Homemade kimchi beats anything you can buy – and it is easier than you think. All you need is napa cabbage, salt, a proper chilli paste and a little patience while the fermentation does the work. Here is the classic recipe for baechu kimchi, step by step.
What you need (one large jar)
- 1 large napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage), about 1.5 kg
- 100 ml coarse salt
- 4–5 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli powder – don't swap it for regular chilli, the flavour is different)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic and a thumb of ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp rice flour or rice starch (for the base of the paste)
- 1 carrot and 3 spring onions, cut into strips
Step 1: Salt the cabbage
Quarter the cabbage lengthwise, and rub salt well in between each leaf. Leave for 1.5–2 hours, turning every half hour. The cabbage is ready when the leaves bend without snapping. Rinse thoroughly three times in cold water and let it drain.
Step 2: Make the chilli paste
Bring 200 ml of water to the boil with the rice flour to make a thin porridge, and let it cool. Stir in the gochugaru, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and sugar. Fold in the carrot and spring onion. The paste should be thick enough to cling to the leaves.
Step 3: Rub in and pack
Rub the paste in between every single cabbage leaf – wear gloves, gochugaru stings. Pack the cabbage tightly into a clean preserving jar or fermentation crock, and press it down so the brine covers it. Leave a couple of centimetres of air at the top – fermentation produces gas.
Step 4: Ferment
Leave the jar at room temperature for 1–2 days until it starts to bubble gently, then move it to the fridge. After about a week the kimchi has developed its signature tangy depth – and it keeps maturing in the weeks ahead. Open the lid carefully during the first days to release gas.
Frequently asked questions
How long does homemade kimchi keep? Several months in the fridge – it just gets more sour and deeper in flavour. Well-matured kimchi is perfect in stews and fried rice.
Can I make vegan kimchi? Yes – swap the fish sauce for soy sauce, or a little extra salt and a splash of kelp stock (kombu).
Do I have to use gochugaru? Yes, for an authentic result. Gochugaru is mildly fruity and gives the right red colour without drowning everything else out.
Why is the jar bubbling? That's the lactic acid bacteria at work – completely normal and a good sign.
The shortcut
No time to wait a week? We have ready-made kimchi from Korean producers ready for delivery – and if you want to know more about its history and uses, read what is kimchi?. Everything for home fermentation – gochugaru, fish sauce and the rest – is available at FUDI.
