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Kimchi

Name: Kimchi
Yield: Makes 2 litres
Cuisine: Korean recipes
Ingredients: 2 litres filtered water; 150g unrefined sea salt; 1 Chinese cabbage (about 1 kg), thinly sliced, including the core; 1 daikon radish, cut into 5mm slices; 1 bunch radishes, cut into 5mm slices; 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1 piece ginger, about 7-8 cm, peeled and roughly chopped; 3-4 spring onions, cut into 1cm pieces; 35g Korean dried red pepper powder (kochukaru) or cayenne pepper if you can’t find it; 1 tbsp gluten free tamari; 1 tbsp fish sauce; You’ll also need; You’ll also need a 2L mason jars with a tight tight-fitting lid, or smaller jars

Published: 31 Mar 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Make kimchi from scratch with this easy-to-follow recipe from delicious. reader Trish Carty.

Why not use your homemade kimchi in this healthy kimchi and quinoa salad?

Easy
Online only

Test kitchen approved

Makes 2 litres
Hands-on time 30 minutes, plus brining and fermenting

Make kimchi from scratch with this easy-to-follow recipe from delicious. reader Trish Carty.

Why not use your homemade kimchi in this healthy kimchi and quinoa salad?

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Ingredients

2 litres filtered water
150g unrefined sea salt
1 Chinese cabbage (about 1 kg), thinly sliced, including the core
1 daikon radish, cut into 5mm slices
1 bunch radishes, cut into 5mm slices
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 piece ginger, about 7-8 cm, peeled and roughly chopped
3-4 spring onions, cut into 1cm pieces
35g Korean dried red pepper powder (kochukaru) or cayenne pepper if you can’t find it
1 tbsp gluten free tamari
1 tbsp fish sauce

You’ll also need

You’ll also need a 2L mason jars with a tight tight-fitting lid, or smaller jars

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Method

First, put the cabbage into a large mixing bowl with the salt and massage it with your hands for a few minutes to release some of the water. Rinse the cabbage then add the filtered water, daikon and radishes to the liquid and set aside to brine for up to six hours. Drain, reserving 500-60ml of the liquid.
Add the garlic, ginger, spring onions, red pepper powder, tamari and fish sauce to a mini food processor and blitz to a paste.
Put the drained vegetables into a large bowl and mix with the paste, then pack into the mason jars, making sure there are no air bubbles in the liquid. Pour over the reserved brining liquid, making sure there is a 2-3 cm gap at the top to allow for expansion and put the lid on.

The kimchi should be actively fermenting after 2 days. Allow the kimchi to ferment for 10-12 days in the fridge, but taste it daily from day 5 onwards to check the flavor and to see if there has been any accidental contamination. The vegetables should always be under the brining liquid. If using a Kilner jar, remove the seal before closing to stop pressure building up as the vegetables ferment. Open the jars once a day for the first few days to release any gas.