Kimchi Making
Kimchi Making
Effortlessly Made Kimchi with 10kg of Pre-salted Napa Cabbage.
Don’t let the thought of making kimchi intimidate you! With 10kg of pre-salted napa cabbage and delicious kimchi paste, anyone can easily make flavorful kimchi. Kimjang, an annual event as important as the holidays, can often feel daunting. However, with this recipe, you can enjoy fresh, delicious, homemade kimchi right in your own kitchen. Perfect for those who can’t participate in traditional family kimjang due to distance or other commitments. You can absolutely make kimchi by yourself! Prepare your ingredients and create your own special kimchi with care.
Ingredients- Pre-salted Napa Cabbage, 10kg (approx. 5 heads)
- Kimchi Filling Paste, 2kg
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
These days, many households are small, so large-scale kimchi making is less common. When I ordered 10kg of pre-salted napa cabbage, it arrived as 5 heads, each cut in half, totaling 10 pieces, already brined. The cabbage heads are on the smaller side, but tightly packed leaves are key to delicious kimchi. Choosing fresh, good-quality cabbage is the first step to making great kimchi.
Step 2
The kimchi paste is prepared separately and comes in a container that makes it easy to scoop out by hand. The total amount is 2kg. This paste is a crucial element that determines the kimchi’s flavor, so using paste made with fresh, high-quality ingredients will result in an even more delicious kimchi.
Step 3
Kimchi-making methods can vary slightly by region. In this method, we take one napa cabbage head, cut it in half, brine it, drain it, and then cut it in half again. Finally, we trim off the tough core of the cabbage, which makes it easier to fill with the paste.
Step 4
Shall we start making kimchi in earnest? First, lightly coat the outer leaves of the cabbage with the kimchi paste. This helps the paste spread evenly between the leaves as it ferments.
Step 5
Carefully lift each cabbage leaf and insert the prepared kimchi paste in between. Gently spread the filling as if you were combing through hair.
Step 6
It’s best to focus the paste application on the thicker stem parts of the cabbage. The lower, leafier parts will naturally absorb the flavors as the kimchi ferments, so you don’t need to meticulously apply paste to every single leaf.
Step 7
Be careful not to use too much paste, as this can make the kimchi too salty. By applying a good amount of kimchi filling only to the thicker stem sections and then folding the leaves neatly, the filling like shredded radish won’t fall out, allowing for a clean kimchi-making process.
Step 8
In the Gyeongsang Province, fresh oysters are sometimes added to kimchi, or fish is included for adults. While I personally prefer a cleaner taste and omitted the fish, the delicious taste of this homemade-style paste made this kimjang experience incredibly satisfying. Feel free to add fresh seafood according to your preference to create an even richer kimchi.
