Traditional kimchi recipe (Tongbaechu-kimchi)

Trim the tough core from the napa cabbage, cut it in half lengthwise only through the core, then tear it apart by hand. Make another small slit in the core of each half.

Rinse the cabbage quarters thoroughly in cold water.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of kosher salt between each leaf of the wet cabbage, concentrating more on the thick, white parts.

Let the cabbage salt for 1.5 to 2 hours, turning it over every 30 minutes to ensure even salting.

After salting, rinse the cabbage thoroughly 3 times under cold running water to remove excess salt.

Squeeze out excess water and let the cabbage drain in a colander, cut-side down, for about 15-20 minutes.

In a small pot, combine water and sweet rice flour. Whisk well to dissolve the flour.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes until it thickens.

Add brown sugar, stir until dissolved, and then remove from heat to cool completely.

Julienne the Korean radish and carrot.

Chop the minari (water dropwort), buchu (Asian chives), and green onions.

In a food processor, mince garlic, ginger, and onion to make a puree.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled porridge, minced aromatics, fish sauce, and salted fermented shrimp (squeeze out the juice first, then mince the shrimp).

Add the Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) and mix well to form a paste.

Add the prepared vegetables (radish, carrot, greens) to the kimchi paste and mix everything together.

Trim the hard core from the bottom of each cabbage quarter.

Spread the kimchi paste generously between each cabbage leaf, ensuring all parts are coated.

Fold the coated cabbage quarters in half and pack them tightly into an airtight container or onggi (earthenware pot).

Press the kimchi down firmly to remove air. Let it ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days before moving to the refrigerator.

Optionally, make a fresh kimchi salad (Geotjeori) by tearing some kimchi leaves and mixing with leftover paste and sesame seeds.

After 36 hours of fermentation at room temperature, the kimchi is ready. Store it in the refrigerator.