The Best Fresh Kimchi Recipe
I HATE SOUR KIMCHI!
My favorite kimchi is Fresh Kimchi or Baechu Geotjeori. It’s quick and easy to make and requires no fermentation!
Growing up Korean-American, a hot topic with my friends was whether we liked sour kimchi or fresh kimchi the best. I always preferred fresh kimchi because it’s spicier, sweeter, and crunchier. After introducing both types to my ABC husband, he agrees that fresh kimchi is hands down the BEST!
Although I hate sour kimchi it gives kimchi-jjigae and other Korean stews its sour notes. But fresh kimchi can substitute for the Korean dishes containing sour kimchi. My mom explained that sour kimchi was preferred because Korea didn’t have refrigeration for a long time. We watched a Korean food program about kimchi that’s been fermented for 100 years!
Kimchi Health Benefits
Kimchi has become a hot health food because it contains many vitamins and nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and K. It contains probiotics from the fermentation process that promotes good gut flora and healthy digestion.
Since I have digestion issues when I eat yogurt, kimchi has become essential to fulfilling my probiotic needs. It’s perfect for me since milk yogurt gives me constipation and plant based yogurt give me diarrhea. Kimchi is my gut savior!
Fresh Kimchi Recipe Ideas
Soon-dobu jjigae, 순두부찌개, Korean soft tofu soup– Use fresh kimchi to make the soup base.
Kimchi Salad Bowls– I’ve been making these weekly with brown rice, lettuce, panfried salmon, kimchi, sesame seed oil, perilla, and a poached egg on top for a filling and healthy meal.
Kimchi Fried Rice– I mixed Korean roasted seaweed and topped with fresh Korean perilla leaves from my garden.
TIP: I ordered organic perilla seeds from Amazon and planted them in early spring.
No Brined Shrimps, No Rice Flour, No Ginger
These are the ingredients in traditional kimchi that makes it sour and a long process. However, fresh kimchi doesn’t have any of these ingredients, so no need to make a complicated kimchi paste.
Fresh kimchi is less wasteful. When I would make sour kimchi, I would only use a small amount of brined shrimps or Saeu-jeot (새우젓) which would sit in my fridge untouched for months. I would throw away 75% full expired jars.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Large Napa cabbage
- Coarse sea salt
- Korean red pepper flakes (gochu-garu)
- Good quality Fish Sauce
- Green plum extract (ume/maesil syrup), agave syrup, or apricot preserves
- Garlic
- 5 stalks Green onion
- 1 Large Carrot
- 2 Jalapeños
- Roasted White Sesame Seeds
How to Pick Quality Ingredients
It can be daunting and intimidating going to a Korean supermarket like H-mart. This is a short guide to picking good ingredients so you’re not feeling lost and afraid.
Picking Napa/Chinese Cabbage
Pick a napa that has green leaves and beautiful shape. The cabbages with yellow leaves are not as flavorful and vibrant tasting
Good Quality Fish Sauce
Everybody needs fish sauce in their pantry, period.
I highly recommend investing in good a good quality fish sauce like Red Boat. Even though it costs considerably more, it’s worth the taste payoff. Buy Red Boat at an ethnic market like Ranch 99, H-mart or whatever is local because it will be cheaper than big-box grocery chains. This bottle is $11.
It only has two ingredients: anchovy and salt.
Other brands (ahem! Like the one with crabs on it) tend to have fillers like hydrolyzed protein, sugar, and MSG.
Maesil-syrup/Ume Syrup
Maesil has been just as important as fish sauce in my daily Korean cooking. There are several places online to order and every Korean grocery carries it. Maesil gives the kimchi it’s sweet and tanginess.
If none available, then substitute with sugar, agave syrup, or apricot preserves.
Gochu-garu/Korean Red Pepper Powder
Buy Korean red pepper powder made from Korea. It is expensive and almost double and even triple the price of the powders imported from China but it makes a difference.
The cheaper powders taste and look duller. The red pepper quality can make or break a kimchi just like the quality of grapes to fine wine.
Preparing Fresh Kimchi
- Cut cabbage down the middle and cut into two inch pieces.
- Rinse cabbage with water and salt liberally with coarse sea salt. Asian people don’t use measuring cups but it’s about 1/4 C for each of the large tubs. Let sit for 45 minutes to draw out the water.
- Rinse off salt most the salt by rinsing cabbage under cold water 3 times. Drain.
- Add julienned carrots, julienned green onion, garlic, jalapeños, gochu-garu, sesame seeds, fish sauce, and maesil syrup,
- Rub and mix kimchi until everything is incorporated. I use a glove so I don’t burn my hand. TIP: Mom always taught me to rub kimchi is circular motions like waxing a car.
- Taste and adjust gochu-garu, maesil, or fish sauce to your spicy/sweet/salty preference.
The Easiest Way to Enjoy Fresh Kimchi
I find simple joy in eating freshly made kimchi with rice and roasted gim/nori. Adding avocado and salmon takes it to another level and creates a balance easy meal. I make it for my kids all the time. It takes only 15 minutes and they love it.
Fresh Kimchi, Baechu Geotjeori
Ingredients
- 1 large Napa cabbage
- 1/4 c coarse sea salt
- 1 large carrot
- 5 stalks green onion
- 2 medium jalapeños
- 1/4 c minced garlic
- 1/4 c fish sauce
- 2 tbsp maesil syrup Can substitute with agave syrup, sugar, or apricot preserves.
- 1/4 c Gochu-garu
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut cabbage down the middle and then into 2 inch pieces. Give a quick rinse and then combine with coarse sea salt. Let sit for 45 minutes to draw out water.
- Rinse the cabbage under running water 3 times to get rid of most the salt. Drain off as much water as possible.
- Combine cabbage with julienned carrots, julienned green onions, sliced jalapeños, garlic, gochu-garu, maesil syrup, fish sauce, and sesame seeds. Mix to combine by rubbing kimchi in circular motions.
- Pack kimchi into a sanitized mason or pickling jar.