Easy kimchi
Ingredients
- 2½ cups Korean hot pepper flakes
gochugaru
- 2 cups leek
chopped
- 10 green onions
diagonally sliced
- ¼ cup of carrot
julienned
- 2 cups Korean radish
julienned
- 1 cup of crushed garlic
- 1 to 2 tbs ginger
minced
- 1 cup onion
minced
- 1 cup fish sauce
- salty
fermented squid, see FAQ, above
Directions
- 1
Trim the discolored outer leaves of the napa cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Chop it up into bite size pieces. Soak the pieces of cabbage in cold water and put the soaked cabbage into a large basin. Sprinkle salt. Every 30 minutes, turn the cabbage over to salt evenly (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.
- 2
Put 3 cups of water and sweet rice flour in a pot and mix it well and bring to a boil. Keep stirring until the porridge makes bubbles (about 5 minutes). Add ¼ cup sugar. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until it's translucent. Cool it down.
- 3
Place the cold porridge into a large bowl. Now you will add all your ingredients one by one. Add fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, crushed garlic, minced ginger, and minced onion. *tip: it's much easier to use a food processor! Wash and drain the salty squid. Chop it up and add it to the kimchi paste. *tip: how to prepare salty squid is posted on the FAQ above! Add green onions, chopped leek, Korean radish, and carrot. Mix all ingredients well and your kimchi paste is done.
- 4
Put the kimchi paste in a large basin and add all the cabbage. Mix it by hand. *tip: If your basin is not large enough to mix all the ingredients at once, do it bit by bit. Put the kimchi into an air-tight sealed plastic container or glass jar. You can eat it fresh right after making or wait until it’s fermented.
Easy kimchi
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About this Recipe
Craving the vibrant, fermented flavors of kimchi without the lengthy traditional prep? This Easy kimchi recipe offers a simpler, faster path to classic taste, starting with already chopped cabbage, ensuring that signature spicy, delicious, and fermented kick for any meal.
What makes this kimchi truly easy is the initial step of chopping the cabbage, streamlining a usually laborious brining process. This traditional yet simplified method focuses on developing deep, authentic flavors quickly, allowing you to enjoy a homemade fermented side dish with less effort than conventional recipes.
Prepare for a bold, fiery kick from the generous Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), balanced by the savory depth of fish sauce and the unique pungency of salty, fermented squid. You'll taste the fresh, aromatic notes from the chopped leek, diagonally sliced green onions, and the potent combination of crushed garlic, minced ginger, and minced onion. These vibrant flavors are complemented by the subtle crunch and mild sweetness of julienned carrot and Korean radish, creating a complex and incredibly addictive condiment. This isn't just a side dish; it's a flavor explosion that brings zest and probiotics to your plate, delivering that signature fermented tang that defines great kimchi.
Feel free to adjust the heat level to your liking by modifying the amount of Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) used. The recipe specifies "to taste," giving you full control over the spice. While the combination of leek, green onions, carrot, and Korean radish creates a classic profile, the core flavor comes from the expertly balanced paste. Don't have fish sauce? While not identical, a quality soy sauce can offer some umami in a pinch, though it won't replicate the specific depth.
This vibrant, spicy fermented dish is an ideal accompaniment to virtually any meal, from a simple bowl of rice to grilled meats, stews, or even as an exciting topping for noodles, adding a burst of flavor and a beneficial probiotic boost.