Kimchi

recipe from Maangchi


3 med-lg heads napa cabbage (7-8 lbs)
1 cup salt
water to cover the cabbage

1/2 cup sweet rice flour (or rice flour or all purpose)
3 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sambal

1 cup garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp ginger, minced
1 cup onion, julienne
1.25 cup fish sauce
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 salty squid (optional)
2 cup hot pepper flakes
2 large leek, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, julienne
2 cup Korean (or regular) radish, julienne


Prep the cabbage
In a large container, dissolve the salt in about a gallon water.

Trim the discolored outer leaves of napa cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Chop it up into bite-size pieces. Add the cabbage to the water/salt mixture, add more water as needed to cover the cabbage.

Every 30 minutes, mix the cabbage just to ensure even brining (total salting time will be 1½ hours). 1½ hours later, rinse the cabbage in cold water 3 times to clean it thoroughly

Drain the cabbage and set aside.

Make the porridge
While the cabbage is soaking, put water and sweet rice flour (chapssal garu) in a pot and mix it well and bring to a boil.

Keep stirring until the porridge makes bubbles (about 5 minutes).

Add sugar. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until it’s translucent.

Cool it down. Once it is mostly cool, stir in sambal.

Make kimchi paste
Place the cold porridge into a large bowl. Now you will add all your ingredients one by one.

Add fish sauce, vinegars, hot pepper flakes, crushed garlic, minced ginger,  onion.

If using, wash and drain the salty squid. Chop it up and add it to the kimchi paste.

Add green onions, leek, radish, and carrot.

Mix all ingredients well and your kimchi paste is done.

Put it all together
Put the kimchi paste in a large basin and add all the cabbage. Mix it by hand.


Put the kimchi into an air-tight sealed plastic container or glass jar.