Step 1

Prepare the young napa cabbage by checking for fresh leaves and trimming any excess root parts if dirty. Wash the cabbage gently under running water, shaking the leaves to remove any dirt or debris. Repeat about 3 times. Handle the leaves with care to avoid bruising.

Step 2

In a large bowl, layer the young napa cabbage. Sprinkle coarse sea salt evenly over each layer. Dissolve the remaining 1 cup of coarse sea salt in 1.5L of water to create a brine. Pour this brine over the cabbage. Let it salt for 1 hour. After about 30 minutes, flip the cabbage from the bottom to the top to ensure even salting. (Tip: Salting in brine helps the cabbage stay crispier.)

Step 3

Prepare the flour paste, which will serve as a base for the seasoning. In a pot, combine 200ml (1 cup) of water and 1 Tbsp of flour. Whisk well to remove lumps. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a paste-like consistency. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. (Tip: Flour paste helps the kimchi to age better and makes the seasoning adhere well to the cabbage.)

Step 4

Now, let’s make the delicious kimchi seasoning paste. In a blender, combine 1/2 large pear (or 1/3 apple), 1/2 medium onion, and dried red chilies that have been soaked in water until softened. Add 4 Cheongyang peppers, 10 cloves of peeled garlic (about 2 Tbsp), 1 tsp minced ginger, 4 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp salted shrimp, 2 cups (400ml) of the prepared broth, and 1 Tbsp plum extract. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. (Tip: Adding pear or apple provides natural sweetness and umami.)

Transfer the blended paste to a large bowl. Add 3 Tbsp of gochugaru and a suitable amount of the cooled flour paste. Thinly slice 2 red chili peppers diagonally and add them. Cut the green onions into 4-5cm lengths and add them to the seasoning. Mix all the seasoning ingredients thoroughly.

Step 5

After salting the young napa cabbage for 1 hour, carefully remove it from the brine. To remove excess saltiness, place it in a colander to drain. It’s important not to rinse it too vigorously; a single light rinse is sufficient. Let it drain for about 20-30 minutes to remove as much water as possible. (Tip: Insufficiently drained cabbage can result in bland or mushy kimchi.)

Step 6

Place the drained young napa cabbage in a large kimchi container or bowl. Add the prepared seasoning paste little by little, gently mixing it into the cabbage from the stems to the leaves. Be careful not to break the cabbage leaves while mixing.

Step 7

Gently toss the cabbage with the seasoning until evenly coated, and your crispy and refreshing Young Napa Cabbage Kimchi is complete! Transfer it to a nice container.

Step 8

You can enjoy it immediately, but for the best flavor, let it ferment at room temperature for about a day before refrigerating. This allows any raw cabbage taste to dissipate and the flavors to deepen. (Tip: The delicious brine produced during fermentation can be used later in dishes like cabbage and soybean paste stew.)