Hi everybody!
In this video I’m showing you a method I developed to make kimchi simply and easily. It’s faster and easier because I skip the porridge-making step, I use common cabbage instead of napa cabbage, and I don’t use oysters or fermented squid.

Why? Because this is an emergency! : )

Total time to make this kimchi is 30 minutes. If you have fast hands, it might be 20-25 minutes.

Most people know that traditional, authentic kimchi is made with napa cabbage (in Korean: “baechu”). While I travel, I sometimes see napa cabbage sold at local markets, but it’s not available in many countries. So when I want kimchi when I travel I make it with common cabbage (in Korean: “yangbaechu”). I know others have also been experimenting with this.

It’s a recipe that I developed over numerous trips to countries where napa cabbage wasn’t available. Which is why I call it “emergency kimchi.”

You could use this recipe when you need to make kimchi rapidly, or if there’s no napa cabbage where you live.

I stayed at the beach in Puerto Escondido, Mexico for 4 days. I made this kimchi on the second day and enjoyed it for the rest of the time I was there. The leftover kimchi was given to my new friend Bev from Arkansas. I’ll tell you about her in my next blog.

Ingredients

Cabbage, kosher salt, Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru), fish sauce, sugar, garlic, green onions, and carrot.

Directions

  1. Cut 2 pounds of cabbage into thin strips about 2-3 inches in length and ¼ inch wide. Place into a large bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup cold water and ¼ cup kosher salt. Mix it well with your hands to properly salt the cabbage.
  3. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  4. Make kimchi paste by mixing these ingredients in a bowl:
    ⅓ cup hot pepper flakes,
    1 tbs sugar,
    ¼ cup fish sauce,
    ¼ cup minced garlic,
    3-4 stalks of chopped green onion (⅓ cup worth),
    ¼ cup’s worth of julienned carrot
  5. Wash and rinse the salted cabbage in cold water a couple of times. Drain the water.
  6. Mix the kimchi paste into the cabbage thoroughly.
  7. Put the kimchi into a container, jar, or plastic bag.
  8. Press the top of the kimchi down with your hands to protect your kimchi from being exposed to too much air.
  9. You can eat it right away, just like salad. Or keep it at room temperature and it will ferment in a few days. Fermented kimchi can be used for kimchi stir-fried rice or kimchi stew, and it will be delicious.

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199 Comments:

  1. yuenekochan Finland joined 9/13 & has 2 comments

    I like Yangbaechu-kimchi so much! I prefer this one more than napa cabbage kimchi.
    This one is so crunchy <3
    Also this is much cheaper than napa cabbage. Around 1euro/kg vs 4eur/kg…
    I just made 3 medium size cabbage kimchi.
    I like to use the kimchi paste from Easy-to-make kimchi recipe.

  2. GooNi43 Davao, Philippines joined 2/14 & has 2 comments

    I made it tonight!!! Hoping it would turn out Great. Thank you for the info.(recipe) Maangchi. It was simple and fast. Oh, how we(my family) missed it. :)

  3. ddnorman Southern NH, USA joined 9/13 & has 75 comments

    Maangchi,

    I’m making this now with red cabbage from my garden which I just harvested today! It smells so good already! We’ll be serving it to our family on Thanksgiving along with your Collard Greens recipe.

    감사합니다!
    Dave

  4. Krynauw Otto Pretoria, South Africa joined 9/13 & has 54 comments

    This is great! Especially when baechoo isn’t in season!

  5. KaReN UK joined 2/09 & has 1 comment

    Does it taste similar to using porridge paste? As I don’t have a blender, so I will find the emergency kimchi recipe easier to manage.

    Thank you

  6. ChrisSunHwa United States joined 3/13 & has 3 comments

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I used red cabbage and ready-to-use minced garlic (in a jar). I could not find red pepper flakes, so I substituted Great Value (Walmart) brand crushed red pepper because it was the closest thing I could find. I made only half a recipe, just in case it turned out badly, but it actually turned out quite well. It is extremely spicy, so I think I will use only half as much pepper next time, but it is still very good. It is addictive! I keep craving it now. It’s so much better than the ready-made stuff they sell in the grocery store! Cheongmal kamsahamnida!

  7. Deviant_me Michigan joined 12/12 & has 1 comment

    Hi, I have a question, what it I don’t have the fish sauce? What should I do? Also, I live in Michigan and there are no Korean restaurants or super markets :(

  8. Lovetocook San Francisco joined 12/12 & has 14 comments

    Hi Maangchi, is there a substitute for red pepper flakes if I can’t find it? Like crushed red pepper or chili powder? Please advise, thank you! :)

  9. Shanneene Australia joined 5/12 & has 8 comments

    I made this just now. It tastes slightly different than normal kimchi, but that’s because I used a drumhead cabbage. It’s still very nice. I’m going to let mine ferment a few days and then eat some more, when it is extra yummy :) Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  10. Alastor78 Spain joined 10/12 & has 3 comments

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I was despairing because I could find all ingredients except the napa cabbage :-S. I have two questions, one is, can fish paste be replaced by soybean paste? Someone told be it was an alternative choice for vegetarians, is it true?

    My other question has to do with the fact that when I returned home with my just purchased pound of gochugaru that took me so long to find, I realised the expiry date is really close by? Can I still keep it in the freezer if it still looks good, or do I have to discard it once the date is over (in 5 days!)?

    Many, many thanks again!

  11. jessy10o9 Australia joined 10/12 & has 1 comment

    Hello! i found this page when i was looking up recipes for kimchi and i got every thing i needed for it except the hot pepper flakes i couldnt find them :( so i was wondering if you could just use sweet chilli sauce or chilli flakes?

  12. honeyb Thailand joined 12/11 & has 2 comments

    hi!
    I tried this recipe using napa cabbage but I think I used too much salt (I used very small cabbage and didn’t reduce the amount of salt from the recipe), what should I do with it? If I let it ferment until it is sour enough, will it be better? Or it’ll be as salty as before? Pls advise! Thank you > <

  13. mk22 Manchester, UK joined 8/12 & has 1 comment

    Hi Maangchi! I just made this and it’s the first time I’m making any type of kimchi. I know this may sound silly but how do I know when the kimchi is fermented?

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      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.
      Good luck with making delicious kimchi!

  14. bakemono manila joined 5/12 & has 2 comments

    Hi Maangchi!! I tried gochujang when I tried this recipe and guess what? It was delicious and my friends love it =) Oh well, just want to share it and thanks for the info.. Thanks

  15. bakemono manila joined 5/12 & has 2 comments

    Hi! aside from pepper flakes, can I also add Gochujang on the kimchi paste??

  16. LinS Singapore joined 7/12 & has 1 comment

    Hi Maangchi,

    Thank you for this superb recipe. Would it be ok to substitute cabbage with tofu instead?

  17. hanalee Vietnam joined 7/12 & has 5 comments

    I finished your recipe last week and now my Kimchi was ferment, and it is very delicious. My older sister loves it. I love it too. Thanks Maangchi so much. Hope you are always healthy and happy. I will try some your recipes near future. hi..hi..hi ^_^

  18. Momochan Bath, UK joined 7/12 & has 1 comment

    Just finished making and eating this Kimchi. My boyfriend loved it! Left half of it to ferment. Can’t wait to try it again in a few days :)

    This is the first Korean dish I have ever cooked and it turned out to be just like the Kimchi I used to buy. Planning on making Kimchi stew, bulgogi stew and kimbap in the near future!

    Thank you very much, Maangchi! xxx

  19. fitXmom Florida joined 5/12 & has 21 comments

    Hello!! New to the site and loving it! I made the Emergency Kimchi today. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the hot pepper flakes and used Red Peper flakes. WOW! Super spicy!! I definitely need to use half the amount next time, but I think its good. But someone should have warned me about the Fish Sauce smell! Pew!! lol We will be eating it soon but I will need to add some vinegar to mine to see if I can tame the spiciness!!

    Thank you, Maangchi! I can’t wait to try the Ddobkukki next!

  20. The Hungry Vegan United States joined 5/12 & has 1 comment

    Hi Maangchi! Thank you so much for your amazing website! The things I’ve tried are excellent. I am a vegan. I would like to try making some of your kimchi recipes. I tried making this one with soy sauce instead of fish sauce. My Korean friend laughed at me. Don’t worry though, I’m making fried rice out of it.
    My question is: how do I substitute for fish sauce? Can I just use salt? In what proportions?

  21. MojoBunny Cleveland, Ohio joined 4/12 & has 1 comment

    Hello Maangchi,

    I have always wanted to learn how to make Kimchi and I thought I would try this recipe before I make real Kimchi. I just finished making this and it is good. I think it is kind of sweet, salty and mild-spicy. My fiance thinks it is not spicy enough though. How can I make it more spicy? Should I add more korean red chilli pepper flakes?

    Thank you for your recipe. =)

  22. CopperRoses Bellevue, Washington joined 3/12 & has 1 comment

    Hi Maangchi! I have a project in my foods & nutrition class, and I wanted to use this kimchi recipe. One of the requirements though is for me to put how many servings the recipe makes, and this doesn’t quite say. So all I ask is, could you please approximate the amount of servings for me please? :D Thank you!

  23. doletranaz Scottsdale, AZ joined 2/12 & has 2 comments

    Can I use this EXACT recipe but use napa instead?
    I think this will be easier than the regular kimchi. I’m lazy but want to eat good food. =)
    Thank you.
    I have a head of napa at home and ready to make kimchi tonight. Please let me know.
    Thank you so much.

  24. shinysmile algeria joined 1/12 & has 1 comment

    i love this dish

  25. seraph74 Sydney, Australia joined 5/11 & has 7 comments

    If you don’t ferment the kimchi outside of the fridge (ie:make and put straight into refridgerator), how long is it “ok” for? I sometimes make it, put it in the back and bottom of the fridge, and don’t remember it until 2 or 3 weeks later (occasionally longer… oopsei!). I’ve never been game to try it, even though when I open the container there’s no mold or sour smell. What’s a good “ball park figure” for how long kimchi can stay in the fridge before needing to be thrown out?

  26. KazeZakura Singapore joined 11/11 & has 1 comment

    I was wondering if it is possible to substitute the chilli flakes with hot pepper paste instead??

  27. Kaalinashi Wyoming joined 10/11 & has 1 comment

    I don’t know if you are familiar with King brand of Kimchi sold in stores here in the US.
    It is the only Kimchi I have had, and I do love it. I made your recipe for Emergency Kimchi using Nappa Cabbage. I can’t get Korean Pepper here, so I used New Mexico Pepper powder 1/3 cup, and 2 tsp Paprika, and 1 tsp Cayenne. I also substituted Soy sauce for Fish Sauce. 1/4 cup heaping of garlic, a small onion maybe 1/2 cup and 1 inch piece of ginger. When rinsing, I rinsed the cabbage but not thoroughly. I left it to ferment in my kitchen for two days in tupperware, Temperature was probably 68-70 degrees. The containers continuously weeped liquid into a larger tupperware. But I don’t see any bubbling, and the smell is very strong.It tastes slightly sour, but has another odd smell and taste I am not used to. I don’t know if I did something wrong, or it didn’t ferment properly. After two days I put it in the fridge to see how it does over the next few days. I am a little worried about it since it didn’t bubble. Any ideas as to what I might have done wrong?

  28. jameslabove Beaumont, TX joined 10/11 & has 2 comments

    Looks delicious. If this preparation is left to ferment for a few days, will the common cabbage retain a bit of its crispness? I think that would be ideal.

  29. MrsHmmz United Kingdom joined 10/11 & has 3 comments

    Hi, I made a small quantity last night and it was delicious! I adapted the recipe slightly to suit our tastes & what we had available; I made it a bit milder because I wanted my kids to try it, so I used a mixture of cayenne pepper & paprika instead of the chilli flakes, and I didn’t have green onions so used very finely chopped ordinary onions. And I vegetarianised it by replacing the fish sauce with soy sauce and a little asafoetida (the stinky indian spice), which I know sounds weird, but it’s a method I came up with for emulating the pungency of fish sauce (soy sauce alone is just missing that stinky edge that fish sauce has!).

    I was a bit unsure how it would taste before it’s been fermented but as I described it to my kids, it’s kind of like a spicy slaw – very tasty as long as you don’t mind the raw garlic (I love it)! My daughter asked for more, but my son thought it was a bit spicy (however I think my daughter sensibly tried some with her dinner while my son just ate a bit by itself!). Me and my husband couldn’t stop eating it, which made me wish I’d made more (I didn’t have enough cabbage). I look forward to trying what’s left in a few days when it’s started fermenting!

    I’m going to try to make “proper” kimchi next time I go shopping somewhere that sells napa cabbages, and will definitely make a large quantity :)

  30. Lizzy Lemon Australia joined 9/11 & has 1 comment

    Hi, I made the KimChi on the weekend for my Korean Friend. It tasted really good and was so easy to make. This was the first recipie from your website I have tried, so will be cooking some more soon now! I was wondering if I could use crushed frsh chillis (from a jar) instead of the chilli flakes next time? Or is it best to stick with the recipie.

  31. Menaoer Canada joined 9/11 & has 2 comments

    Hello Maangchi!
    I don’t know if somebody already asked about this, but I wanted if we still could use the Chinese Cabbage for this receipe? I enjoy it very much, but the quantity in the other Kimchi videos are a bit too much for me. So, is it possible to replace the normal cabbage by the Nappa? ; P

    Thank you, and please keep up with your wonderful work!
    I love all of your video, 감사합니다 : DD

    Nana <3

  32. carrieann wisconsin joined 8/11 & has 1 comment

    I am so excited to give this a try! Is it possible to preserve this by canning? Thank You!

  33. rhodadlr L.A. joined 8/11 & has 5 comments

    Anyeong Maangchi! I was looking for Banchan recipes and i came across your website and videos.. So excited to make 3 of your recipes already to go along with the Galbi Chim i’m currently cooking for dinner tonight. i’m so sure it’ll taste just like how you said in your videos “delicious!”
    Kamsahamnida!!!!

  34. DelightfulJos California joined 7/11 & has 1 comment

    Question, is there anyway for me making kimchi without using any sugar at all?

  35. Princess79 Singapore joined 7/11 & has 4 comments

    I have shifted my kimchi from fridge to outside. Fermented after 2 days. Taste delicious! Though quite spicy cause my measurement cup is different from yours. I add the kimchi in my instant noodle (chicken flavour) it was awesome! Thanks maangchi! Will try your other recipe soon! 

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