White kimchi (Baek kimchi) is a delicate kimchi that tastes light and refreshing.
It is very popular among children and people who are careful with spicy foods. This recipe is vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free friendly.
When you think of kimchi / kimchee (김치) what comes to your mind first? If nothing comes of it, how about this: Napa cabbage kimchi spicy in a terrible way!
However, at least this is how my daughter often thinks about Kimchi! Lol.
He calls every red kimchi (the simple type) “bad kimchi” and white kimchi (baek kimhi) “good kimchi”, because it has no spices.
Like I said, Baek Kimchi (백김치, 白 泡菜) describes a white Kimchi. Unlike the usual kimchi (spicy varieties) made from Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru), Baek Kimchi does not use any chili flakes. Instead, it is immersed in salt water.
This is a very important sauce because the taste of white kimchi depends on it. Some people add fish sauce and flour like you usually do when you make a regular kimchi, but I make my own without this. So you can enjoy simplicity and even more personal taste!
Another notable difference between white kimchi and common kimchi is that white kimchi is often filled with good ingredients such as pine nuts, dried jujube and chestnuts etc.
Although very small, the ingredients add a subtle flavor to kimchi, so I suggest you do not let them out if you can!
The white kimchi is soft and refreshing. It goes well with any Korean dishes, but goes very well with Korean char-grilled barbecue. Just thinking about this combo makes my mouth water. Mmmmm
Very easy to do (4 easy steps!) And friendly to your stomach, so I hope you will try it soon!
PS. Here are some of my kimchi recipes that you might want to try. Radish Kimchi (Kakkadugi) and Kimchi Salad (Baechu Geotjeori)
Ingredients for a white kimchi (Baek kimchi)
Recorded by Kimchi
1 large napa cabbage (1.6 kg / 3.5 pounds)
1/4 cup of sea salt
Pickling brine (Combine the two. Salt should be dissolved thoroughly before use)
3/4 cups of sea salt4 cups water
Kimong filling
1/2 carrot (100 g / 3.5 ounces), julienned
200 g / 7 ounces Korean plant or daikon radish, julienned
20g / 0.7 ounce Asian chives, engraved with thin finger length
30 g / 1 ounce red hot pepper, chopped
4 dried jujube stuffed (10 g / 0.4 ounces), slightly cut
1 tbsp pine nuts
Kimchi brine
4 cups water
1 tbsp hot sea salt
300 g / 0.7 kg Korean pear or Bosk pear, peeled and sown
150 g / 5.3 ounces red apple, peeled and seeds
50 g / 1.8 ounces of onion, peeled
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
* 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
** If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check out my list of 30 essential Korean recipes!
How to Make a White Kimchi (Baek Kimchi)
1. Cut the cabbage in half and cut the quadrants. Sprinkle salt directly on the white part of the cabbage and pour the pickling brine over the cabbage. Put a heavy object (e.g. a large salad bowl filled with water) in the cabbage to keep the floating cabbage and help with selection. Leave it at room temperature until the white part of the cabbage has evaporated (approximately 1 30 minutes). At this point open the cabbage several times to change the place (for example, every 30 minutes). Wash the cabbage a few times in running water. Clean up any remaining salt. Drain and put in column to drain water for 10-20 minutes.
2. Prepare the kimchi filling during step 1 with each of the above instructions (ingredients section). Also, prepare the kimchi brine. Mix water and salt in a large bowl. Puree Korean pear, apple, onion, garlic and ginger in a blender. Add the blended ingredients to the strainer / cheese cloth and attach to the top so that the food content can not come out. Put it in a bowl (salt water from the beginning) and dip the filter / cloth cloth. Squeeze all the juice from the filter / cloth to dissolve it in water
3. Place the soaked cabbage in salted water (from step 1) on a clean board. From the lower leaves, fill the cabbage with kimchi filling, in equal measure, one layer of cabbage at a time. When you are done, place the kimchi in a large bowl, facing down. (I used a 5L container in the recipe.) Repeat this step with the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the kimchi brine (from step 2) into the kimchi bowl. Place a heavy stone or plate on top to keep the kimchi floating and dip the kimchi well in salted water. Close the lid. Leave at room temperature for 12 hours (summer) / 24 hours (winter) and transfer to the refrigerator.
5. You can start eating kimchi from about day 3. although it tastes better as it grows (from about 7 days) but before it becomes too sour. Cut the kimchi as you need it before serving. (I usually cut one piece of quadrant at a time.) Serve the sliced kimchi on a plate and place a few tablespoons of the kimchi brine over the kimchi.
