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1
Salt the Cabbage
2 Hrs
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Put the 900 g cut cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle over the 45 g salt and toss well so every leaf is coated. Leave at room temperature for 2 hours, turning the cabbage once halfway through. It is ready when a thick white stem bends in half without snapping.
Taste a stem after 2 hours — it should be salty but not painfully so. If it is, rinse a little longer.
Done when: The leaves are wilted and bend easily; a pool of liquid has collected in the bowl.
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2
Rinse and Drain
10 Mins
Cold water, about 15°C (59°F)
Rinse the salted cabbage twice in plenty of cold water, then squeeze it gently in handfuls until no more water runs out. Do not wring it hard or the leaves tear. Spread it on a clean tray while you finish the filling.
Squeeze in small handfuls — a big squeezed lump bruises the leaves.
Done when: The cabbage is damp but not dripping, and tastes pleasantly salty.
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3
Make the Filling — No Chilli Paste
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
In a bowl, mix the 200 g daikon, 150 g pear, 30 g garlic, 20 g ginger, 60 g spring onions, 60 g chestnuts, 30 g jujubes and 2 g chilli threads. Do not add any chilli paste or chilli powder — the northern style stays white, and the few red threads are only there for a blush of colour. This is the difference between northern white kimchi and the red kimchi of the south.
Keep the garlic sliced, not crushed — crushed garlic turns the brine cloudy and harsh.
Done when: A loose, colourful filling that smells of ginger and garlic.
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4
Pack the Jar and Cover with Brine
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Layer the cabbage and filling in a clean 2-litre glass jar or crock, pressing down gently as you go. Pour over the 300 ml cooled brine water and lay the kelp on top, then press everything down so the vegetables sit below the liquid — anything poking out will spoil. Leave the lid slightly loose.
Put a small clean plate or a zip bag of brine on top to hold everything under the liquid.
Done when: The vegetables are fully submerged in pale brine.
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5
Ferment, Then Chill
2 Days
Ferment at 20°C (68°F), then store at 4°C (40°F)
Leave the jar at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F), for 2 days, until the brine tastes pleasantly sour and tiny bubbles rise when you press the cabbage. Then tighten the lid, remove the kelp, and move the jar to the fridge at 4°C (40°F). It is ready to eat now and keeps improving for a week.
Taste daily after day one — in a warm kitchen it can be ready in a day and a half.
Done when: The brine is tangy and the cabbage is crisp and sour, not limp.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Taste after two days — it should be pleasantly sour and salty with a clean pear-ginger finish, and the brine should taste good enough to sip. Chill before serving so the cabbage is cold and crisp.
North Korea
2h 45m
Spain
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