Myong's Kim Chee

Homemade kimchi is one of those projects that rewards patience enormously. This version from Myong takes a slightly non-traditional route, using rice vinegar as the main brine instead of a fish sauce and rice flour paste, which makes it more accessible to first-time fermenters and still gives that bright, tangy bite kimchi is famous for.

Napa cabbage or bok choy cut into bite-sized pieces forms the backbone, joined by thinly sliced daikon, shredded carrots, and a serious amount of garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Fresh scallions and a touch of Japanese horseradish add layered heat.

The boiled water poured hot over the vegetables helps dissolve the salt and wilts the cabbage just enough to start releasing water. From there, the vinegar does the rest. Two weeks minimum in the fridge, up to three months for serious depth.

Kitchen Tips

• Use only non-reactive containers. Glass or crockery; never aluminum or plastic. Metal reacts with the vinegar and throws off the flavor.
• Keep the vegetables fully submerged. Anything above the liquid line can grow mold and spoil the batch.
• Burp the jar weekly in the first month. Fermentation produces gas that builds pressure and can pop a lid.
• Use the brine as a salad dressing base or marinade once you’ve eaten the cabbage. Intensely flavored and too good to pour down the sink.

Variations

• Add thinly sliced Asian pear for a touch of natural sweetness that balances the heat.
• Stir in a spoonful of Korean gochugaru in place of red pepper flakes for a deeper, smokier heat.
• Include sliced cucumber for a quicker-ferment crunchier version known as oi kimchi.