Vegan Baechu Kimchi (Cabbage Kimchi)

My mom always makes my kimchi for me but today, I decided to brave the cabbage and try making it myself. It honestly wasn’t that bad. Did I make my mom taste test it before I allowed it to ferment? yes, yes I did. I have no shame. Mom’s always knows best! Since this was my first time, I used a lot of shortcuts to make the kimchi but it tasted really good in the end.

Vegan Baechu Kimchi (Cabbage Kimchi)

the easy version.

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Ingredients

  

Rice Porridge

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup gochugaru

Vegetable Puree

• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp ginger
• 1 medium yellow onion

Vegetables

• 1 head napa cabbage
• 3 tbsp salt
• 1 large carrot julienned
• 6 oz julienned radish
• 10 green onion stalks chopped into 1 inch pieces

Instructions

 

Rice Porridge

• Over medium heat, let the vegetable stock come to a boil.
  
• Add the sugar, salt and rice flour.
• Mix well until it becomes thick.
  
• Add the gochugaru and mix well.
  
• Set aside and let it cool completely.

Preparing the cabbage

• Cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces.
  
• Sprinkle on the salt and toss well.
  
• Let the cabbage sit for 90 minutes. Mix every 30 minutes. This process will make the kimchi more tender and release water which will allow the marinade to flavor the cabbage better.
  
• After 90 minutes and 3 tosses, the cabbage should be more flexible. Rinse the cabbage very very well (about 4-5 times). You want to get rid of any excess salt.
• Drain and set aside.

Vegetable Puree

• Blend together the garlic, onions and ginger until it becomes a paste.
  
• Combine the vegetable puree and rice porridge together. This is now your kimchi paste.
  

Vegetable Prep

• Julienne the radish into strips.
  
• Chop the green onions into one inch pieces.
  
• Julienne one carrot into strips.
  

Making the kimchi

• Combine the cabbage with the green onions, carrots and radish.
  
• Add in the kimchi paste.
  
• Mix well.
• For sour/fermented kimchi: store in an air tight container and let it ferment for 3-4 days in room temperature. After the 3-4 days, check for any bubbles and a sour smell. If there are bubbles then your kimchi has successfully fermented. Good job!
  
• If you like the taste of fresh kimchi, eat right away or store your kimchi in an air tight container in the fridge for 2 days. Storing the kimchi in the fridge allows for a slower fermentation process.