Aromatic Scallion Kimchi: The Golden Recipe
Aromatic Scallion Kimchi: The Golden Recipe
How to Make Scallion Kimchi: Delicious Scallion Kimchi Seasoning Recipe
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for scallion kimchi that’s so delicious, it’ll have you finishing your rice bowl without needing any meat – it’s that good! I used to not eat scallions or large green onions at all, but I fell so in love with the taste of scallion kimchi that I now always have it in my kimchi fridge. While scallions are also tasty blanched and mixed with seaweed or served as ‘kanghoe’ (blanched vegetables with dipping sauce), proper scallion kimchi is a true rice thief! Its savory flavor that clings to your palate, along with being lightly salted in anchovy sauce and then coated with seasoning and fermented, means your kimchi container will be empty in no time. I’ll guide you through exactly how to make scallion kimchi, revealing the secret to delicious seasoning, so even beginners can easily follow along!
Main Ingredients- 1kg scallions
- 1 cup anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
Glutinous Rice Paste- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
Seasoning Ingredients- 2 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum syrup)
- 1/2 apple
- 1/4 onion
- 1 Tbsp ginger juice
- 1.5 Tbsp saeu-jeot (fermented shrimp)
- 1 Tbsp myeolchi-jeot (fermented anchovies)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
Seasoning Ingredients- 2 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum syrup)
- 1/2 apple
- 1/4 onion
- 1 Tbsp ginger juice
- 1.5 Tbsp saeu-jeot (fermented shrimp)
- 1 Tbsp myeolchi-jeot (fermented anchovies)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
To preserve the fresh flavor of the scallions, trim the root ends cleanly. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves, and peel off any dirty outer layers for a cleaner presentation. Finally, trim off the very tips of the scallions. This helps release air when kimchi-making, making storage easier and allowing for neatly rolled portions later.
Step 2
Wash the cleaned scallions thoroughly under running water, ensuring no dirt or debris remains. Rinse them about three to four times. After washing, let them drain well in a colander. Properly draining the water is crucial for the seasoning to adhere well and prevent the kimchi from becoming mushy.
Step 3
Pour 1 cup of anchovy sauce over the thicker white stems of the drained scallions. Let them salt for about 30 minutes, flipping them once halfway through. This ensures the anchovy sauce is evenly distributed, preventing the scallions from becoming too salty and ensuring they salt perfectly.
Step 4
While the scallions are salting, let’s make a delicious glutinous rice paste! In a pot, combine 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice flour. Whisk well to dissolve any lumps. Place over medium heat and stir constantly to prevent sticking to the bottom. Cook until it thickens to a paste consistency, then remove from heat and let it cool completely. The glutinous rice paste will help thicken the kimchi and add umami.
Step 5
It’s convenient to prepare the seasoning ingredients like apples, onions, and ginger in advance. If you have frozen ingredients, take them out to thaw. Using fresh fruits and ginger will deepen and enrich the flavor of your kimchi.
Step 6
To the completely cooled glutinous rice paste, add the thawed apple and onion (pureed), ginger juice, saeu-jeot (fermented shrimp), and myeolchi-jeot (fermented anchovies). Mix well. Adding myeolchi-jeot provides a deeper, richer umami flavor compared to using only anchovy sauce. If you don’t have myeolchi-jeot, you can omit it and still make delicious kimchi with just anchovy sauce.
Step 7
Drain the well-salted scallions. In the reserved salting liquid, add 2 cups of gochugaru, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, and 2 tablespoons of maesilcheong. Mix these ingredients. Then, add all the prepared glutinous rice paste mixture and combine thoroughly to create the kimchi seasoning. Let this seasoning rest for about 30 minutes. This resting period allows the flavors to meld, resulting in a more profound and delicious scallion kimchi seasoning.
Step 8
Now it’s time to coat the scallions with the delicious seasoning. Start by applying the prepared seasoning generously to the thicker white stems of the salted scallions. Once the white stems are well-coated, gently spread the seasoning all the way to the green leafy parts, ensuring even coverage.
Step 9
After coating the scallions with seasoning, neatly roll them into bite-sized portions. Rolling them this way saves space in the kimchi container and makes them easy to serve. Place the carefully rolled scallion kimchi into your prepared kimchi container, packing them in layers.
Step 10
After packing the kimchi into the container, don’t refrigerate it immediately. Let it ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days before transferring it to the kimchi refrigerator. This process allows the kimchi to ripen properly and develop a deeper flavor.
Step 11
The photo shows the kimchi right after it was made, but it actually tastes great even when eaten immediately! The flavor deepens as it ferments, but if you’re curious, trying it fresh is also recommended!
Step 12
Making delicious scallion kimchi isn’t as difficult as you might think! Any kimchi tastes good if the seasoning is right, but scallion kimchi is particularly simple. Just pay a little attention to the salting process, seasoning, and making the paste, and get the seasoning just right, and even beginners can easily make it deliciously. Now you can enjoy wonderful homemade scallion kimchi!
