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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April,
yes, you can skip hot pepper flakes if you can’t eat spicy food. We call it white kimchi (baek kimchi)
Hi Maangchi, I had posted you this question but I think you must have missed out. My question is can I do this without the hot pepper flakes ? I cannot take the spiciness. Meaning kimchi with all the ingredient mentioned except for hot pepper flakes ? Will it turn still the same taste ? except for spiciness ?
mina,
You can use any ingredients more or less according to your taste from my recipe. Don’t give up! : )
hi again, it’s the korean-american living in denmark. thanks so much for this recipe! the kimchi that i’ve had in restaurants here has been lacking… not to mention expensive. so i managed to find a “china cabbage” and “china radish” as they call them here and i made my own kimchi. it doesn’t taste as good as my grandma’s but it’s tasty and helping my homesickness. thanks again! (:
Kyung Min,
Yes, kimchi recipe is different depending on regions. If you are not accustomed to the oyster flavor, skip it. I like it, so I use it. : ) Thank you for your questions!
Hi Maangchi!
I watched you make the kimchi and noticed that you put oysters in it. Is this step necessary? I watch my grandmother make it once and she didn’t put any. Is it just for flavor?
-Kyung Min
Kimberly,
I have never seen Korean dessert using kimchi and milk. Why don’t you leave your question on the forum here
https://www.maangchi.com/talk/forum/general-discussion
Someone else may know about the food.
Hi!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My family really enjoys the kimchi I make!
I was wondering if there was some type of dessert that uses kimchi and milk. Because my brother told me that his Korean friends had something that had kimchi and milk in it. Apparently they said it was delicious. And if there is a such thing I want the recipe since I’m curious about it. :]
sarina,
Your English is good!
I know I can see so many scenes related to food in Korean dramas. Make your kimchi and let me know how it turns out.
hai maangchi, I’m from malaysia. Like the other member, I’m also the fan of korean food because it spicy n hot.. I like that kind of food. I’m also the korean drama’s fan, most of k.drama i’ve seen, always show the korean’s delicios food.. From there I’m starting to like korean food. Firstly, I’d like to try make kimchi, and thanks god, I’ve found you’re youtube videos. Actually I had a lot of question, but after I read this blog, I think I can make it… Fighty! ;-) (sorry, my english is not to good, hope that you can understand a litle he,he,he)
Anonymous,
If the taste is ok for you, it’s ok. Why not? But someday use hot pepper flakes and compare the difference.
Peter L,
Just follow my video and written recipe. At the beginning, I just soak cabbage in cold water for seconds so that it could salt easily. Then I sprinkle salt each leave of cabbage directly.
Hi. I just started making Kimchi using your recipe. The first batch I made tasted kind of bland. I am not exactly sure what the problem is. But I think I soaked the cabbage into too much water. Can you please tell me how much water should the cabbage be soaked into. Thank you!!!!
I used crushed pepper flakes by mistake instead of hot pepper flakes!! Is my kimchi ruined? Thank you for your wonderful videos.
Hi Maangchi, can I do this without the hot pepper flakes ? I cannot take the spiciness. Meaning kimchi with all the ingredient mentioned except for hot pepper flakes ? Will it turn still the same taste ? except for spiciness ?
kristine,
wow! good news! you have made a lot of delicious Korean food! I love radish soup. It’s very easy to make! isn’t it?
I would like to see the food you make. : )
Hi Maangchi,
I made radish kimchi and big pot of beef with radish soup today and they both turned out yummy!
I also made soon du bu jigge and soybean paste soup with vegetables, and jjampong. I am having lots of fun with your cooking video and receipe. Thank you, I have been eating well lately.
Kim C
8 hours working to make kimchi, yes, it takes long time!
Lily,
I’m happy to hear that your kimchi turned out good! Yes, chop chop chop cooking time! : )
Hello Maangchi…i am lily from Singapore i made kimchi last week and it turned out same taste as homemade kimchi that i bought at korean mart.Thank you very much for this wonderful web,i’ll definitely try your other recipes soon.Your video made beginner cook like me want to cook,interesting and entertaining at the same time especially when you cut ^ ^.
hello Lily,
I am from Singapore too… I want to ask did you put your kim chi in our room temperature to ferment and how many days? Our weather is a little higher than the usual summer in US ? Did you sterilize your container for fermentation or is that not required? Please share your experience! :)
hi Dejuvu,
I only read ur comment today,I put the kimchi in room temperature for 3 days and after that I kept in the fridge.I used a kind of Lock&lock container without sterilization but the kimchi still good after 1 month ,that’s my experience.I’m thinking to make it again now
I think I have the answer, I tried eating the radish, but it’s sweet (it’s supposed to anyway, haha), then I tried eating the garlic and A-ha! the bitterness came from there, I used quite a lot and I used a blender to grind up all the ingredients, so the juice from the garlic “contaminate” everything else. I had to start all over again but I didn’t have enough sauce..blah blah blah, I worked for 8 hrs today.. 4 – 12 making kimchi, lol, it’s a failure this time but I’ve succeed the previous trial. Just wanna say how thankful I am for all the recipes you’ve shared.
Kim C
I don’t know why your kimchi turns out bitter. Did you use Korean radish? I have no idea because I have never heard that radish is bitter. It helps your kimchi be more tasty. Leave your question on the forum. Someone else may give you some good answer.
Hi Maangchi!! This is urgent! The first time I made kimchi using ur recipe, I didn’t use korean radish/daikon and it turned out just fine. However, I’m remaking it for the 2nd time today, and I added the radish (Shredded!!) and now it is bitter!! I tried adding a bit more sugar but it’s still somewhat bitter. Is there a way I can change this? Should I just wash it and start over with the sauce?? ( I haven’t spread it on the cabbages yet) I’m not sure what to do @_@ My family really liked the first batch I made. Thanks for reading!
Jasmine,
I’ve just copied my answer on this page and pasted it here for you. If you keep hot pepper flakes in the freezer, it lasts months and months.
“You should buy good quality of hot pepper flakes. When you go to a Korean grocery store, find the beautiful red color hot pepper flakes. Some hot pepper flakes look dark red which is not good.”
Hi Maangchi, how long does red pepper last for? I used some recently but I think they’ve gone stale because my kimchi didn’t taste that great. Also, the red pepper is a very dark color, but still dry.
Angelica,
Thanks a lot. I am going to post more kimchi recipes. As you know kimchi could be made with so many different kinds of vegetables, but the recipes are a little different.
Rhyne,
hoho, you are getting addicted to Kimchi now. : )
Hello Maangchi, i am currently living in Japan for a while and i first learned how to “eat” kimchi here in Japan, until my hubby told me it was originated in Korea. As i was browsing the internet on how to get a kimchi recipe i saw then i watched your kimchi making on youtube. Actually there were several vids on making kimchi but yours was the best recipe. I love eating kimchi. Thanks for sharing with us your recipe. Im a big fan now ;)
Hi maangchi!!
I am totally in love with your videos and recipes! And i have to say, this kimchi recipe is AWESOME!! I’m gonna save this recipe until the day i die <3
fran,
don’t worry about the brownish kimchi liquid. It’s natural. Press the top of kimchi down with your hand or spatula so that the top part of kimchi wouldn’t dry.
“dissolved the salt (1 cup) in 1/2 gallon water and soaked the cabbage (5 pounds) in it for 4 hours.”
That’s not my recipe. Please read my recipe again and watch my video. I don’t dissolve salt in water to salt cabbage. I just sprinkle it to cabbage directly. Don’t forget the amount of kimchi I made in this video is for 2 heads of medium size napa cabbage and 2 medium size of radish (radish kimchi).
Practice makes perfect. Homemade kimchi is the best.
Don’t give up! : )
Hi Maangchi,
May I ask you a question?
I made my first attempt on making kimchi 2 days ago and encountered a problem. Unlike those I bought from korean grocery store, the kimchi liquid appears to be brownish like soy sauce color instead of red. And the taste of the cabbage is salty instead of sour. I followed your recipe, so I wondered if this is what a homemade kimchi is supposed to taste (I may have no idea since all this time I’ve always been buying it) or if I may have done something wrong. I dissolved the salt (1 cup) in 1/2 gallon water and soaked the cabbage (5 pounds) in it for 4 hours.
I’m really looking forward to your response.
And by the way, I’d like to thank you for sharing your recipes. They really help me in leading a healthy lifestyle. :)
Jackie,
I am going to post the recipe soon. Thank you!
I love Mung bean starch jelly salad (cheong po mook moo chim)but have not had it in years (10 years). I hope to find the mung bean jelly next time I go to Korean market. Can you send me recipe.
Thanks Maangchi. I’ll try doing that when I make my next batch of kimchi.
You are a really good cook and is not selfish in sharing authentic recipes. Have a good day.
Ken,
Yes, I think keeping kimchi at room temperature in tropical area for 2 days is too long. Next time why don’t you put your kimchi at room temperature for just 12 hours-24 hours before putting it in the refrigerator?
Even though your radish kimchi looks dry, don’t worry. After eating, be sure to turn over and press it down the kimchi with a spoon so the wet kimchi goes on top.
Glutinous rice powder is sweet rice powder.
Hi Maangchi,
Happy New Year to you. I wrote to you last month. I am very happy my kimchi turned out well. There is no problem in substituting red hot pepper flakes with ret hot pepper or red chili powder as we call it here in Malaysia. For the sweet rice flour, I used glutinous rice powder. In Malaysia we use glutinous rice besides pure rice powder to make rice cakes. I realized that I have to add a substantial amount of chili powder to thicken my kimchi paste which I mentioned to you was watery.
Is it normal for the kimchi to turn very sour even when refrigerating after 2 days in tropical room temperature?
About 1/3 of my kaktugi is not submerged in the liquid. Could this spoil the fermentation? It smells rather pungent when the lid is removed. But not bad when you sniff it at close range. Is this normal?
Thanks for your reply, I will find out where to get some good quality hot pepper flakes! I can probably buy the ones you’ve pictured on this site, because I live in Toronto.
I also have a reply for some of the other posters, who found that their cabbage or radish was too salty:
I also found that my cabbage and radish were salty, even after washing them several times. So I soaked them in cold water for about an hour, and then washed again. They were no longer salty. Just remember to taste your ingredients before adding the kimchi paste and you will be fine!
Michlerish,
I don’t know. You should buy good quality of hot pepper flakes. When you go to a Korean grocery store, find the beautiful red color hot pepper flakes. Some hot pepper flakes look dark red which is not good.