Making 5 Heads of Refreshing and Clear White Kimchi
Making 5 Heads of Refreshing and Clear White Kimchi
[How to Make White Kimchi] Kimjang: Making 5 Heads of White Kimchi!
This is a white kimchi recipe that we never miss making during the kimjang season. It’s a dish my father-in-law particularly loves, so I have to make it. Enjoyed coolly in winter, it’s as soothing to the stomach as dongchimi. While dongchimi can be too hard for elderly people with weaker teeth, white kimchi is not as firm as radish, making it especially favored by seniors. We made 5 heads, dividing them equally between two households. I added a refreshing, sweet pear and some green onions for a crisp and delightful taste.
White Kimchi Ingredients- 5 heads of salted napa cabbage
- 1 pear
- 2 onions
- 1/2 carrot
- 6 dried chili peppers
- 300g red crown daisy (chrysanthemum greens)
- 300g green onions
- 6 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1.5 cups coarse sea salt
- 2/3 Tbsp sugar (or artificial sweetener like ‘New Sugar’)
- 4L water for kimchi brine
Porridge Ingredients- 2L water
- 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour (based on 200ml cup)
- 2L water
- 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour (based on 200ml cup)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare 1 pear, 1/2 carrot, and 2 onions, which will add flavor to the white kimchi. (Note: The photo only shows one onion, but two were used in the recipe.)
Step 2
First, let’s make the porridge for the white kimchi brine. Dissolve 1/2 cup of glutinous rice flour in 2L of water until smooth. Then, cook it over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a porridge.
Step 3
Finely grind the 2 onions in a blender. Cut the carrot into thick julienne strips.
Step 4
Slice the pear into thick, appealing pieces. Rinse the 6 dried chili peppers in water to soften them, then remove the seeds and cut them diagonally into long strips.
Step 5
Wash the red crown daisy and green onions, then cut them into approximately 5cm lengths. Drain the blended onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger through a sieve.
Step 6
Pour 4L of cold water into the cooked porridge and let it cool completely. It’s important to cool it thoroughly, as hot porridge can cook the vegetables.
Step 7
In a bowl, combine the sliced pear, julienned carrot, and diagonal slices of dried chili pepper. Add 1.5 cups of coarse sea salt and mix well. This process allows the vegetables to wilt and absorb the salt.
Step 8
Let the vegetables salt for about 15 minutes until they wilt. Stirring them occasionally will ensure even salting.
Step 9
Pour the cooled glutinous rice porridge over the salted vegetables. Add enough brine so that the vegetables are mostly submerged.
Step 10
Strain the blended onion, minced garlic, and ginger through a sieve to collect the liquid. We’ll be using the liquid for a cleaner taste, rather than the solids.
Step 11
Add 2/3 Tbsp of ‘New Sugar’ (or your preferred sweetener) to the strained liquid to adjust the sweetness. (The leftover solids from the blender were discarded; you can use them if you wish.)
Step 12
Your delicious white kimchi brine is now ready! It has a refreshing and clean flavor.
Step 13
Fill the salted napa cabbage with the prepared white kimchi brine. Unlike regular kimchi, it’s best not to stuff it too tightly; just fill it loosely so the brine can penetrate.
Step 14
For a crisp and refreshing white kimchi, don’t be shy with the filling! Generously pack it in for a truly delightful taste.
Step 15
Arrange the filled white kimchi in a container. Let it ferment at room temperature for about 3 days, then store it in the refrigerator to enjoy chilled. The kimchi will develop a deeper flavor as it ferments.
