Delicious Napa Cabbage Kimchi (3 Heads)
Nostalgic Mom’s Kimchi Made in Philadelphia
This is a recipe for Napa cabbage kimchi, a cherished taste of home, made in Philadelphia. ‘T’ refers to Tablespoons (15ml), and ‘spoon’ refers to a Korean rice spoon size. This recipe is my personal blend, based on my mother’s teachings, recipes from Man-of-the-Recipe, and internet searches. It’s my first time making batch kimchi and sharing a recipe on Man-of-the-Recipe.
Seasoning Paste Ingredients- 1 Onion
- 8 Tbsp Fish Sauce (120ml)
- 2 Tbsp Salted Shrimp (30ml)
- 4 Spoons Cooked Rice (approx. 60g)
- 1 Handful Garlic (approx. 100g)
- 4 Tbsp Plum Extract (60ml)
- Thumb-sized piece of Ginger (approx. 30g)
- 15 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) (approx. 225ml)
- 5 Tbsp Spicy Gochugaru (approx. 75ml)
- 2 Tbsp Sweet Rice Porridge (approx. 30g)
Napa Cabbage and Other Ingredients- 3 Heads Napa Cabbage (approx. 3-4kg)
- A little Radish (approx. 300g)
- 1 Bunch Scallions (approx. 100g)
- 5-6 Tbsp Sugar (75-90ml)
- 5-6 Handfuls Salt (coarse salt, approx. 200-250g)
- 2 Cups Water (400ml)
- 3 Heads Napa Cabbage (approx. 3-4kg)
- A little Radish (approx. 300g)
- 1 Bunch Scallions (approx. 100g)
- 5-6 Tbsp Sugar (75-90ml)
- 5-6 Handfuls Salt (coarse salt, approx. 200-250g)
- 2 Cups Water (400ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Kimchi Ingredient Prep (1/2): Gather the seasoning ingredients readily available at Korean supermarkets in the US: coarse salt, gochugaru (chili flakes), spicy gochugaru, sweet rice flour (for porridge), whole garlic cloves (to be minced or blended), salted shrimp, fish sauce, and onions.
Step 2
Kimchi Ingredient Prep (2/2): Prepare the main ingredient, 3 heads of Napa cabbage. Also, gather ginger for aroma and a bunch of scallions. Using fresh ingredients is key to delicious kimchi.
Step 3
Salting the Cabbage: Cut the Napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large container. Sprinkle 2 cups of water evenly over the cabbage, followed by 5-6 handfuls of coarse salt, ensuring it coats all parts. Every 15-20 minutes, gently mix and turn the cabbage to ensure even salting. Let it salt for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Step 4
Making the Blended Seasoning Paste: While the cabbage is salting, prepare the seasoning paste. In a blender, combine 1 onion, 8 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp salted shrimp, 4 spoons of cooked rice, 1 handful of garlic (prepared for blending), 4 Tbsp plum extract, and a thumb-sized piece of ginger. Blend until smooth.
Step 5
Completing the Seasoning Paste: To the blended mixture, add 15 Tbsp gochugaru, 5 Tbsp spicy gochugaru, and 2 Tbsp sweet rice porridge. Mix thoroughly to create the kimchi paste. The sweet rice porridge helps thicken the paste and mellows the flavor.
Step 6
Draining the Cabbage: After the cabbage has been well-salted, rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. It’s crucial to drain the cabbage very well; use a colander and let it sit for at least 1 to 1.5 hours. This prevents the kimchi from becoming mushy and aids in proper fermentation.
Step 7
Mixing the Kimchi (1/2): Taste a piece of the salted cabbage; if it’s pleasantly salty and flavorful, it’s salted correctly. Add the prepared seasoning paste from Step 5 to the well-drained cabbage and mix everything together evenly. Don’t worry if it looks like a lot of paste; you’ll use all of it.
Step 8
Mixing the Kimchi (2/2): To the kimchi already mixed with the paste, add the bunch of scallions and 5-6 Tbsp of sugar. Mix again thoroughly. The fresh scallions add a wonderful aroma, and the sugar balances the spiciness.
Step 9
Packing and Serving the Kimchi: Pack the finished kimchi tightly into your storage containers. Freshly made kimchi is delicious with warm white rice. It also pairs wonderfully with dishes like oysters, bossam (boiled pork wraps), or samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly).
