Baechu Kimchi

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Trim the napa cabbage, keeping the core attached enough to hold the leaves together, then split it lengthwise into quarters. Dissolve the coarse sea salt in the water in a large bowl or basin. Soak the cabbage in the brine, rubbing a little extra brine between the thicker white stems. Let it stand for 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until the white parts are flexible but not limp.

   1 kg napa cabbage80 g coarse sea salt1.2 litres water
2. 2

   While the cabbage brines, cut the Korean radish into fine matchsticks, slice the spring onions into 3-4 cm lengths, finely grate or mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Keeping the radish thin helps it season quickly and distribute evenly through the kimchi.

   120 g Korean radish60 g spring onions20 g garlic10 g fresh ginger
3. 3

   Make the kimchi paste by mixing the gochugaru, fish sauce, and white sugar in a bowl. Add the radish, spring onions, garlic, and ginger, and toss until everything is evenly coated. The mixture should look moist and vivid red; if it seems dry, let it sit 5 minutes for the chili flakes to hydrate.

   35 g gochugaru30 g fish sauce8 g white sugar120 g Korean radish60 g spring onions20 g garlic10 g fresh ginger
4. 4

   Drain the cabbage well and rinse it briefly under cold water 2-3 times to remove excess surface salt. Let it drain for 5 minutes. The leaves should taste seasoned but not aggressively salty. If very salty, rinse once more.

   1 kg napa cabbage
5. 5

   Wearing gloves if desired, spread the kimchi paste between each cabbage leaf, concentrating a little more paste near the thicker stem ends. Pack any remaining radish mixture around and inside the quarters, then fold each quarter into a compact bundle.

   1 kg napa cabbage35 g gochugaru30 g fish sauce8 g white sugar120 g Korean radish60 g spring onions20 g garlic10 g fresh ginger
6. 6

   Pack the kimchi tightly into a clean non-reactive container or jar, pressing down to reduce air pockets. Leave a little headspace because liquid will rise as it ferments. For a fresh, lightly fermented kimchi suitable within the time limit, rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, then refrigerate. It can be eaten immediately, but the flavor will deepen after 1-3 days in the fridge.

Origin & History

Baechu kimchi is one of Korea's most iconic fermented dishes and became especially widespread after napa cabbage cultivation and chili pepper use became firmly established in Korea. It is central to Korean home cooking, seasonal preservation, and communal kimjang traditions, where families prepare large quantities of kimchi together for the colder months.