Easy Homemade Kimchi
Spicy, crunchy, fermented napa cabbage.
- Difficulty
- Harder
- Time
- 1 hr + 2 hr salting + 1 to 5 days fermenting
- Makes
- 20 serves
Why people are talking about it
Kimchi has gone global with the rise of Korean food and K-dramas, and making your own is a popular kitchen challenge online.
Why it's gut-friendly
Traditionally fermented kimchi contains live lactic acid bacteria, and it's full of vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 napa (wombok) cabbage
- ¼ cup (60 g) coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp glutinous rice flour + ½ cup water (or skip)
- 4 garlic cloves
- Thumb of ginger
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy for vegan)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 to 4 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 4 spring onions, 1 carrot and ½ daikon, julienned
Method
- Cut cabbage into bite-sized pieces, toss with salt and leave 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes. Rinse well three times and drain.
- If using, cook rice flour and water into a thin paste and cool.
- Blend garlic, ginger, fish sauce and sugar, then mix with the paste and gochugaru.
- Wearing gloves, mix the paste through the cabbage and julienned veg.
- Pack into clean jars, pressing down, leaving 3 cm at the top.
- Leave at room temperature for 1 to 5 days, pressing down daily, then refrigerate.
Good to know
Gloves are a must with chilli. Discard anything with fuzzy mould or a rotten smell.
Make it yours
- Cucumber kimchi (oi sobagi) for a quicker version.
- Mild kimchi with less chilli for kids.
- Add Asian pear for natural sweetness.
General information only. If you have a digestive condition, food allergy or special diet, check with your doctor or dietitian.