How to Make Kimchi at Home: Easy Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! It's Yul from KVIBE IDOLS. Today we're making the most famous food in Korea. Kimchi! Don't worry, it's easier than you think.

First, a tiny bit of history. Koreans have been fermenting vegetables for more than a thousand years. But the spicy red kimchi you know is younger. Chili peppers only arrived in Korea around the 1600s. Before that, kimchi was white and salty. Plot twist, right?

Okay, let's cook. Take one napa cabbage and cut it into quarters. Sprinkle coarse salt between the leaves and leave it for about two hours, turning it once. When the leaves bend without breaking, rinse it three times and drain well.

Now the paste. Mix two tablespoons of glutinous rice flour with one cup of water and heat it until it turns into a thin porridge. Let it cool. Add red pepper flakes, called gochugaru, minced garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and a little sugar. Then throw in sliced radish and green onions.

Put on gloves. Very important! Rub the paste between every leaf, fold the cabbage, and pack it tightly into a jar.

Leave it at room temperature for one or two days, then move it to the fridge. In one week, it tastes amazing.

Yul's tip! In Korea, families make huge amounts of kimchi together every November. It's called gimjang, and it's even on UNESCO's cultural heritage list. So when you make kimchi, you're joining a very big Korean family. Masitge deuseyo! Enjoy your meal!