Baek Kimchi or Non-Spicy White Kimchi Recipe
Baek kimchi is a refreshing type of kimchi. It’s non-spicy, but can be spicy with red pepper. It’s fruity, tangy, and savory. A great kimchi to enjoy during the warm season!
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Tips
Recipe
- Make sure to rinse the cabbages well (around 3 times) after soaking in soak water for 7hrs. Otherwise it will be too salty.
- Canned peaches will give a sweeter taste. Just don’t use the liquid from the can. Otherwise it will be too sweet.
Storage
- Recommend to use a kimchi container with an air-tight lid
- After storing the kimchi in an air-tight container, leave the kimchi out in room temperature for 1 day (if humid air) to 2 days (if dry air). This will start the fermentation process. After 1-2 days, store it in the refrigerator.
- Some people like to eat it after 3-7 days for fresher taste. I like it more fermented and tangy so I eat it after like 2-3 weeks, depending on how it tastes.
- Always keep kimchi in the refrigerator after the 1-2 days fermentation process.
How to Enjoy It
- Baek kimchi is best enjoyed very cold for the refreshing taste!
- Slice a cabbage into medium-thick slices, just like the spicy red kimchi
- Pour some of the brine into the serving bowl with the kimchi
- Baek kimchi can be eaten just with the cabbage and some sip the brine. It’s cold and refreshing!
Baek kimchi or white kimchi
A refreshing fruity, tangy, and savory white kimchi. It can be non-spicy or spicy, depending if red pepper is added or not.
Ingredients
Cabbage
- 4 kg napa cabbages 3 large napa cabbages
- 1.5 cups course salt
- 4 L cold water ~16 cups
Brine
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled with ends removed
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 7 g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 large Fuji apple (or 2 small fuji apples) For a sweeter taste, use 1 canned white peach instead of apple and pear
- 1 large Asian pear (or 2 small Asian pears), peeled For a sweeter taste, use 1 canned white peach instead of apple and pear
- 500 ml cold water ~2 cups
Rice Paste
- 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour I use Koda Farm Mochiko
- 1 cup water
Seasoning
- 1 cup meshil chung or Korean plum syrup 1/2 cup if using canned peach
- 2 L cold water ~8 cups
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
Vegetables
- 1 large Korean radish or daikon, rinsed and peeled
- 1 bunch garlic chives, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 3 red peppers, rinsed and thinly sliced optional
Instructions
Cabbage Brining
- Rinse the cabbages well, removing any dirt or debris4 kg napa cabbages
- Thinly slice the bottom of the core to remove any brown spots. Don't fully cut the core. Just a thin slice.
- With the core facing up, cut each cabbage half way down and then split it open using the hands
- And then cut each pieces half way down and split it open using the hands. Will end up with 12 slices of cabbages
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve salt and water1.5 cups course salt, 4 L cold water
- Sprinkle on course salt into every or every 2 layers or leaves of the cabbage
- Gently place each sliced cabbage vertically into the salt water bowl
- After all cabbages have been salted and placed into the salt water bowl, let the cabbages sit for 5-6 hours in room temperature
- After 5-6 hours, place the cabbages horizontally. Let it sit in room temperature for another 2 hours. Place a large plate on top to keep them submerged in the salt water
Rice Paste
- On a small pan, sprinkle on rice flour and pour over water2 tbsp glutinous rice flour, 1 cup water
- Turn the heat to med-low and mix to combine the rice flour with water.
- Continuously stir until it starts to thicken. You should be able to see streaks of bottom of the pan when stirring. This thickens quickly so be sure to keep close eyes on it.
- Remove from the stove and set it aside to cool completely.
Vegetables
- Julienne radish, roughly chop garlic chives, and thinly slice red peppers (optional). Set them aside.1 large Korean radish or daikon, rinsed and peeled, 1 bunch garlic chives, rinsed and roughly chopped, 3 red peppers, rinsed and thinly sliced
Cabbage continued
- After 2 hours, drain out the salt water
- Rinse the cabbages well or 3 times. You don't want the cabbages to be salty otherwise it will make the entire dish too salty
- Drain excess on a larger strainer
Brine
- In a blender, puree garlic, onion, ginger, water, and apple, pear, or canned peaches12 garlic cloves, peeled with ends removed, 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped, 7 g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped, 1 large Fuji apple (or 2 small fuji apples), 500 ml cold water
- Strain it to remove any pulp
- In a large bowl, combine brine with meshil chung, water, and salt1 cup meshil chung or Korean plum syrup, 2 L cold water, 3 tbsp kosher salt
Assemble
- Place a few of the chopped vegetables in between every or every other layers of the cabbages
- Place the cabbages gently into kimchi container. They be stacked on top of each other.
- Pour over the brine and gently press down the cabbages
- Leave the kimchi container in room temperature for 1-2 days, depending on warmth and humidity of the room. This will help start the fermentation process.
- After 1-2 days, place the kimchi container in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Always keep kimchi in the refrigerator.
- Some people like to eat baek kimchi after 3-7 days for fresher taste. Although I wait around 2-3 weeks for more fermented tangy taste. Depends on your preference.
