What Is Kimchi?
Kimchi is Korea’s most beloved fermented food — a spicy, tangy, deeply complex condiment made from napa cabbage, chilli, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. It is served with virtually every Korean meal and is considered one of the world’s healthiest foods.
Ingredients
- 1 medium napa cabbage (about 2kg)
- 1/4 cup non-iodised salt
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 4 spring onions, sliced
Method
Cut the cabbage into quarters and salt generously. Leave for 2 hours until wilted, then rinse and squeeze out excess liquid. Mix together the fish sauce, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and spring onions to form a paste. Massage the paste into the cabbage. Pack tightly into a clean jar and ferment at room temperature for 24–72 hours before refrigerating.
Tips
The longer kimchi ferments at room temperature, the more sour and complex it becomes. Taste it daily and refrigerate when it reaches your preferred level of sourness. It will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge for months, developing ever-deeper flavour.