Summer Kimchi with Seoul Green Cabbage (Putbaechu)

1. Cut the bottom root end of the cabbage so all the leaves become loose. Rinse the leaves in water lightly and gently. Try not to break the leaves as you rinse. Drain. Cut green onions into 1.5 inch lengths and peel garlic cloves. Set them aside.Make brine in a large bowl – mix 10 cups water + 1 cup Cheonilyeom Korean salt until salt is all dissolved. Read HERE for info on Cheonilyeom.Pickle cabbage leaves in brine for 1 hr for regular small putbaechu. Leave up to 2 hr if your cabbage leaves are bigger or thicker than usual. The best way to tell if it’s ready is to check the large cabbage leaves at 1 hr mark with a bend test – bend the white fleshy part and if fully pickled, they should bend easily without breaking or much

Make brine and add cabbages

1. Make brine in a large bowl – mix 10 cups water + 1 cup Cheonilyeom Korean salt until salt is all dissolved. Read HERE for info on Cheonilyeom. Pickle cabbage leaves in brine for 1 hr for regular small putbaechu. Leave up to 2 hr if your cabbage leaves are bigger or thicker than usual. The best way to tell if it’s ready is to check the large cabbage leaves at 1 hr mark with a bend test – bend the white fleshy part and if fully pickled, they should bend easily without breaking or much resistance. Like in this pic.
2. Prepare seasoning while cabbage are in brine.

Make Kelp Broth

1. In a small pot, add 3/4 cup water and 1 large piece of kelp (Dasima) and bring to boil but turn off heat immediately once it starts to boil. Alternately, you can also simmer on very low heat for 10-15 min. If you boil too long, you will see a slime come out from the kelp so don’t boil it. Let it COOL.

Make Sweet Flour paste

1. In a small pot, add 1/2 cup of the Kelp broth from above and 1.5 Tbsp sweet rice flour. Kelp broth is optional – it adds great umami flavor but if you don’t want to, you can just use water here instead. Mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps. Put it on the stove and turn heat to medium and bring to boil. Keep stirring to make sure there are no lumps. Lower heat and simmer for 2-3 min while stirring. Let it COOL.

Chop red chili and garlic

1. Rinse and cut fresh red chili into big chunky pieces to put in the chopper. When cutting the chili, remove and save the seeds and set aside. (will be added later). In a chopper, add the red chili and garlic cloves and chop until fine but not too fine. I like it when you can sometimes see the little pieces. It’s ok if a few seeds get in the chopper, I just like having the seeds whole in the kimchi.

Mix seasoning

1. In the cooled flour paste, add the blended chili and garlic, saewoojeot shrimps, saewoojeot juice, anchovy sauce and chili seeds.
2. When your cabbages are fully brined, drain them and rinse in water just once quickly and gently. Drain again.

Mix everything!

1. In a large bowl, add the drained cabbages and the seasoning mix from above. Wear a plastic glove and gently mix until cabbages are all nicely coated with the yangnyeomOnce you mix cabbages with seasoning, taste to see the spice level. I add about 1-2 Tbs of Gochukaru (red chili powder). The fresno chili was quite spicy so I just add 1 Tbs. You can always add more.
2. Add cut green onions and gently mix again. Find a glass jar or plastic container and transfer the kimchi. You should have some leftover seasoning in your bowl, add 1/4 cup water or leftover kelp broth to the bowl, rinse it and add the rinse liquid to the container.
3. Leave it out at room temperature for 1-2 days. Unlike regular cabbage kimchi, this kimchi taste best when it’s just slightly sour. But it’s up to you of course. Taste it every 6-8 hrs and put in the fridge when it tastes ripe. Well, that’s it!!