Crispy & Quick Fresh Kimchi (Geotjeori)
Super Easy Fresh Kimchi (Geotjeori) Recipe
While aged kimchi is delicious, sometimes you just crave the fresh, crisp bite of geotjeori! This vibrant kimchi is perfect with a bowl of warm rice. Here’s a simple recipe using fresh Napa cabbage and basic seasonings that anyone can easily make.
Main Ingredients
- 2 heads of young Napa cabbage (Al-baegi)
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk of green onion
Seasoning Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 12 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic (generous)
- 3 Tbsp minced ginger (generous, slightly more than garlic)
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 blended onion
- 3 cups water
- 3 handfuls of coarse sea salt (for salting cabbage)
- 12 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 12 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, fine)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic (generous)
- 3 Tbsp minced ginger (generous, slightly more than garlic)
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 blended onion
- 3 cups water
- 3 handfuls of coarse sea salt (for salting cabbage)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the young Napa cabbage thoroughly. Cut each head into 4 wedges. Trim the tough core and then slice the wedges diagonally. This helps the seasoning penetrate evenly.
Step 2
In a large bowl, pour about 3 cups of water. Sprinkle 3 handfuls of coarse sea salt evenly over the cabbage and let it sit for 10 minutes to begin wilting. After 10 minutes, gently turn the cabbage over to ensure even salting, and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
Step 3
While the cabbage is salting, prepare the seasoning paste. In a blender, combine 1 whole onion and the fish sauce. Blend until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the blended onion and fish sauce with the gochugaru, sugar, minced garlic, and minced ginger. (For an even richer flavor, you can substitute some of the fish sauce with fermented shrimp, or use a high-quality salted shrimp for pungency.)
Step 4
Rinse the salted cabbage gently under running water about twice. Taste a piece of cabbage to check its saltiness and adjust the rinsing accordingly. If it’s too salty, rinse a bit more; if too bland, you might need less rinsing or a slightly saltier seasoning. Drain the rinsed cabbage thoroughly in a colander.
Step 5
Add the prepared seasoning paste to the drained cabbage. Chop the green onion finely and add it to the bowl. Gently mix everything together, ensuring the seasoning coats every leaf. Taste the kimchi and if it’s not salty enough, add a small pinch of salt (less than half a tablespoon) and mix again. Adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Step 6
Your delicious and crispy fresh kimchi (Geotjeori) is ready! It’s best enjoyed immediately, but can also be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy your homemade kimchi! Thank you.
