Updated Tastier Kimchi Recipe

Ingredients:

3 pounds napa cabbage

1/4 cup Kosher salt

Vegetables:

1 cup Korean radish matchsticks (or daikon radish)

1/2 cup carrot matchsticks

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped Asian chives (buchu), optional (substitute with 2 green onions, chopped)

Seasonings and spices:

1 apple or asian pear, cored and cut into chunks

1/4 cup garlic cloves (12 garlic cloves), minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1/2 medium onion, minced

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 fresh chili (optional, if you like spice)

2 tbsp dried shrimp

1 tbsp shrimp paste (optional)

1 cup red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

Instructions:

Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters, leaving the roots intact. 

Dunk the halves in a large basin of water to get them wet. Sprinkle salt between the leaves by lifting up every leaf and getting salt in there. Use more salt closer to the stems, where the leaves are thicker.

Let the cabbages rest for 2 hours. Turn over every 30 minutes, so they get well salted. From time to time you can ladle some of the salty water from the bottom of the basin over top of the cabbages if you want to.

After 2 hours, wash the cabbage halves a few times under cold running water.

While the cabbage is brining, prepare the other vegetables and make the kimchi paste. 

In a food processor combine all of the seasonings except for the gochugaru and process until well mixed. 

When the cabbage is finished brining, also add the other vegetables into the kimchi paste and stir until well combined. 

In a large bowl, spread some kimchi paste on each cabbage leaf. When every leaf in a quarter is covered with paste, wrap it around itself into a small packet, and put into your jar or plastic container. Put any leftover kimchi paste on top. 

The kimchi will start fermenting a day or two at room temperature, depending on the temperature and humidity of your room. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from beneath. If you’re using a sealed jar with a lid, be sure to open it once a while, let it breathe, and press down on the top of the kimchi. When it is sour to your liking move the kimchi to the fridge where it will keep up to 6 months, getting more and more sour. (I usually let my kimchi ferment for 3 days out of the fridge and then wait for a week in the fridge to get the desired taste). 

(Adapted from Maangchi https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/tongbaechu-kimchi )