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Kimchi is one of the most recognizable dishes of Korean cuisine that has won the hearts of food lovers around the world. It’s not only an aromatic, spicy, and crunchy ferment made from napa cabbage, but also a true probiotic bomb that supports our health. Making kimchi at home is simpler than it might seem—just a few ingredients, a bit of patience, and a jar that will fill with exceptional flavor. In this recipe, I’ll show you step by step how to make kimchi with added fruits and vegetables that will boost fermentation and give the whole thing remarkable freshness.
Recipe for homemade kimchi step by step
Preparation
- Cut the napa cabbage into 3–4 cm pieces, into so‑called “one‑bite” chunks. Sprinkle the cabbage with salt and set it aside for about 2 hours. The time is flexible—more in winter, less in summer; there are many variations. When the cabbage has released its juices, rinse it well. That’s why you don’t need to worry about the amount of salt added at the beginning.
- I recommend cutting the fruit and vegetables into matchsticks/julienne. But you can also dice or slice them if you prefer. In fact, you can add almost any ingredients to kimchi. Especially good choices are: pear, pineapple, carrot, radish, white radish/daikon, onion, garlic, kohlrabi, scallions, cucumber… only your imagination is the limit.
- You can make the rice slurry with water, or with an Asian broth. It’s enough to simmer the ingredients for 30 minutes, which we’ll blend anyway when making the paste. PS. It’s also worth adding anchovies, which I just didn’t have at home.
- Blend the paste ingredients together with the cooled slurry. Pineapple will speed up and enhance the fermentation process.
- At this stage, simply combine everything we prepared earlier.
- SUPER IMPORTANT! Leave at least 20% of the jars/containers empty. Otherwise, the jar can literally explode. It’s worth using a shatterproof jar with a fermentation airlock.
- Keep the kimchi at room temperature for about 48 hours. Then move it to the refrigerator.
Enjoy! ...because homemade is better!
