Recipe: Quick Kimchi (Pickled Cabbage)

QUICK KIMCHI (PICKLED CABBAGE)


1 small to medium-sized head napa cabbage
Other vegetables* (optional)
1/4 cup kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons hot chili garlic paste
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely sliced
Water (as needed)

Remove outer leaves from cabbage; cut into quarters lengthwise and trim tough ends. Cut each quarter into one-inch slices. (If you're using other vegetables, trim and peel them into small pieces and add to cabbage. If the carrots are small, leaving them whole looks nice.)

Place cabbage (and other vegetables, if using) into a colander and toss with 1/4 cup kosher salt. Cover, with a weight if possible, and place over a bowl to drain for two hours until the cabbage is wilted.

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in the vinegar. Add chili paste, ginger, garlic and scallions.

Rinse cabbage and other vegetables well and drain. Add to vinegar mixture and stir to combine. Pack everything tightly into glass jars and, if needed, add extra water to cover. Close jar tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Store in refrigerator for up to three weeks, or until it's gone.

*Other vegetables, such as peeled, trimmed and chopped daikon, jicama, cucumbers, radishes, trimmed whole baby carrots, etc.

Adapted from source: Ball Blue Book