Favorite Napa Kimchee

Making your own kimchee is easier than you’d think, and far more rewarding than the jarred kind. This Korean classic ferments napa cabbage into a tangy, spicy, deeply savory staple that earns a place at nearly every meal.

It all starts with salting. Tossing the cut cabbage with salt and letting it stand draws out excess water, which seasons the leaves, wilts them just enough, and helps them stay crisp through fermentation. A good rinse afterward keeps it from turning too salty.

From there you toss in the flavor: garlic, fresh ginger, scallions, shredded carrot, and a generous amount of Korean red pepper flakes for that signature heat and red color. A little crystallized ginger and sugar are an unusual touch that feed the ferment and add warm sweetness.

Packed in a crock and left on the counter for a day or two, it begins to bubble and sour. Refrigerate it to slow things down, and the flavor keeps deepening for weeks.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t skip the salting step. It’s what draws out water so the kimchee stays crisp and seasoned rather than limp and bland.
• Use Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) if you can. They give the right color and a fruity heat without the harsh bite of ordinary chili flakes.
• Taste it daily while it sits out. Once it’s as sour and funky as you like, move it to the fridge to slow the fermentation.

Variations

• Add a splash of fish sauce or some salted shrimp for a more traditional, umami-rich kimchee.
• Toss in daikon radish, or use the kimchee to make fried rice, stews and pancakes as it ages.
• Cut back the red pepper flakes for a milder, kid-friendly batch.