# What You Need:
→ Produce
01 - 1 large napa cabbage (about 2.5 lbs), quartered and cut into 2-inch pieces
02 - 1 medium daikon radish (about 7 oz), julienned
03 - 4 scallions, sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned (optional)
→ Salt & Water
05 - 1/3 cup coarse sea salt
06 - 6 cups cold water
→ Spice Paste
07 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
09 - 1 small onion, roughly chopped
10 - 3 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce for vegan version
11 - 1 tbsp sugar
12 - 3-5 tbsp Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru), to taste
13 - 2 tbsp rice flour
14 - 2/3 cup water
# Steps:
01 - Cut the napa cabbage lengthwise into quarters, then chop into 2-inch pieces.
02 - Dissolve sea salt in 6 cups cold water in a large non-reactive bowl. Add cabbage pieces, tossing to coat. Place a plate and weight on top to keep submerged. Let sit for 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes.
03 - Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly under cold water 2-3 times to remove excess salt. Drain well in a colander.
04 - Whisk rice flour with 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Let cool completely.
05 - In a blender, combine cooled rice paste, garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce or soy sauce, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Stir in gochugaru to desired spice level.
06 - In a large bowl, combine drained cabbage, daikon radish, carrot if using, and scallions. Add spice paste and, using kitchen gloves, massage thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
07 - Pack the kimchi tightly into clean glass jars or fermentation crock, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Leave at least 1 inch headspace at the top.
08 - Seal and leave at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 1-2 days, burping the jars daily to release fermentation gases.
09 - Taste after 48 hours; once sour and tangy to your liking, transfer to refrigerator. Kimchi will continue fermenting slowly and develop deeper flavors over several weeks.
