Baek kimchi or white kimchi

Basic Sunday

A refreshing fruity, tangy, and savory white kimchi. It can be non-spicy or spicy, depending if red pepper is added or not.

Cook Time 8

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Korean

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

Rinse the cabbages well, removing any dirt or debris
4 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 water
1.5 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

On a small pan, sprinkle on rice flour and pour over water
2 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.

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

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

In a blender, puree garlic, onion, ginger, water, and apple, pear, or canned peaches
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), 500 ml cold water
Strain it to remove any pulp
In a large bowl, combine brine with meshil chung, water, and salt
1 cup meshil chung or Korean plum syrup, 2 L cold water, 3 tbsp kosher salt

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.