Crisp and Refreshing Pagi Kimchi (White Kimchi)
Crisp and Refreshing Pagi Kimchi (White Kimchi)
How to Make Delicious Pagi Kimchi at Home
We always make Pagi Kimchi alongside our main Kimjang (kimchi-making event) at home! Unlike regular kimchi, this version uses minimal ingredients besides napa cabbage, resulting in a clean and wonderfully refreshing taste. Enjoy the pure, crisp flavor of Pagi Kimchi!
Pagi Kimchi Ingredients- 2 heads Napa cabbage
- 1 ladle coarse sea salt (for salting cabbage)
- 2 Pears
- 3 Sweet potatoes
- 4 Onions
- Garlic, to taste
- Ginger, to taste
- 3 Radishes
- 5L Water (for broth)
- 1 ladle Fish sauce
- 1/3 tablespoon Sugar (or synthetic sweetener)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 2 heads of napa cabbage. If the heads are very large, cut them in half. Then, cut them into manageable pieces, ensuring the leaves don’t separate too much. Salt the cabbage using coarse sea salt for about 6 hours. Remember to flip the cabbage pieces halfway through the salting process to ensure even salting.
Step 2
A tip to check if the cabbage is well-salted: try bending a stem. If it bends softly and flexibly without snapping, it’s perfectly salted.
Step 3
Prepare the ingredients that will give the Pagi Kimchi its refreshing sweetness. Peel and finely dice 2 pears, 3 sweet potatoes, 4 onions, and 3 radishes into small cubes.
Step 4
Place the diced pears, sweet potatoes, onions, and radishes into a blender. Add fresh ginger and garlic as well, then blend until smooth. The finer you blend, the smoother the Pagi Kimchi broth will be.
Step 5
Pour 5L of clean water into the blended mixture and stir well to create the delicious broth for your Pagi Kimchi. Add 1 ladle of coarse sea salt to season the broth.
Step 6
This broth might settle, so let it rest for about 20 minutes to allow the solids to settle at the bottom. Then, carefully ladle the clear liquid from the top into a separate clean container. Repeat this process about two times to remove as much sediment as possible, ensuring a crystal-clear broth.
Step 7
Add 1 ladle of fish sauce to the clarified broth to enhance the umami flavor. You can use anchovy or sand lance fish sauce (kkana-ri aekjeot).
Step 8
Finally, add 1/3 tablespoon of sugar (or a synthetic sweetener like Shinhwadang) for a subtle sweetness. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Step 9
And there you have it! Your deeply flavorful and refreshing Pagi Kimchi broth is ready. This broth will act as the primary seasoning for your kimchi.
Step 10
Prepare your kimchi container. Arranging some rolled green onions (scallions) decoratively at the bottom of the container will make the Pagi Kimchi look even more appealing and add a lovely aroma.
Step 11
Rinse the well-salted napa cabbage under running water to remove any excess salt. Gently bend a stem again to confirm it’s perfectly salted and pliable.
Step 12
Lightly drain the rinsed cabbage and carefully pack it layer by layer into the kimchi container. Arranging the leaves neatly will result in a tidier appearance.
Step 13
Now it’s time to pour in the Pagi Kimchi broth. Press down firmly on the cabbage to submerge it, and ensure the broth covers the cabbage completely. Minimizing air exposure is key to proper fermentation.
Step 14
Place a flat plate or weight on top of the cabbage to keep it submerged. Let the kimchi ferment at room temperature or on a balcony for about a day, then transfer it to the refrigerator to mature. Your delicious Pagi Kimchi will be ready!
Step 15
A final tip: if the broth tastes a bit too salty after pressing down the cabbage, you can add a little water to adjust the seasoning. Using 2 heads of napa cabbage with this recipe will typically yield about 2 containers of Pagi Kimchi.
