Baek kimchi
White kimchi
백김치 · white kimchi with pear, chestnut and jujube (no chilli)
Baek kimchi comes from the Gaeseong and Seoul aristocratic kitchens, where it was served to elders, children and anyone who could not handle chilli. Napa cabbage halves are stuffed with a pale filling of radish, Asian pear, chestnuts, jujubes and pine nuts, then left to ferment in a clear, gently sweet brine. The result is crisp, cool and refreshing, with no heat at all, and it is a good first kimchi for small children. The common mistake is under-salting the cabbage, which leaves it watery and lets it spoil; the thick white stalks must bend without breaking. Contains pine nuts and chestnuts. Use a clean glass or ceramic jar or kimchi box scalded with boiling water, and keep the vegetables pressed below the brine; anything sticking out can grow mould. Chef's tip: wrap each stuffed quarter in its outer leaf; it holds the filling in and keeps the cabbage white.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For salting
- 1 napa cabbageabout 2 kg, quartered lengthways
- 7 oz coarse sea salt
For the filling
- 10 ½ oz Korean radish (mu)julienned
- ½ Asian pearjulienned
- 6 peeled raw or roasted chestnutsthinly sliced
- 5 dried jujubes (red dates)stoned and sliced
- 1 ¾ oz garlic chivescut into 3 cm lengths
- 5 cloves garlicjulienned
- ⅓ oz fresh gingerjulienned
- ½ red pepper (optional)julienned, for colour
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
For the brine
- 1.5 litre waterfiltered or boiled and cooled
- ½ Asian peargrated and squeezed for its juice
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make a cut in the base of 1 napa cabbage quarters. Sprinkle 7 oz coarse sea salt between the leaves, more on the thick stalks. Leave for 6–8 hours, turning every 2 hours, until the stalks bend without snapping.
15 minStep 2: Rinse 3 times in cold water and drain cut-side down for 1 hour.
Step 3: Mix 10 ½ oz Korean radish (mu), ½ Asian pear, 6 peeled raw or roasted chestnuts, 5 dried jujubes (red dates), 1 ¾ oz garlic chives, 5 cloves garlic, ⅓ oz fresh ginger, ½ red pepper and 1 tbsp pine nuts with a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Tuck a small handful of filling between every few leaves of each cabbage quarter, from the base outwards. Fold the quarter in half and wrap it in its outermost leaf.
Step 5: Pack the bundles snugly into a clean container.
Step 6: Stir 2 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar and the juice from ½ Asian pear into 1.5 litre water and pour it over until the cabbage is covered. Weigh it down with a plate.
Step 7: Leave at room temperature for 1–2 days until the brine tastes lightly sour, then refrigerate. Eat after 5 days; keeps for 1 month.
0 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 35 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does baek kimchi take?
- About 90 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of napa cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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