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This pickled and fermented Napa cabbage is the most popular and recognizable form of kimchi. Baechu kimchi is not only good as a side dish to almost every Korean meal, but it is also the foundation for many soups, stews, stir-fries, and rice dishes.
Ingredients
- 10 cups of water
- 2 Napa cabbages (washed and cut into 2-inch squares)
- 1 cup coarse salt (or kosher or sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (chopped)
- 1/2 cup kochukaru
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 scallions (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
- Optional: fish sauce
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large nonreactive bowl or pot, mix salt into the water.
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Add cabbage to salt water and, if necessary, weigh down with a large plate so leaves are all submerged. Soak cabbage for 5 to 6 hours.
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Remove cabbage and rinse in cold water, squeezing out excess liquid.
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In a large bowl, mix garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sugar, and scallions.
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Add cabbage and coat with seasoning mixture.
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Pack the seasoned cabbage into a large airtight jar with a lid. Let kimchi ferment in a cool place for 2 to 3 days before serving or putting in the refrigerator.
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Enjoy.
Recipe Variation
- There are countless ways to make kimchi, but traditional recipes usually include fish sauce, brined tiny shrimp, or fresh oysters. Try 2 to 3 tablespoons of fish sauce or 2 tablespoons of chopped brined shrimp if you'd like to experiment. I am always nervous about people over-salting their kimchi. Because every fish sauce and brined shrimp has a different amount of salt, use them sparingly if you've never made kimchi before.