Aunt’s Easy Water Kimchi with Young Napa Cabbage
Aunt’s Easy Water Kimchi with Young Napa Cabbage
【Guaranteed Delicious & Super Easy】 Let’s Make Young Napa Cabbage Water Kimchi!
This is a ‘taste guaranteed’ recipe from my mother-in-law! Her water kimchi is always absolutely fantastic! I asked her how she makes it, and it turns out to be surprisingly simple with minimal ingredients, yet it tastes incredible! Of course, there’s the ‘master’s touch,’ but I tried it myself and it was a huge success! I was skeptical if it would taste good with so few ingredients, but wow! From now on, this is the only way I’ll make it. It’s so simple, yet the flavor is out of this world!
Main Ingredients- 1 bundle of young napa cabbage (Eolgari)
- 5 Cheongyang peppers (spicy Korean chili peppers)
- 2 onions
- A bit of carrot
Seasoning Ingredients- 10 cloves of garlic (minced or mashed)
- 3 slices of ginger (thinly sliced or minced)
- Coarse sea salt (Cheonilyeom) to taste
Sweet Rice Porridge (for consistency)- 3-4 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 1 liter of water
- Additional plain water (as needed for consistency)
- 10 cloves of garlic (minced or mashed)
- 3 slices of ginger (thinly sliced or minced)
- Coarse sea salt (Cheonilyeom) to taste
Sweet Rice Porridge (for consistency)- 3-4 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 1 liter of water
- Additional plain water (as needed for consistency)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Trim the outer wilted leaves from the 1 bundle of young napa cabbage. Wash it thoroughly 2-3 times under cold running water. Cut off the roots and trim the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Place the cut cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle evenly with about 2 handfuls of coarse sea salt. Let it brine for about 20-30 minutes, or until the outer leaves are completely softened and wilted. Toss it once or twice during brining for even salting.
Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the sweet rice porridge and let it cool. In a pot, combine 3-4 Tbsp of glutinous rice flour with 1 liter of water. Whisk well to dissolve any lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a porridge consistency. It’s crucial not to make it too watery. Since the cabbage will release water as it ferments, a thicker porridge will help maintain the flavor. Aim for a consistency slightly thicker than what’s shown in the picture. (You can also use regular wheat flour if you prefer.)
Step 3
Prepare the vegetables. Julienne the carrot into your desired size. Thinly slice the 2 onions and thinly slice the 5 Cheongyang peppers crosswise. (Tip: Adding red chili peppers will enhance the color and flavor. If using red chili peppers, reduce the Cheongyang peppers to 3-4 and add about 3 red chili peppers, sliced.)
Step 4
Finely mince the 10 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the 3 slices of ginger or mince them, depending on your preference. (I found that slicing the ginger thinly allows its aroma to infuse more gently into the kimchi.) And that’s all the prep work! Isn’t it incredibly simple? (Besides red chili peppers, adding pureed pear or apple can also enrich the flavor!)
Step 5
As the cabbage is brining, check its condition periodically and toss it. It’s essential that the outer leaves are completely softened and wilted to prevent any raw taste from the cabbage.
Step 6
Once the cabbage is well-brined, rinse it gently just once under cold water. Avoid rinsing it multiple times, as this will wash away too much of the salt. After rinsing, drain it thoroughly in a colander. This step is key to preventing the kimchi from becoming mushy later on. (This is a valuable tip learned from experience!)
Step 7
Place the drained young napa cabbage into a large kimchi container or bowl. Pour the cooled sweet rice porridge over the cabbage. Add all the prepared vegetables (carrot, onion, chili peppers), minced garlic, and sliced ginger.
Step 8
Add plain water until the cabbage is slightly submerged. If you made the sweet rice porridge too thin, or if the broth looks too clear, add more of the thickened sweet rice porridge instead of plain water to achieve the desired flavor and consistency for the kimchi broth.
Step 9
Finally, adjust the seasoning. Use coarse sea salt or fine salt to taste. Since coarse salt doesn’t dissolve instantly, stir thoroughly until the salt is completely dissolved before making the final adjustment to the seasoning. (Tip: It’s best to season it slightly on the saltier side initially. As the vegetables release their own water while fermenting, the overall saltiness will balance out perfectly.)
Step 10
When you taste it for the first time, it might seem a bit bland, perhaps not having a distinct flavor. However, after letting it ferment for about a day, it develops into a clean, refreshing, and utterly delicious water kimchi that earns a big thumbs-up! (I made mine a bit too watery last time, and the flavor wasn’t as intense. Make sure your sweet rice porridge is thicker than what’s shown in the picture!)
Step 11
Remember these three key points for making delicious young napa cabbage water kimchi! First, to avoid a raw cabbage taste, ensure the cabbage is thoroughly brined until the outer leaves are completely softened. Second, because the vegetables will release water, the sweet rice porridge should be slightly thicker than usual. Third, since the kimchi will become saltier as it ferments, season it a little lighter at first to achieve the perfect balance when it’s ready. Follow these three tips, and you’ll have a foolproof, delicious water kimchi!
