Guide · Kimchi
Kimchi: salt ratio and a classic recipe
Salt napa cabbage at 2.5% of its weight, 25 g for every kilogram, let it wilt for about an hour and a half, then rinse, mix with the paste and pack it. It is ready in 3 to 5 days at 18 to 22 °C.
Salt for kimchi, by weight
| Napa cabbage | Salt at 2.5% | Range (2–3%) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 g | 12.5 g | 10–15 g |
| 1 kg | 25 g | 20–30 g |
| 2 kg | 50 g | 40–60 g |
Kimchi is salted a little harder than sauerkraut because part of the salt is rinsed away before the paste goes in. Weigh it; don't measure by the spoon.
Classic kimchi for about 1 kg of napa cabbage
The paste
- 3 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 cm ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp rice-flour porridge
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
Into the jar with it
- 150 g daikon radish, julienned
- 3 spring onions
How to make it
- Cut the cabbage into pieces and salt it at 2.5% of its weight. Let it sit for about 1.5 hours, turning it once, until the leaves bend without snapping.
- Rinse it, drain it well, and mix it with the paste, the radish and the spring onions. Gloves help.
- Pack it into a jar under its own juice, pressing out the air, and leave a few centimetres of space at the top.
- Leave it at 18 to 22 °C for 3 to 5 days, pressing it down once a day, then move it to the fridge. It keeps souring slowly there.
Variations
- Vegan: swap the fish sauce for 1 tbsp soy sauce and add 5 g kombu or 1 tsp miso.
- White kimchi: no chilli at all. Garlic, ginger, half a grated pear or apple and a little sugar.
- Hot: 5 tbsp gochugaru and 6 cloves of garlic instead of 3 and 4.
Is it supposed to fizz?
Yes. Bubbles, a sour smell and a little brine pushing up are a healthy, lively ferment. Open the jar daily to let the gas out and stand it on a plate. If you see fuzz or colours on top, read kahm or mould first.
Any vegetable, any jar size
Krunch works out the salt, vinegar and herbs for 20 vegetables, scaled to the jar in your hand, and reminds you on the day it's ready. Coming soon for iPhone. See how it works.
More guides
For long-term, shelf-stable canning, follow a lab-tested recipe for your altitude and equipment. These guides are for fridge pickles and fermenting in a jar.