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Gat kimchi
갓김치 · Yeosu's pungent, peppery mustard-leaf kimchi, made without fish sauce
Dolsan island, off the port city of Yeosu in South Jeolla, grows a purple-tinged mustard green called gat that is milder and more tender than mainland mustard leaves, and gat kimchi (갓김치) made from it is the region's pride. The leaves keep a hot, wasabi-like bite that softens and turns tangy after a week or two of fermenting. Jeolla kimchi is usually heavy with fish sauce and salted anchovy; this version gets its depth from a kelp-and-rice porridge, pear, onion and soy, so it is vegan. Eat it with plain rice, noodles or on the side of jeon. Chef's tip: salt the leaves stems-first and turn them halfway; the thick stems need longer than the leaves.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For salting
For the rice porridge
For the seasoning
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Trim any yellow leaves from 2 ¼ lb mustard greens (gat), red or green and wash them well in several changes of water. Dissolve half the 2 ⅞ oz coarse sea salt in 4 ¼ cups water in a large bowl.
Step 2: Dip each bunch in the brine, then lay it in a tub, sprinkling the remaining salt mostly over the stems. Leave for 1 hour, turning everything over after 30 minutes. The stems are ready when they bend without snapping.
60 minStep 3: Meanwhile, simmer 1 cup water and 1 piece dried kelp (dasima) for 5 minutes, remove the kelp, and whisk in 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour. Stir over a low heat for 2–3 minutes until it thickens to a thin, glossy porridge. Leave to cool completely.
8 minStep 4: Blend 8 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh ginger, ½ Asian pear or ripe pear, ½ onion, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp sugar to a smooth paste. Stir it into the cooled porridge with 2 ⅛ oz gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) and leave for 10 minutes so the chilli turns deep red.
10 minStep 5: Rinse the greens twice in cold water and leave them to drain in a colander for 30 minutes, stems down. Taste a stem: it should be pleasantly salty, not harsh.
30 minStep 6: Wearing gloves, smear the seasoning over the greens bunch by bunch, working it into the stems. Mix in 4 spring onions and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
Step 7: Fold each bunch in half or coil it, and pack tightly into a clean jar or box, pressing out the air. Leave a few centimetres of space at the top. A common mistake is packing loosely; air pockets let mould grow on the surface.
Step 8: Leave at room temperature for 1–2 days until it smells sour and you see small bubbles when you press down, then refrigerate. It is best after 1–2 weeks and keeps for 2 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gat kimchi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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 very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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