When You Can't Wait

Traditional kimchi takes time – days of fermentation to develop those complex, funky flavours. But sometimes you want kimchi tonight. Enter geotjeori: fresh, barely-fermented kimchi that's ready in hours rather than days.

This isn't a shortcut or a compromise. Geotjeori is its own thing – bright, crunchy, vibrant. Koreans eat it alongside fully fermented kimchi, appreciating each for different reasons.

What You'll Need

• 500g napa cabbage, cut into 5cm pieces
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons gochugaru
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1cm ginger, grated
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

The Method

1. Quick salt (20 minutes): Toss cabbage with salt, massage gently, and leave for 20 minutes. It should wilt slightly but stay crunchy.

2. Make the dressing: Whisk together gochugaru, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger.

3. Combine: Don't rinse the cabbage – just squeeze out excess water. Toss with the dressing, spring onions, sesame seeds, and sesame oil.

4. Rest: Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for a few hours. It's ready when the flavours have melded.

How It Differs from Regular Kimchi

Geotjeori skips the long fermentation, so:

• The texture is crunchier, more like a fresh salad
• The flavour is brighter, less funky
• It contains rice vinegar for immediate acidity (fermented kimchi develops its own)
• It won't keep as long – eat within a week
• It won't have the same probiotic benefits as fermented kimchi

When to Make This

• You've run out of regular kimchi
• Guests are coming and you want fresh kimchi
• It's summer and you want something lighter
• You're new to kimchi and want to start simple

Tips

• This is best eaten fresh – within 2-3 days
• If you leave it longer, it will start fermenting and become more like regular kimchi
• The sesame oil is optional but adds a lovely nutty note
• Try it wrapped in lettuce with grilled meat – brilliant