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Baechu Geotjeori (Fresh Kimchi)
4.5 from 108 votes

Baechu Geotjeori (Fresh Kimchi)

Baechu Geotjeori is a fresh, lightly fermented Korean kimchi made by salting napa cabbage and tossing it with a spicy, umami-rich seasoning paste. The mix includes red chili flakes, anchovy fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and sweeteners, combined with scallions and optional garlic chives and water dropwort. This quick kimchi offers crisp texture and bright flavors different from long-fermented varieties.

Course: Side Dish, Others
Cuisine: Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 small about 2.5 pounds baechu, (napa cabbage)
  • 3 tablespoons sea salt less if using finer salt, coarse
  • 2 scallions
  • 2 ounces buchu garlic chives, cut into 2-inch pieces - optional
  • minari water dropwort, cut into 2-inch pieces - optional, a few stalks
Seasoning
  • 4 tablespoons gochugaru Korean red chili pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons anchovy fish sauce 멸치액젓 (fish sauce, myulchi aekjeot
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup or Korean rice syrup
  • 1 tablespoon maesil cheong 매실청 (Korean plum syrup) - or a bit more corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Separate the cabbage leaves. Cut each leaf lengthwise, and then cut crosswise once or twice into long bite sizes. Rinse in water and drain.
  2. Place a layer of cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with a tablespoon of salt. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and salt. Toss well to coat evenly. Leave it for 40 to 60 minutes until softened, tossing once halfway through.
  3. Roughly chop the scallions. Cut the optional minari and buchu into about 2-inch lengths. Combine all the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, and mix well with 2 tablespoons of water.
  4. Rinse the cabbage twice and drain well.
  5. Add the seasoning mix to the cabbage. Using a kitchen glove, toss everything by hand until the cabbage pieces are well coated with the seasoning. Add the scallion, minari, and buchu. Add a little salt or more fish sauce to taste.