Kimchi is a staple of Korean life and many Koreans include it in their meals three times a day. You can eat it by itself, or use it in so many different Korean recipes. When Koreans make kimchi, they make an effort to make the best kimchi possible and include many regional ingredients.
Today I will show you how to make a traditional-style kimchi with oysters, and we’ll also make radish kimchi (“kkakdugi”) with the same kimchi paste, which saves us from having to make these two kinds of kimchi separately. This is how I make kimchi and kkaktugi, because I need both in my house, but you might be interested in my “easy kimchi” (mak kimchi) recipe if you don’t have a lot of time, or in my kakdugi recipe if you want to make only kakdugi, or make my traditional napa cabbage kimchi recipe by itself if that’s all you need. Also, if you don’t like oysters, you can leave them out.
Many people think you have to wait for kimchi to be fermented before eating, but personally I prefer to eat fresh kimchi, as soon as I make it. And I like to make stew (kimchi-jjigae) out of older kimchi.
Ingredients
- 2 large size napa cabbages (about 8 pounds: 3.6 kg) and 2 Korean radishes (about 4-5 pounds: 2 kg)
- 1½ cup of kosher salt
- ½ cup sweet rice flour, ¼ cup sugar, water
- 4 cups of Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 cup fish sauce,
- 1 medium sized onion, minced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup of fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbs minced ginger
- 7 stalks of green onions, chopped diagonally
- 2 cups worth Buchu (Asian chives), chopped,
- 2 cups of matchstick-cut radish
- fresh oysters (optional)
Directions
- Cut the cabbages in half, and then slit each half through the core, but not through the rest of the leaves.
- Soak each piece in cold water and sprinkle salt over the each leaf , and then set it aside for 2 hours.
*tip: the stems should get more salt than the leaves - Peel 2 kg of Korean radishes and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Do this by cutting them into several disks, and then cutting horizontally, and then vertically. Put them in a big bowl and sprinkle them with ¼ cup of kosher salt. Then set these aside, too.
- 2 hours later, turn the pieces of cabbage over so they get salted evenly. Turn the radishes as well.
- Another 2 hours later, you will see the cabbage look softer than before, and it should have shrunk.
*the total salting process will take 4 hours - Rinse the salted cabbage and radish with cold water 3 times.
Making Kimchi paste:
Make porridge
- Put ½ cup of sweet rice flour and 3 cups of water into a skillet and mix them up. Then cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- When you see some bubbles, pour ¼ cup of sugar into the porridge and stir one more minute. Then cool it down.
- Place the cold porridge into a big bowl. Now you will add all your ingredients one by one.
- Add fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, crushed garlic, ginger, and onion
*tip: it’s much easier to use a food processor. - Add green onions, Asian chives, and radish.
- Add 2 cups of frozen oysters, but this is optional. (I found out lots of people can’t eat them.)
- Mix all ingredients well.
Are you ready to spread our paste on the leaves and make your kaktugi?
* I recommend you wear rubber gloves so that you don’t irritate your skin.
- Spread the kimchi paste onto each leaf of the cabbage, and make a good shape out of the leaves by slightly pressing with both hands.
- Put it into an air- tight sealed plastic container or glass jar.
- Mix your leftover paste with your radish cubes to make kkakdugi.
You can eat it fresh right after making or wait until it’s fermented. Put the Kimchi container at room temperature for 1 or 2 days and keep it in the refrigerator.
How do you know it’s fermented or not?
One or 2 days after, open the lid of the Kimchi container. You may see some bubbles with lots of liquids, or maybe sour smells. That means it’s already being fermented.
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Hi Maangchi!
My korean friend made bok choy kimchi, and said it was good. Have you tried making kimchi with bok choy??
I have never made kimchi with bok choy, but will try it out later. I’m wondering if it will still be crunchy after it ferments.
Hi Maangchi,
I finially made kimchi last nite but it turns out to be very sweet and not salty or sour enough. Do I need to wait to add something to fix it?
Thanks a lot maangchi
Linh
Congratulation on making your own kimchi!
You made your kimchi last night! If you like sour taste kimchi, put your kimchi jar at room temperature and wait for a few days until it ferments.
If your kimchi is too bland for your taste, add more salt. Bland kimchi can be fixed easily by adding salt or fish sauce.
It’s too sweet? Use less sugar when you make next batch of kimchi later.
Thank you Maangchi,
I added salt and I am waiting impatiently for it to get sour :) Thanks a lot for your receipe :) I really enjoyed it
I will remember to use less sugar next time :D Thanks a lot Maangchi
Also,
Maangchi:
Japanese use perilla in some of their pickle recipes, for instance the umeboshi plum, among many others.
do you have any way/recipes to use this ingredient in pickles?
I have some growing here from my travels to japan and korea and found the ingredient so interesting of a new flavor that I named one of my cats “Shiso”.
Thank you very much for your comments,
Max
and which ingredient is it in the paste that reacts with the vegetables to help them ferment?
I have a question to the great wizard of all pickles:
I put apple/pear in bulgogi, and used cooking apples to sweeten brine for cucumber pickles,
but is it wise or unwise to use fruit (pureed uncooked apples) in a kimchee or pickle recipe as part of the paste ?..
Max
adding pureed apples or pears to your kimchi paste is a brilliant idea.
One Korean lady on a documentary actually put water on the hot pepper flakes. Along with other ingredients she made the Kimchi paste. No flour or mochiko. She also put in Salty shrimp paste and Fish sauce. Finally she cut the kaktugi into strips instead of cubes.
Yeah the stripped kimchi is called Mu sang chae, and usually not fermented, so it is more like a salad.
There are many variations in making kimchi, and each family is different, and each province is different. Also there are 180 + types of kimchi, and not counting the “salads”.
Actually the strips of radish was a part of the paste so maybe that’s why.
Ahh if it part of the paste, then yeah everything gets fermented later. :) Man this is making me hungry!
I always use ur kimchi recipe to do my kimchi its always a HIT ! ^^ But this time i made kagtuggi, and I think I fermented them too long because Kimchi is PERFECT (like it is usually) but kagtuggi has some kind of white powder on it is it normal?
I also used green onions and didn`t have Chives and it still turned out yummy thanks
You are a smart cook! : ) Yes, I use green onions when I don’t have buchu (Asian chives), too.
Congratulation on your successful Kimchi making!
Hello Maangchi! I made your Kimchi about 3 hours ago and it`s very tasty. I`ve made it before and it came out way too spicy and went bad a week later due to not knowing how to store it and washing it and putting it back into the jar. But today I made it and it was great! My mom thinks it very spicy but loves it I also used 2 pears with 1/2cup or Rice Flour it was a sweet paste and I mixed in 1/4 cup of chili powder (I used Indian Chili Powder because that’s all my mom uses to cook she’s American and my dad’s Indian) Next time I will try Korean Chili Powder. any way I wanted to thank you for your recipes and to tell you I tried again =)
Thanks
Hi Manngchi,
Can the remaining paste be used for some other dish later if i keep in the fridge?
Hi,
Keep the leftover paste in the freezer and when you make your next batch of kimchi, thaw it out and use it.
Kimchi paste is usually not used in any other side dishes because it contains fish sauce.
If you want, you can add some to your doenjangguk (cabbage soup with soybean paste). I have not posted my doenjangguk recipe yet though. It will be posted soon anyway.
Can I use frozen squid instead if I can’t find oyster?
Yes, I think so. Chop or shred the thawed squid and put it into the kimchi paste. When kimchi ferments, the squid will ferment, too. Delicious!
Thanks Maangchi. I have korean Cookbooks and some of them said to use pear as well while making Kimchi.Is this possible?
yes, if you use a pear for your kimchi paste,you don’t need to make porridge. Crush pear and add hot pepper flakes, fish sauce,…
Hi Maangchi,
If I make kimchi with 1 medium size Napa Cabbage, do I use half of everything (ingredients & vegetables) on your recipe?
Thank you.
of course you will have to decrease the amount of all ingredients. I did not measure the Napa cabbages when I made this video recipe, so I don’t know the right answer.
hi maangchi, can i use shrimp paste instead of oyster?
yes, you can, but the shrimp paste is very salty. Use a little amount.
hi maangchi how to making kimchi without oyter pls relay for me thanks
just skip oysters. Your kimchi will still be good!
hi maangchi i made my kimchi and im going post pics of it soon but is ok that i put it right in the refridgerator i dont like my kimchi sour so i wasnt sure what to do and the radish kimchi came out really saltly is there anything i can do about it? also the dried anchovies how do i store them so they do go bad or anything? do they go bad?
Yes, of course you can put your kimchi in the refrigerator right after making it.
Sorry to hear that your radish kimchi turns out salty. If you have more radish, cut it into cubes and add to the salty radish kimchi directly. Add more hot pepper flakes if you want.
Keep the dried anchovies in the freezer. They never go bad in the freezer. Whenever you need, take some and put the leftover back to the freezer.
Hello Maangchi,
I bought a bottled kimchi and it has a bitter aftertaste. Can I still do something about it, or shall I throw it away? :(
I don’t know why the kimchi is bitter, but I would not throw it away.
First ferment the kimchi by leaving the kimchi jar outside the refrigerator for a couple of days. Then make kimchi stew! Kimchi will run out fast if you make kimchi stew. Wash and drain the fermented kimchi and make kimchi stew. Add more hot pepper paste or hot pepper flakes and some sugar according to your taste. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchi-chigae-kongnamool
Next time try out my recipe and make your own kimchi.
Thanks for the reply. Will try those :D
Hi Maangchi,
I made kimchi and kaktugi today! I can’t wait to eat it with a bowl of rice. I will upload pics tomorrow.
I wish I could have made it but I had a prior engagement that day ㅠㅠ
I was just curious if anyone else has made kimchi this way; sometimes instead of using rice flour, I use a half a small potato (pureed of course) for my starch.
hi maanghi i was wondering do i need the white onion cause i didnt pick one up yesterday with u and the group if i do need it i will go pick it up before i make my kimchi today
Just skip it. I’m sure it will still be delicious without onion!
I hope your first batch of kimchi making in your life turns out great! I’m going to blog about our meetup soon.
Hi Manngchi,
Here’s the picture of the kimchi I made following your lovely recipe.
감사합니다!! :-)
Picture url @ http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/4041923295_41829199c9_o.jpg
Elaine!
Wow, your kimchi looks so good!
I posted the photo on the photo page.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25668526@N07/4043761919/in/pool-maangchi
Thanks Maangchi, that was my first batch.
I made my 2nd batch last nite :)
No more buying small jars of expensive kimchi which I can finish in a day! :P
Thanks once again :)
Thank you Maangchi! I just ran down to my Korean market, got all the stuff and made a batch. I like my Kimchi sour, so I will have to wait and find out if I succeeded, but so far it looks, and tastes, like I’m on the right track.
yay! You are on the right track! lol My fingers are crossed! Good luck!
Hello Maangchi,
just watched your video on youtube which make me want to try out your recipe right away. English is not my first language and I don’t live in the US. So can you tell me what’s the difference between chili powder and pepper powder. I used to think they are the same.
I want to make a vegetarian variation of your recipe for my mum. Can I use soja sauce instead of fish sauce?
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
You can modify the recipe to your taste, but I like to let you know that we don’t use soy sauce in kimchi. But if you want, try it out. I hope it turns out good. Korean hot pepper flakes and chili powder are different. Someone left a comment under this kimchi recipe recently. She used chili powder in her kimchi.
She said, “the taste with the ‘chili powder’ turned out fine; two-three tablespoons was already hot enough for me (but I am not used to spicy food so I wouldn’t be surprised if it were about as hot as korean chili flakes).”
when salting the cabbage and radish, r u using regular table salt or is that pickling salt??
I use either table salt or kosher salt. For me there is no difference between kinds.
Anyo Ha Sayo! I love kimchi! I live in West Virginia now and there are not any Korean BBQ restaurants:( I am craving Galbi Gui and kimchi everyday! When I lived in Fort Hood, Texas I ate Korean food all day everyday… My favorite food of all!
Maangchi,
I have never made korean food. My korean coworker says that we have to keep the kimchi in a cool dark place for 3 months before its ready. I don’t see that reflected here. Can you please comment?
Also, is it okay for me to cut the cabbage into bite size pieces before putting it in a jar so that its easier when I want to eat it?
Thanks.
I already mentioned how to keep kimchi and when to eat it in the recipe.
You can eat kimchi right after making it if you like fresh kimchi. If you want fermented sour taste kimchi, keep it at room temperature for a couple of days until it starts fermenting, then transfer the kimchi container to the fridge.
Yes, it will be ok to cut your kimchi into bite size before putting it into a jar.
Heya Maangchi!!!!!!!! Omg ur a genius…. i lately seen a korean tv show and i just fell in love with how the korean food looks like… i cant wait to test all ur recipes =D
yes, please test my recipes and update me. : )
oysters sound so good!
where do you get them??
I buy it at a Korean grocery store.
Can I make kimchi with regular round american cabbage with the same recipe as for napa/chinese cabbage?
Yes, I think so. If you use regular cabbage to make kimchi, you will have to chop it because the texture of regular cabbage is firmer than napa cabbage.
I will test out kimchi with pure chilli pepper, I hope it turns out good (I tasted it and it’s not a mexican spice mix or something like that)
Are the asian chives and green onions just for the taste so I can leave them out?
yay! My fingers are crossed, too! : )
You can skip buchu (asian chives) and green onions, but I hope you can use green onions at least. It’s one of important ingredients for kimchi.
It’s me again, I just finished making my kimchi (and yes I added green onion!), now it’s in its container waiting to be fermented. I think that I added a bit too much wheat flour (couldn’t find mochiko) to my chili paste, so its color is not as bright red as yours, and I am afraid it doesn’t cover all my cabbage with liquid (although all my cabbage is covered with the sauce). How can I solve this, do I need to? If you want to I can post a picture of my kimchi.
by the way, the taste with the ‘chili powder’ turned out fine; two-three tablespoons was already hot enough for me (but I am not used to spicy food so I wouldn’t be surprised if it were about as hot as korean chili flakes).
Hey Maangchi thanks for the recipe!
I’m just wondering, do we use hot pepper flakes or hot pepper powder to make the kimchi?
(In the video it says ‘powder’ but on the recipe, it’s written ‘flakes’)
You can use either flakes or powder. I use hot pepper flakes.
I think you are very cool maangchi,
Can you tell me where/ how to buy the fresh oysters??
max,
I get it at a Korean grocery store.
Hi, Recipe looks great! Except I’m vegetarian – can I remove the Fish sauce?
Skip fish sauce, it will still be delicious!
Hi Maangchi,
I wanted to make kimchi but I realised that I dont have red pepper flake, sweet rice flour and raw oyster. Is it okay if I make kimchi with chilli powder, corn flour and no raw oyster? I am afraid that it wont give the same taste :(
Thank you Maangchi
You can skip raw oysters. How about using plain all purpose flour instead of corn flour? And I’m not sure about chili powder, but try it out and let me know it turns out good or not.
Hey Maangchi^^
I used to make kimchi with my Mom all the time. Now that I jumped out of the nest and don’t have all that much time to making kimchi I’ve just accepted buying it… I know, I know. But an super uber secret family recipe of ours, which I’m not sure how secret it is, is to substitute any flower for boiled potato. I use about half a small potato for a small batch. I was just curious if anybody else does this.
one more question, maybe :), lol…I have transfered the kimchi into jars and
it is now in the fridge…does it need to be submersed in the liquid or
is it ok with lots of air spaces between the cabbage? Also I made the
daikon as you did in the video and it is really salty, is there anything I can
do to reduce it? Thanks again for your time…carlyn
If your kimchi has lots of juice, as I said, press it down with a spoon so that your kimchi will be immersed in juice, but if your kimchi doesn’t have much juice, I recommend using a container that fits your kimchi exactly.
To reduce saltiness of your daikon kimchi, put more daikon cubes into the salty kimchi.
I didn’t realize how much juice it had until I pressed down with the spoon, it is perfect. The flavor is so amazing, I am scared I may become a kimchi addict!
Thanks Carlyn
Maangchi
I made your kimchi recipe a couple of days ago and I noticed some bubbles, but
more like an airbubble or two that have come up. Very few. I am wondering if
the kimchi has to be submersed in brine completely and how long I can leave it
out for. My house is quite cold as well, should I be putting it in a warmer place?
Thanks, I have tested it twice and it is delicious although not really sour yet.
Carlyn
I think your kimchi is already being fermented. It’s time for you to put it in the refrigerator. Press down the top of kimchi in the container with a spoon whenever you take some. It will prevent your kimchi from being exposed to air.
thanks, I will put it in the fridge right away! Thanks for your
wonderful recipe…carlyn :)