Hello everybody!
Today I’m going to show you how to make classic, spicy, traditional napa cabbage kimchi called tongbaechu-kimchi, a.k.a. baechu-kimchi or pogi-kimchi. But this dish is so common and iconic among Koreans that we simply call it “kimchi.” When people talk about kimchi, this is the side dish they’re referring to, despite the fact that there are many kinds of kimchi in Korean cuisine, and many made with napa cabbage, too.
Over the years I’ve posted recipes for a few of them, but I’ve never made an in-depth video for making tongbaechu-kimchi! I’ve made a video for mak-kimchi (easy kimchi recipe), which is very similar but is easier because you to chop up the cabbage into bite size pieces first, and I’ve made an ultra simple yangbaechu-kimchi (emergency kimchi). Many years ago I even posted a recipe showing how to make baechu-kimchi with kkakdugi in one batch. But until now, I’ve never posted the most classic and traditional napa cabbage kimchi. (I also have a vegan kimchi version of this recipe, too!)
For me, this kimchi recipe has the traditional flavor I am looking for. It uses the whole cabbage leaf, which makes it more labor-intensive than the other ones on my website, because you’ll need to take time to spread the spicy paste leaf by leaf. It’s more work, but this is the traditional style and if you can make this kind of kimchi well, you can consider yourself good at Korean cooking.
To make this kimchi we need to first soak the cabbage in a salty brine to soften the leaves (some people swear by sea salt but I always use Kosher salt in all my Korean dishes). Then lactobacillus bacteria can do their work and convert sugar into lactic acid, which preserves the cabbage and changes the flavor over time. But you don’t have to wait for the kimchi to ferment before you enjoy it, you can eat it right away and keep eating it as it ferments and eventually goes sour. Then it’s perfect for dishes like kimchi-jjigae and kimchi stir fried rice.
As I mention in the video, my mom used to make kimchi from 200 heads of cabbage! This was kimjang kimchi, made with her friends at the beginning of winter, and meant to last until the spring. 3 to 4 of her friends would come over and help her chop vegetables and most importantly, spread the paste on the leaves. This always needs to be done by hand. They would bring their own rubber gloves, and spend the day talking and laughing, and always had pollock stew or beef radish soup for lunch. They had a lot of fun!
At the end of the day they would take some kimchi home with them, but my mom would get all the rest, which lasted my whole family through the winter. And when my mom’s friends needed to make their winter kimchi, my mom brought her gloves over to their houses and helped them, like they did for her.
In the video I also show you how to ferment it in a traditional onggi. Using an onggi is not mandatory, but for those of you who have one already, this is how you use it! If you don’t have one, just use a BPA-free plastic container, or a glass container.
I answer many other frequently asked questions about kimchi-making in this video.
I hope you enjoy the recipe, and if you love kimchi, I encourage you to make your own kimchi at home. It’s delicious, easy, and a fun thing to do!
Ingredients
Makes about 8 pounds (3.6 kg) of Kimchi
For salting cabbage:
- 6 pounds (about 2.7 kg) napa cabbage
- ½ cup Kosher salt (2.5 ounces: 72 grams)
For making porridge:
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (aka glutinous rice flour)
- 2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar (or brown or white sugar)
Vegetables:
- 2 cups Korean radish matchsticks (or daikon radish)
- 1 cup carrot matchsticks
- 7 to 8 green onions (scallions), chopped
- 1 cup chopped Asian chives (buchu), optional (substitute with 3 green onions, chopped)
- 1 cup water dropwort (minari), optional
Seasonings and spices:
- ½ cup garlic cloves (24 garlic cloves), minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 medium onion, minced
- ½ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup fermented salted shrimp (saeujeot) with the salty brine, chopped
- 2 cups red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
Directions
Prepare and salt the cabbage
- If the cabbage cores stick out too much, trim them off with your knife over your cutting board.
- To split a cabbage in half without shredding the densely packed leaves inside, first cut a short slit in the base of the cabbage, enough to get a grip on either half, and then gently pull the halves apart so the cabbage splits open.
- Cut a slit through the core of each half, 2 inches above the stem. You want the cabbage leaves to be loose but still attached to the core.
- Dunk the halves in a large basin of water to get them wet. Sprinkle salt between the leaves by lifting up every leaf and getting salt in there. Use more salt closer to the stems, where the leaves are thicker.
- Let the cabbages rest for 2 hours. Turn over every 30 minutes, so they get well salted. From time to time you can ladle some of the salty water from the bottom of the basin over top of the cabbages if you want to.
- After 2 hours, wash the cabbage halves a few times under cold running water. Giving them a good washing, to remove the salt and any dirt. As you wash, split the halves into quarters along the slits you cut into earlier. Cut off the cores, give them a final rinse, and put them in a strainer over a basin so they can drain well.
While the cabbage is salting for 2 hours, and in between the times you’re turning it over, you can make the porridge:
- Combine the water and the sweet rice flour in a small pot. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it starts to bubble. Add the sugar and cook 1 more minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and let it cool off completely.
- Pour cooled porridge into a large mixing bowl. Add garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, fermented salted shrimp, and hot pepper flakes. Mix well with the wooden spoon until the mixture turns into a thin paste.
- Add the radish, carrot, and green onion, plus the Asian chives (or more green onions) and the water dropwort if you’re using them. Mix well.
Make kimchi
- In a large bowl, spread some kimchi paste on each cabbage leaf. When every leaf in a quarter is covered with paste, wrap it around itself into a small packet, and put into your jar, plastic container, or onggi.
- Eat right away, or let it sit for a few days to ferment.
On fermentation
- The kimchi will start fermenting a day or two at room temperature, depending on the temperature and humidity of your room. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from beneath. If you’re using a sealed jar with a lid, be sure to open it once a while, let it breathe, and press down on the top of the kimchi.
- Once it starts to fermented, store in the refrigerator to use as needed. This slows down the fermentation process, which will make the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
Hello I ordered the gochugaru from amazon to make this recipe but a gochugaru paste came instead of flakes. Can I still use this.
Thanks from Ireland.
Ps your videos are great xo
Hi,
You can try it but chili powder is a must.
Thanks,
Yong
Is this the correct hot pepper flakes?
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Yes, they are Korean hot pepper flakes. You can use them to make kimchi. But how come the color is a little brownish? Check out the expiration date, please.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I didn’t think I liked kimchi because my only experience with it is store bought or from a restaurant. My Korean friends have told me that home made kimchi is so much better but I’ve always been scared of the fermenting process. Your video made it less scary and now I will never get store bought kimchi again! I could already tell how much more flavorful it would be just by tasting the seasoning paste. I let it ferment overnight and this morning I tried a piece. I couldn’t believe how rich and meaty it tasted. I’ve never been able to just eat kimchi alone with a bowl of rice, but this recipe is so flavorful I see myself eating it that way in the future. My husband loves kimchi but is vegan, so I made another batch omitting the shrimp and fish sauce. I made kelp broth for the porridge and soy sauce in place of fish sauce. It’s just as delicious as the traditional version, and better than the vegan kimchi from the store. He loves it! Thank you again!
hi, i am laila from the philippines. i want to show you my version of your recipe, it is really delicious. i did share it to friends and they loved it and asking for more lol. thank you for sharing your recipes
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Yes, mouthwatering kimchi!
how to use pear juice instead of porridge?
I love this kimchi recipe ♡ i made already so much times
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I love this kimchi recipe ♡
Hi Maangchi!
I’ve been reading all your korean recipes and decided to make the Napa Cabbage Kimchi. It turned out great except for one thing, my paste has a bitter after taste. Is that normal for freshly made kimchi?
I used our local radish here in the Philippines instead of the Korean radish or Daikon since it was not available here.
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This is my first batch.
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Your paste was bitter? I don’t know why. Maybe taste your hot pepper flakes to see if they are bitter. By the way, your kimchi looks delicious!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I had no idea that homemade would be so much better than store bought. I am two-thirds of the way through my first batch and am looking forward to trying daikon kimchi next!
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Hello,
Did you make it your self? or with friends? What did you think was the most important tool to make kimchi?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Yong
It looks great! And so cute you used the plant in the background to make a better photo.
Hi, I’m Regina from Malaysia
I have some question about fermenting kimchi
Once I have done I put in a plastic container do I have to fill up the whole container with no space or with some space on top of it?
Do I need to open it up to turn it up and down during the fermenting process?
How can I avoid kimchi to turn out tasting like have some gas taste?
Hope to get your reply
Thanks
First time making kimchi.
Thank you very much for your recipe Maangchi!
I’ll make more recipes soon. ♥
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Your first time kimchi making turned out successful! Congratulations!
You are my favorite Korean cook, Maangchi! Have been your fan for a looong time!
Here is my kimchi I made!
I am vegetarian, and avoided the fish sauce, It came out delicious!
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Wow, your kimchi looks professionally made! : ) It needs some intravenous feed? lol
That’s interesting you made vegetarian kimchi, great!
when salting the cabbage a lot of water comes out, do I throw it away or just add all into the kimchi?
You have to wash and rinse the salty cabbage to remove excess salt and dirt, and strain. Just follow the recipe, please!
Thank you very much Maangchi for the recipe! We use natural liquid seasoning instead of fish sauce and soy sauce instead of the fermented shrimps. Fantastic kimchi – we love it!
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Hey guys,
What do you guys think the most important tool needed to make kimchi? I think it’s your hands but I want to hear it from you guys. Thanks!
first time making kimchi
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Congratulations! Now you can make many different kinds of dishes with your fermented kimchi!
Good morning Maangchi, I hope you’re doing well.
Long ago and far away, I worked with a Korean girl. We were shop girls together. She would bring in her grandmother’s kimchi, and it was so good! She told me how her grandmother would make it in huge buckets. My friend would bring in a slow cooker and make soup for everyone, and many times she added some home made kimchi…. Happy memories! Since then, I’ve wanted to learn how to make traditional kimchi, and now I know how!
Question – I am Jewish and keep a kosher home, so I am unable to use shrimp. I was wondering if I could use anchovies or anchovy paste instead. I can find kosher fish sauce, but I need to figure out what to do about the shrimps.
Thank you!
Hello, Hadster:
I am a home-cook who makes his own kimchi from time to time, and, I have to say, Maangchi‘s recipe is one of the best that I have ever seen. I love the fact that, for example, you can either eat it freshly made or wait a few days – if you can wait that long! I am using Maangchi‘s receipt today myself.
Now, on to your question about the fish element of kimchi and, whilst a lot of kimchi recipes do contain some sort of fish element (often in the form of shrimp or oysters, neither of which is suitable for someone observing the Jewish dietary laws), a lot of recipes do not contain any fish whatsoever. Obviously, if you’re making the kimchi for a vegan (or a vegetarian who does not eat fish), you’ll leave out the fish element, as well. What the fish element brings to the finished product is a slight, salty-savory undertone (what the Japanese call ‘umami’), but it is not a dominant flavor in the kimchi, so it’s not the end of the world if you don’t want to add any fish element to the dish.
If you do want to add a fish element to the dish, definitely consider adding a fillet or two of tinned anchovies to the ingredients that make up the spicy paste that you use to coat the cabbage (I’m looking at a tin of them in my pantry right now and they don’t contain anything that, to my knowledge, would render them non-kosher – it’s just the anchovies themselves, sunflower oil and salt). I’ve also consulted a couple of lists published by Orthodox organizations and they accept anchovies as a kosher fish.
No doubt you’ll want to check the kosher status of anchovies for yourself (rather than relying on a stranger via the internet), but, in any event, if you want to keep the fish element of the dish but don’t want to break your dietary laws, anchovies might be the way to go for you.
Good luck in the kitchen!
Eòghann
Hi Maangi! Hope you are doing well (: I was wondering if I could use the fermented shrimp sauce AND raw oysters or should I stick to using just one or the other?
Maangchi, your recipes are so amazing. My husband and I met while we were stationed in Korea and I love being able to make all of our favorite Korean meals here in America. Thank you! Your kimchi is a must-have in our house!
Will try out my onggi)
Thank you for your great recipes!
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My kimchi. It’s super yummy. I gave a jar to my sister in law, along with your kimchi guk recipe. I made it for her once before and she loved it. So she asked me for the recipe this time. Also I’m giving a jar to my dad. He loves my homemade kimchi. Your recipe is my favorite that I’ve made. I will certainly be making more when this batch runs out.
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Your kimchi looks well-fermented! That means that you can make kimchi soup, kimchi stew, and so many other side dishes! It sounds like your whole family got involved with Korean food these days. : )
Continued good luck with your Korean cooking!
Yes! I got a few family members into Korean food. My dad and I do a Korean cooking night once in a while. We have made several of your recipes. Japchae, cheese buldak, korean potato salad, oi muchim. I have also made your bok choy doenjang muchim, doenjang jjigae, gaji namul, eomuk bokkeum, kalguksu, jjajangbap, kimchijeon, and hotteok. There are still many of your recipes on my list to try as well. (:
Ooo what a great recipe! I always make a little extra paste so i can add other veggies down the road! Extra peppers or cucumbers or carrots? Into the onggi they go so they can dancing around for a bit!
Here is the picture!
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Wow, mouthwatering!
Hi Maangchi and everyone!
I was wandering, my kimchi has over a year now and it sits in a fridge all the time. How would I know if it’s gone bad?
Check out the top of your kimchi. If it’s brown or has any white fungus, just remove that part. As long as the kimchi underneath is red, you can eat it. The top might be oxidized but the kimchi underneath is fine.
Love it ♡♡ my boyfriend was shocked. He asked “how did you make it not even korean girls can make it so good xD
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That’s awesome to hear you got a compliment from your boyfriend like that! Congratulations!
My daughter and I made this recipe a couple of months ago. It’s was so fun to do this together. The recipe was great! We used the shrimp paste and fish sauce. We’ve shared some with neighbors and they also have loved it.
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OMG this kimchi looks so good! It looks like it was made by a Korean housewife who has been making kimchi for decades! Clap clap!
My kimchi is too watery when I only use 1 cup of gochugaru instead of 2 cups. But 2 cups is too spicy. What should I do?
Watery kimchi is not a problem but if you really want it drier, you can try salting the cabbage a little longer and squeezing out the moisture before making kimchi with it.
Hmm… that’s good advice to start, but I I think maybe I should try making my porridge thicker too. Thanks, though, Maangchi! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Just finished making kimchi. Can’t wait for it to ferment. I have leftover radish so I am probably going to make kkakdugi as well.
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Probably your kimchi has fermented by now! It looks great!
Dear Maangchi, thank you so much for learning me to make kimchi! My fridge is usually stashed now with my own homemade kimchi. I even got compliment from a friend that used tot live in Korea for a while. So I am absolutely happy. I do have a question though. There are some people warning me that ‘bad bacteria’ may grow while fermenting at room temperature, meaning that the onggi or jar, and even the ingredients have to be thoroughly desinfected before storing the kimchi. Otherwise you could get very sick. Have you heard of that?
Don’t worry, fermentation is a natural process which is an alternative to cooking, in order to preserve foods for longer periods, like in winter. Just like cheese, yogurt and some tofu preparations. Just look for ‘good bacterias’ on Internet.
Hi Maangchi,
How my kimchi turn to sour? What should i do?
This happened to me the first time as well, after leaving it three days outside.
Depending on your location, the fermentation process could take about two to three days (cold weather). After that, it will begin souring rapidly, due to too much fermentation..
Usually, you should taste it every few hours after the two first days, and then store it in the fridge when it’s up to your taste. Comes out perfect for me.
The fermentation continues though. Mine started bubbling inside the fridge, a few days ago, after more than a month.
I love kimchi…and I tried it using your recipe….except few things like shrimp…I managed to add everything….and it turned out awesome….my hubby said it tasted exactly like what it was in Korea….Thank you Maangchi….hoping to try more Korean recipes soon….
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Congratulations! From now on, you can make your own kimchi! It looks awesome!
Hi Maangchi! Thank you for this GREAT website!
I really love Korean food and your website and videos are a blessing!
I especially love kinchi and try to make it as often as I can. BUT being Jewish I had some difficulty with the ingredients.
So ! I have some questions. PLEASE HELP!!
– I can not use seafood (doto religion) SO – What can I use instead of shrimp? (regular fish are ok)
– In Israel it is not easy to find Nappa cabbage so I used regular white cabbage but I have been told the taste is not the same! How can I fix it?
Thank you so much forthe help!
I would also like to hear your suggestions for alternatives to shrimp. Thanks in advance!
You can check this out:
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/yangbaechu-kimchi
This kimchi is absolutely fantastic in its pure form, but making it in smaller batches I’ve often had disastrous results, mostly with it being too salty or watery. Of course, I didn’t have a scale when i made them, so I may have better luck next time.
Would you consider making a scaled down version in the future?
Nevermind, I its been a while a while since I last checked and https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/baechu-geotjeori seems to be what I’m looking for. :)
Hi Maangchi! First of all, thanks for this recipe. I really enjoyed making this today. I’ve only recently acquired the taste for kimchi and have been buying them from the store when I could (and they tend to be pricey in small quantities) but then I always feel like something is lacking from store-bought ones, or even from Korean restaurants I’ve been to.
I really love the color, taste, and spiciness of your recipe! However, my mom seems to think it’s almost a bit too salty. I read from your forum to add radish discs to dilute, but can I also add another pound of brined napa cabbage tomorrow since I only just made this today?
… now if only I can find an onggi somewhere… ^____^
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I finally made it! I love Kimchi so much. I was always buying Mother In Law’s Kimchi but it was just getting too expansive for me. So I figured I should give it a try at home. It took me a while to get some of the ingredients. But it was worth it! Homemade is the best! I have it fermenting in the fridge right now. The smell as your making this so refreshing to me. This was my first time making Kimchi and It was super easy to make too. I can’t wait to dig in! Thanks Maangchi!
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Regarding Kimchi, I recommend one other book besides Maangchi’s – I mention it here because it’s from the founder of “Mother in Law’s”!
https://www.amazon.com/Kimchi-Cookbook-Traditional-Modern-Ways/dp/1607743353/
I own and use it, too.
Thanks! I will be checking that book out! :D
Ok, third time I’ve made it. This time made a small batch and yes, I have it in my onggi pot. We will see how long it lasts. My husband loves this so much. I made the mistake of making your recipe and now store bought kimchi is out of the question. For those of you living in the South, H-mart is your best and freshest source for all things Korean.
“store bought kimchi is out of the question”
That’s right! : )