Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (2024)

Kimchi is a well-known Korean side dish. I always wonder why Korean people are so fond of this dish and consume it almost everyday. Armed with this easy recipe, you can make kimchi at home. It's not that difficult as you thought.

Once I tried kimchi, I just fell in love with its complex flavours. Taste-wise, it’s spicy, salty and sour, mingled with a pinch of sweetness and umami. It gives you a cleansing feel. So it’s very suitable for being served as an appetizer.

Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (2)

More and more people note that kimchi has great health benefits. As this dish is made by fermented Chinese cabbage (aka napa cabbage), it contains many healthy bacteria, called lactobacilli, also easily found in other fermented foods like yoghurt, so that it helps balance our digestive system.

Kimchi is low in cholesterol, yet high in fiber. I can’t name all its health benefits. Having said that, it’s a good idea of not over-consuming any foods even though they are good and healthy.

Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (3)
Cut the cabbage and rinse. Cut the carrot and spring onion.
Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (4)
Top left: Korean glutinous rise flour. Top middle: cook glutinous rice flour paste. Bottom right: Korean chilli flakes.
Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (5)
Top left: mix in the fish sauce with the glutinous rice flour paste, then add minced garlic, onion and ginger.

Kimchi Recipe

(Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Side
Cuisine: Korean
Prep time:
Cook time:
Yield: 1.5 kg

Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (6)


Ingredients:

  • 1.3 kg Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage)
  • 3 Tbsp sea salt or kosher salt
  • 375 ml water
  • 35 gm glutinous rice flour
  • 15 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 1 ginger root, 4cm long
  • ½ cup fish sauce
  • 80 gm Korean red chilli flakes
  • 250 gm radish, julienned
  • 2 carrots, julienned
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Method:

  1. Cut the cabbage into four quarters lengthwise. Trim away the top hard parts. Rinse in water 3 times. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain well.
  2. Transfer the cabbage into a large bowl. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly. Use your hands to combine very well, aiming at getting every cabbage leaf to be well coated with the salt. You may salt the cabbage in batches if you don’t have a large enough bowl. Leave it for 1½ hours. Turn the leaves from the bottom to top and mix them well every 30 minutes.
  3. At this stage, you’ll see some water released out in the bowl. Rinse in cold water 3 times. Taste the cabbage. If you’re satisfied with the saltiness, you can move onto next step. If you find it’s not salty enough, you can still salt the cabbage and let them sit for a little while longer, then rinse again. Or vice versa, soak in cold water longer if they are too salty to your liking.
  4. In a small sauce pan, mix the water with glutinous rice flour well. Bring it to a boil. Continue to cook on medium-high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it’s thickened and look slightly translucent. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
  5. Use a food processor to process the garlic, onion and ginger into a paste. Or you can chop them into mince with a knife instead. Add the paste into the glutinous flour mixture. Mix in the fish sauce. Stir in the red chilli flakes. Combine with radish, carrot and spring onion.
  6. Put on a pair of plastic gloves and combine the mixture with the cabbage very well. Transfer into a plastic container or a glass jar. Cover with a lid. Place in a cool dark place at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. The kimchi will develop a tangy taste. That means it’s fermented and ready to serve. Or you might like to chill the whole container in fridge. It can be stored up to 2 to 3 months. Take out a small portion in another container to be fermented at room temperature if needed.

Notes:

  • There are two kinds of Korean chilli powder and flakes, the former is fine, the latter is coarse. Chilli flakes is a better choice for making kimchi. The amount can be adjusted to your taste. Korean grocers or large supermarkets should carry this product.
  • By adding radish and carrot, the kimchi will take up their natural sweetness, and taste more delicious. These ingredients are optional.

Kimchi (Easy Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is kimchi made of recipe? ›

What Is Kimchi Made Of? This recipe starts with two heads of napa cabbage. Rubbing the cabbage with coarse sea salt draws out the excess moisture, extends the shelf life, and adds flavor. You'll also need fish sauce, green onions, white onion, garlic, white sugar, ground ginger, and gochugaru.

How many hours does it take to make kimchi? ›

How long does it take to make Kimchi? Allow 1 hour to prepare the kimchi and get it in the fermentation jar. Plus 4 hours waiting while the vegetables salt. It takes 5-10 days to ferment depending on room temperature.

Is kimchi hard to make? ›

The benefits of homemade are that you can add the ingredients you like, then ferment your kimchi until it tastes just right and it's also very simple and inexpensive to make. Once the vegetables are prepared, fermentation takes care of the rest.

Is kimchi good or bad for health? ›

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Is there a difference between kimchi and fermented kimchi? ›

The biggest difference between fresh and fermented Kimchi is the taste. Fresh Kimchi is more like a salad, so it taste more raw, fresh and crunchy. Fermented Kimchi is softer and tangy.

Can I eat kimchi every day? ›

Participants who ate more than five servings of kimchi per day were more likely to be at a risk for obesity. That is because kimchi contains a high level of sodium, Jaelin said. “If you're eating three meals a day — maybe you're having kimchi on the side — that's great.

Do you eat kimchi cold or warm? ›

So do you eat kimchi hot or cold? If you are eating kimchi because of the amazing live cultures and nutrient availability it offers, we recommend eating it cold. Try some of our own favorite cold kimchi recipes to get started: Cold noodles with kimchi.

Can you eat kimchi right out of the jar? ›

Though it is delicious eaten right from the jar — or as part of a banchan spread — kimchi is also a versatile ingredient to include in other recipes, from savory pancakes to standout burgers.

Should I ferment kimchi in the fridge or room temp? ›

The kimchi fermentation process is very short in comparison to making sauerkraut. Kimchi ferments at room temperature in only 1-2 days or more slowly in the refrigerator. For safety, kimchi should be stored refrigerated and is best eaten within 1 week, as the quality of kimchi deteriorates with longer fermentation.

Can I use regular cabbage for kimchi? ›

Green cabbages are healthy, naturally sweet and crunchy, which makes it a good vegetable for kimchi. This recipe was originally posted in July 2011. I've updated it here with new photos, more information, and an improved recipe. Unlike napa cabbage (baechu, 배추), you don't need to salt green cabbage for very long.

How long can you ferment kimchi before it goes bad? ›

As the kimchi matures, it will take on earthy, tangy notes while the heat of the chiles mellows out. Your kimchi will continue to age if kept cool in the refrigerator and away from oxygen, remaining delicious for up to 12 months or even longer.

Why does my kimchi not taste good? ›

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

Do you need ginger in kimchi? ›

There are so many variations of kimchi, yet the main ingredients never change: Won bok cabbage, salt, garlic and gochugaru. Additional ingredients such as thin strips of daikon radish and carrots, grated ginger, green onions, and a bit of sugar can be added to the mix.

Why soak cabbage in salt water for kimchi? ›

Once the cabbage is all quartered, you have to season it and remove most of its water content, which will help to concentrate the kimchi seasoning and make the vegetable more pliable; simply salting the cabbage accomplishes both of these goals.

What exactly does kimchi taste like? ›

But generally, kimchi has a tangy, spicy, and slightly sour taste, with a hint of umami flavor from the fermentation process. Some people compare kimchi's spiciness to that of hot sauce or salsa, but with a more complex and layered flavor profile.

What are the main components of kimchi? ›

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable made from Chinese cabbage (beachu), radish, green onion, red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented shrimp (jeotgal) and eaten as a side dish at meals (Kim & Chun, 2005).

Is kimchi eaten raw or cooked? ›

Cooked kimchi is commonly eaten with Korean meat (the zip cuts through fatty pork belly beautifully) or lightly boiled tofu (another delicious study in contrasts), but it can also work well in anything that needs a boost of acidity without the crunch and sourness of raw kimchi: a burger or hot dog topping, inside a ...

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