Why I Love Making Traditional Kimchi

There's something deeply satisfying about making kimchi from scratch. The process connects you to centuries of Korean culinary tradition, and the result – if you get it right – is infinitely better than anything you'll find in a supermarket. This recipe is the culmination of years of experimenting in my own kitchen.

I should be upfront: I'm a British chef who fell in love with Korean fermentation, not a Korean grandmother with generations of wisdom. But I've done my homework, made countless batches, and refined this recipe to work brilliantly in UK kitchens with ingredients you can actually source.

What You'll Need

For the cabbage:

• 1 large napa cabbage (about 1.5-2kg)
• 100g Korean coarse sea salt (or flaky sea salt)

For the paste:

• 50g gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) – this is essential, no substitutes
• 1 tablespoon glutinous rice flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 200ml water
• 50ml fish sauce (or use soy sauce and a sheet of nori for vegan)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2cm piece of ginger, grated
• 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 medium carrot, julienned (optional but I like it)

A Note on Sourcing

The gochugaru is non-negotiable. This Korean red pepper is what gives kimchi its distinctive colour and flavour – it's fruity, mildly spicy, and slightly sweet. Regular chilli flakes won't work. You can find it in Asian supermarkets or online. It keeps well in the freezer.

Korean sea salt is ideal for brining – it's coarser and contains fewer additives than table salt. Maldon or other flaky sea salts work as a substitute.

The Method

Day 1: Salting the Cabbage

Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters, keeping the core intact to hold the leaves together. Rinse under cold water.

Working with one quarter at a time, gently separate the leaves and sprinkle salt between them, using more salt on the thicker white parts and less on the leafy green sections. Place in a large bowl.

Leave to salt for 6-8 hours or overnight, turning the quarters over halfway through. The cabbage is ready when it bends easily without snapping and has reduced significantly in volume.

Rinse the cabbage thoroughly three times to remove excess salt, then squeeze out as much water as possible. This is important – excess water will dilute your paste and affect fermentation.

Day 1: Making the Paste

While the cabbage is salting, make your rice paste. Whisk the rice flour with water in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens and turns translucent – about 5 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Combine the cooled rice paste with gochugaru, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Mix thoroughly. The paste should be a vibrant red colour. Taste it – it should be salty, spicy, and deeply savoury. Adjust if needed.

Fold in the spring onions and carrot.

Day 1: Assembling

This is the fun part. Wearing gloves (the chilli will stain and irritate), work the paste between every leaf of the cabbage quarters, making sure each leaf is coated. Be generous but not excessive.

Pack the kimchi tightly into clean glass jars, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets and bring liquid to the surface. Leave at least 3cm of headspace – the kimchi will expand as it ferments.

Fermentation

Leave the jars at room temperature (ideally 18-22°C) for 1-5 days, depending on how sour you like it and how warm your kitchen is. Press the kimchi down daily to keep it submerged.

Taste it each day. When it reaches your preferred level of tanginess, transfer to the fridge. It will continue to ferment slowly and develop more complex flavours over time.

Tips from My Kitchen

• Temperature matters enormously. Warmer = faster fermentation. In summer, 1-2 days might be enough. In winter, 4-5 days is common.
• The kimchi will taste quite salty when fresh. This mellows significantly as it ferments.
• Always use clean utensils when serving to prevent contamination.
• Older, funkier kimchi is brilliant for cooking. Fresh, young kimchi is best eaten as a side dish.

If Things Go Wrong

Too salty? You probably didn't rinse the cabbage enough. Add a little sugar to the paste next time, or soak finished kimchi briefly in cold water.

Too sour? It fermented too long at room temperature. Move to the fridge sooner next time. But don't throw it away – very sour kimchi is perfect for cooking.

Soft or slimy texture? Usually means too much water remained in the cabbage, or the temperature was too high. Still safe to eat, just not ideal.

Mould? If it's just on the surface and you catch it early, scrape it off and the rest should be fine. If it's extensive or you're unsure, discard it. Trust your nose – if it smells off, don't risk it.

Storage

Refrigerated kimchi keeps for months and actually improves with age up to a point. I find 2-4 weeks is the sweet spot for eating fresh, but it's perfectly good for much longer, especially for cooking.

The flavour will continue to develop – becoming more sour and complex. This is normal and, to my taste, desirable.