Cabbage Kimchi
(click to enlarge)

Cabbage Cut & Jumbled Kimchi


Korea   -   Paech'u Mak Kimchi

Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
2-1/2 #
**
5-1/+ hrs
Yes
This all season kimchi is very easy to make. It can be served immediately with a dash of vinegar, or fermented 3 to 4 days. If you make it to serve immediately you can skip the rice porridge. I made a batch of this and forgot it for about two weeks. It was just fine.

2
6
2-1/2
5
5
1
3-1/2
3
2
2
4
3/4

#
oz
oz
c
cl
in
T
T
T
T

oz

Napa Cabbage (1)
Daikon (2)
Sea Salt (3)
Water
Garlic
Ginger
Fish Sauce (4)
Rice Porridge (5)  
Chili Flake (6)
Chili Powder (6)
Scallions
Sea Salt (3)

Make   -   (5-1/2 hrs - 25 min work + 2 to 4 days fermenting)
  1. Remove 4 large leaves from the CABBAGE and set aside. Cut the cabbages crosswise into 1-1/2 inch thick disks.
  2. Cut RADISH crosswise into thin slices, then cut the slices into squares about 1 inch on a side.
  3. In a non-reactive container make a brine by dissolving 2-1/2 oz of Sea Salt in 5 cups of cool Water. Add the Cabbage, Radish and reserved Cabbage Leaves. Weight them down if needed to keep them submerged and soak for 4 to 5 hours. Then drain, rinse and drain again.
  4. Crush GARLIC and chop very fine. Slice GINGER very thin, then into threads, and cut the threads crosswise for very tiny pieces. Mix both together with Fish Sauce, Chili Flake, Chili Powder and Rice Porridge.
  5. Cut SCALLIONS into 1-1/2 inch lengths using both white and green.
  6. Mix together thoroughly but gently Cabbage, Radish, Chili mix and Scallions. Pack into a glass or ceramic container and top with the reserved Cabbage Leaves. I use a squat wide mouth half gallon jar which this recipe 3/4 fills.
  7. Sprinkle 3/4 oz Salt on top. Cover and set aside in a cool place to ferment for 2 to 4 days to mature flavor.
NOTES:
  1. Napa Cabbage:

      [Chinese Cabbage]   In Korea they would be using a long narrow Napa Cabbage, but for this recipe the common blocky version will do fine.
  2. Daikon Radish:

      Either Korean (cylindrical) or Japanese (carrot shaped) will work fine, there isn't much difference.
  3. Sea Salt:

      Only completely natural sea salt should be used for making kimchi, as some of the trace minerals are important to the fermentation process. American sea salt may have come from the sea, but has been heavily refined and may have additives, so is unsuitable. Buy your sea salt from a Korean market where it is sold in various size plastic bags for a reasonable price.
  4. Fish Sauce:

      A Thai Fish Sauce will work fine. My favorites are Megachef and Squid brand. The often recommended Three Crabs includes fructose, MSG (disguised), and is "processed in Hong Kong", whatever that means.
  5. Rice Porridge:

      A very simple, quick and easy to make Rice Porridge can be used in Kimchi recipes. For details see our recipe Rice Porridge, Quick.
  6. Chili Flake / Powder:

      This MUST be genuine Korean Chili Flake and Powder, or the hotness will be all wrong. Korean flake is relatively mild, but not what someone from the Frozen North might consider "mild" For details see our Chili Powders & Flake page.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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