Master Kim Jin-ok’s Authentic Kimchi
A Delicious Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe for 6 Heads, Proven to Be Successful
Hello everyone, this is Kim Jin-ok. As soon as ‘Ip-dong’ (the start of winter) passes, the weather definitely gets colder. Kimchi tastes best when made after ‘Ip-dong’ because the napa cabbage develops its natural sweetness. Today, for those new to making kimchi, I’ll show you an easy way to make kimchi with 6 heads of napa cabbage (2 bundles). In last week’s video, I introduced kimchi with shredded radish mixed into the seasoning. For today’s 6-head kimchi, we won’t use shredded radish. Instead, we’ll blend a small amount of radish and add it to the seasoning. We’ll also cut the remaining radish into large chunks for ‘seokbakji’ (cubed radish kimchi), salt it, and then toss it with a bit of kimchi seasoning to place between the cabbage kimchi layers. This way, the refreshing taste of radish comes from the seokbakji. If you don’t like shredded radish, you can add seokbakji instead. However, if you prefer shredded radish, you can also add about 1300g of thinly sliced radish directly into the kimchi seasoning.
Kimchi Ingredients- Napa Cabbage 6 heads (each weighing approx. 3-3.5 kg)
- Red Crown Daisy (Honggat) 300g
- Welsh Onion (Jjokpa) 200g
- Radish 3kg (for Seokbakji)
Salting the Cabbage- Water 10L
- Coarse Sea Salt 1kg (for initial brining)
- Salt 400g (for sprinkling between layers)
Glutinous Rice Paste- Anchovy-Kelp Broth 1000ml
- Glutinous Rice Flour 60g (6 Tbsp)
Blender Seasoning Ingredients- Pear 1/2
- Apple 1/2
- Onion 1/2
- Radish 600g
- White parts of Green Onion 3 stalks
- Salted Shrimp 200g
- Raw Shrimp 150g
- Anchovy-Kelp Broth 1000ml
Kimchi Seasoning (to mix with blended ingredients)- Cooled Glutinous Rice Paste
- Minced Garlic 350g
- Minced Ginger 80g
- Fish Sauce 600g (approx. 500ml)
- Korean Chili Powder 900g
- Plum Extract 5 Tbsp (or Sugar)
- Salt 3 Tbsp (Adjust to taste at the very end when mixing the seasoning)
- Water 10L
- Coarse Sea Salt 1kg (for initial brining)
- Salt 400g (for sprinkling between layers)
Glutinous Rice Paste- Anchovy-Kelp Broth 1000ml
- Glutinous Rice Flour 60g (6 Tbsp)
Blender Seasoning Ingredients- Pear 1/2
- Apple 1/2
- Onion 1/2
- Radish 600g
- White parts of Green Onion 3 stalks
- Salted Shrimp 200g
- Raw Shrimp 150g
- Anchovy-Kelp Broth 1000ml
Kimchi Seasoning (to mix with blended ingredients)- Cooled Glutinous Rice Paste
- Minced Garlic 350g
- Minced Ginger 80g
- Fish Sauce 600g (approx. 500ml)
- Korean Chili Powder 900g
- Plum Extract 5 Tbsp (or Sugar)
- Salt 3 Tbsp (Adjust to taste at the very end when mixing the seasoning)
- Pear 1/2
- Apple 1/2
- Onion 1/2
- Radish 600g
- White parts of Green Onion 3 stalks
- Salted Shrimp 200g
- Raw Shrimp 150g
- Anchovy-Kelp Broth 1000ml
Kimchi Seasoning (to mix with blended ingredients)- Cooled Glutinous Rice Paste
- Minced Garlic 350g
- Minced Ginger 80g
- Fish Sauce 600g (approx. 500ml)
- Korean Chili Powder 900g
- Plum Extract 5 Tbsp (or Sugar)
- Salt 3 Tbsp (Adjust to taste at the very end when mixing the seasoning)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare 2 bundles of napa cabbage, totaling 6 heads. Each head of cabbage weighs approximately 3kg.
Step 2
Remove any wilted or dirty outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut each head in half lengthwise. Make a shallow cut at the base of the core. This helps the cabbage leaves separate easily for better seasoning penetration.
Step 3
In a large bowl, dissolve 1kg of coarse sea salt in 10L of water to create the primary brine. Ensure the salt is completely dissolved.
Step 4
Submerge the halved cabbages in the primary brine for about 5 minutes to help them wilt. While soaking, use your hands to pour some of the brine over the inner leaves to ensure they are evenly moistened and begin to soften.
Step 5
Once the cabbage has wilted, transfer it to another large bowl. Generously sprinkle the 400g of salt (the second type of salt) between the leaves, focusing on the thicker white stem areas and near the base of the leaves. Gently lift each leaf to sprinkle the salt inside. The amount of salt may vary slightly depending on the cabbage size. After sprinkling salt between all the leaves, pour the remaining primary brine over the cabbage. If some salt has fallen off, lightly sprinkle a bit more near the root. Place a heavy object on top to keep the cabbage submerged. Salting time varies with temperature: 7-9 hours in a warm place, 12-15 hours in a cool place, and 20-24 hours outdoors in cold weather. During this time, flip the cabbage heads once to ensure even salting.
Step 6
It’s best to prepare the glutinous rice paste ahead of time and let it cool. In a pot, combine 1000ml of anchovy-kelp broth and 60g (6 Tbsp) of glutinous rice flour. Whisk to remove lumps. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Let it cool completely.
Step 7
Wash the 300g of red crown daisy and 200g of welsh onion. Cut them into approximately 2cm lengths. Pay special attention to cleaning the red crown daisy, as dirt can accumulate at the stems. Rinse again after cutting and drain thoroughly in a colander.
Step 8
Prepare the ingredients for the blender. Chop 1/2 pear, 1/2 apple, 1/2 onion, 600g of radish, and the white parts of 3 green onions into manageable pieces for the blender.
Step 9
Add 150g of raw shrimp, 200g of salted shrimp, and 1000ml of anchovy-kelp broth to the blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well pureed.
Step 10
In a large bowl, combine the cooled glutinous rice paste and the blended mixture. Add 350g of minced garlic, 80g of minced ginger, 5 Tbsp of plum extract, 600g of fish sauce, and 900g of Korean chili powder. Mix well. Finally, add the prepared red crown daisy and welsh onions and gently toss to combine, finishing the kimchi seasoning. **Crucial Tip: After mixing all the seasoning ingredients, taste it and adjust the salt (3 Tbsp initially) according to your preference.** This recipe uses seokbakji instead of shredded radish. If you prefer shredded radish, you can add about 1300g of thinly sliced radish at this stage and mix it with the seasoning.
Step 11
Once the cabbage is well-salted, rinse it thoroughly under running water at least three times. Drain the cabbage in a colander for at least 1 to 1.5 hours. Thorough draining is essential for preventing the kimchi from becoming mushy and ensuring proper fermentation.
Step 12
Wash the 3kg of radish. Cut it in half, then in half again, and slice it into approximately 1cm thick, large pieces. Place the radish pieces in a bowl, sprinkle evenly with 5 Tbsp of coarse salt, and let it sit for 30 minutes to wilt. After 30 minutes, rinse lightly once and drain well in a colander.
Step 13
To the drained seokbakji, rub in 3 Tbsp of Korean chili powder evenly. Then, take a scoop of the prepared kimchi seasoning and toss it with the radish to finish the seokbakji. This adds flavor and color.
Step 14
Generously spread the prepared kimchi seasoning between the leaves of the well-drained napa cabbage. Pack the seasoned cabbage tightly into kimchi containers. Tuck the prepared seokbakji pieces in between the cabbage layers for added texture and flavor. Finally, cover the top of the cabbage with the outer green leaves. Seal the container tightly, or use a plastic kimchi bag inside the container before sealing. This minimizes air exposure, which helps the kimchi ferment beautifully and stay delicious for a long time.
