Kimchi is the Korean staple side dish. This is a very simple and quick (mak) napa cabbage Korean kimchi recipe that is spicy and filled with good bacteria that can be eaten fresh or left to ferment. We know when you have a kimchi craving you need some kimchi ASAP and this is just the recipe for you.
This is a no-fuss recipe that skips adding carrots and Korean radish which are typical ingredients in a lot of kimchi recipes out there. Don’t worry though, this kimchi is still yummy, and takes a lot less time to make. Think of all the time you are saving by not having to julienne carrots and radish.
Cutting the kimchi into pieces allows for the fermentation process to happen much faster since the salt and the kimchi paste covers more surface area versus the keeping the napa cabbage intact and salting each leaf separately.
Benefits of Kimchi
As stated in an article by Dr. Axe, a 2018 scientific review highlights some of the potential benefits of kimchi according to scientific studies to date: (5, 6)
- Stimulates immune function
- Decreases disease-causing pro-oxidants and free radicals
- Reduces the occurrence of certain cancers
- Anti-aging
- Wards off cardiovascular disease
- Lowers metabolic syndrome risks
- Improves intestinal flora
Here are some recipes to make with your kimchi:
- Kimchi Fried Rice Chicken Quesadilla
- Korean Cold Noodles with Spicy Sweet and Sour Gochujang Sauce
- Korean Spicy Seafood Soup
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Ingredients
4 large-sized Napa Cabbage (about 8 pounds)
8 green onions
2 heads of garlic, peeled & minced
1 tbsp ginger root, minced
2 cups red chili pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
1 tsp white sugar
2 cups regular table salt (depending on napa cabbage of size)
1 tbsp salted/brined shrimp
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sweet rice powder
1 cup water
Instructions
- First, let's make the sweet rice powder mixture. Mix cold water with sweet rice powder in a small pot and mix well. Turn on the stovetop to medium-high and boil cold water and sweet rice powder mixture. Make sure to stir it constantly to ensure it does not burn. As soon as it begins to boil turn off the stove, remove the pot from the burner, let it cool, and set it aside for later.
- Rinse Napa cabbage with cold water then cut about 2-inch length.
- Put cut Napa cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle salt on top
- Then layer cut Napa cabbage on top and sprinkle salt again until all Napa cabbage is salted.
- Soak salted Napa cabbage for 6-8 hours.
- Halfway through soaking move bottom layer of Napa cabbage to the top.
- Mix sugar, minced garlic, minced ginger root, salted/brined shrimp, fish sauce, and cooled rice powder mix. Â Do not mix in the Korean dry crushed hot pepper (gochurgaru) yet.
- Blend ingredients (except gochugaru) to a very fine consistency in a blender.Â
- Once everything is blended well then mix in the Korean dry crushed hot pepper (gochugaru) into the spicy mixture.
- Leave the spicy mixture alone for 2 hours - set aside.
- Rinse salted Napa cabbage in cold water 2 to 3 times in a colander bowl and let the water drain.
- Rinse and cut green onions about 1-inch length.
- Mix your green onions, rinsed Napa cabbage, and blended spicy mixture in a large bowl.
- Taste your kimchi and if needed add more salt when mixing in a large bowl.
- Once satisfied with taste add kimchi to jars.
Notes
You can eat fresh kimchi or you can wait 2 months for a more sour taste. You can eat sour kimchi with tofu, pork, and making soup.
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