Kimchi (김치)

Make your own kimchi (김치)! Kimchi, fermented napa cabbage, is Korea's national dish. Traditionally, it was stored in a jar and allowed to ferment underground. You can find kimchi in stores, but it usually has shrimp paste or fish sauce in it. This recipe is relatively simple and easy to do yourself. You can eat kimchi as a side dish, and it's also used in a variety of dishes like kimchi stew (김치찌개; kimchi jjigae) or kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥; kimchi bokkeumbap). You can find Korean chile powder, essential for this dish, at a Korean grocery store. Check to make sure it is from Korea.  


Kimchi (김치)(vegan; gluten-free)
Makes about 1 gallon

2 napa cabbages, washed and drained
1 medium daikon radish, peeled
1/2 cup coarse sea salt 
4 scallions, chopped into 1" pieces 
7 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp ginger, minced 
4 tbsp Korean chile powder 
2 tablespoon ground dashima 
4 tablespoon ground apple 

Cut the cabbages into about 1" length pieces. Cut the daikon into 1" length by 1/2" thick pieces. Put the cabbages and daikon into a large bowl. Separate into two large bowls, if necessary, to give room to  mix everything. 

Add the salt, scallions, garlic, ginger, chile powder, dashima, and apple and mix well. Make sure all of the cabbage and daikon are coated with the mixture. 

Pack the kimchi leaving about a 1" space on top into a glass jar and tightly seal. Mason jars work best. 

Store the jar in a cool, dark place for about 3 days. Refrigerate after opening. It will keep for a few weeks.