Spring Onion Kimchi: Bold and Aromatic
Pa-kimchi – spring onion kimchi – is one of my favourite varieties. It's punchier than cabbage kimchi, with an almost aggressive savoury quality that stands up to rich, fatty foods like grilled pork belly.
Why Make Spring Onion Kimchi
Napa cabbage kimchi is wonderful, but pa-kimchi offers something different:
- Stronger flavour: Spring onions have more bite than cabbage
- Different texture: Long, fibrous strands rather than leafy layers
- Perfect pairing: Especially good with grilled meats
- Quicker to mature: Ready to eat sooner than cabbage kimchi
If you love kimchi and want variety, pa-kimchi is essential.
What You Need
For the spring onions:
- 300g spring onions (2-3 bunches)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
For the paste:
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fermented shrimp paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
The Process
Prepare the spring onions
- Trim roots and any wilted outer layers
- Cut into 5cm lengths (or leave whole if you prefer)
- Rinse and drain well
- Toss with salt and leave for 30 minutes
- Rinse briefly and squeeze out excess moisture
Make the paste
- Combine all paste ingredients in a bowl
- Mix thoroughly until it forms a thick sauce
- Taste and adjust – more fish sauce for savouriness, more sugar to balance
Combine
- Add spring onions to the paste
- Mix gently but thoroughly, coating every piece
- Pack into a clean jar, pressing down firmly
Ferment
- Leave at room temperature for 1-2 days
- Check for bubbles and tangy aroma
- Refrigerate and use within 2-3 weeks
Serving Suggestions
With grilled meat: The classic pairing. Wrap pork belly or beef in lettuce with a piece of pa-kimchi.
In ssam: Any wrapped meal benefits from the punch of spring onion kimchi.
With noodles: Particularly cold noodle dishes where you want aromatic kick.
As banchan: One of several small dishes alongside rice.
Notes
Spring onion kimchi doesn't keep as long as cabbage kimchi. The texture changes more quickly. Plan to eat it within a few weeks.
The fermentation time is shorter too – the natural sugars in spring onions ferment quickly. One to two days at room temperature is usually enough.
For extra complexity, some recipes add julienned radish or carrot to the mix. It adds crunch and extends the volume.
If you find the raw spring onion flavour too sharp, you can blanch them briefly (10 seconds in boiling water) before salting. This mellows the bite while keeping crunch.
Pa-kimchi is a gateway to the wider world of non-cabbage kimchis. Once you've made it, you'll understand that "kimchi" is really a technique applied to many vegetables, not just one recipe.
