Fermented White Cabbage Kimchi with carrots, radish, pear, green onions, peppers, and red dates. Makes a convenient side dish for rice meals.
You can say I am on a roll in preparing fermented vegetables these days. They are very satisfying to make and everyone in the family enjoys them. After Christmas, we have been trying to cut down on salty foods and snacks. So far, so good. Of course, we have our lapses but then, who doesn’t. 😉
A Convenient Side Dish or Condiment
I like having all these jars of fermented vegetables in the refrigerator. They make a convenient side dish or condiment for our daily rice meals. I only need to cook the rice and a meat dish for a quick meal on busy days. Apart from convenience, fermented foods also contribute to gut health which is a definite plus. Please note that the jars in the tray on the left contain pickles but the rest contain kimchi and sauerkraut.
So far, I have made a total of 12 quart/(32 oz/946ml) jars and 4 pint (16 oz/473ml) jars of fermented vegetables. My first two jars were these Bavarian Style Wine Kraut which turned out really well. Then I made two jars (32 oz) each of White Cabbage Kimchi and regular spicy Cabbage Kimchi using this Mason jar method. Those were followed by a small (16 oz) jar of Blaukraut, which is a red cabbage sauerkraut, and two large jars and one small jar of Curry Kraut. These did not last long in the refrigerator as there are four of us enjoying them.
At the beginning of this week, I made another 2 jars each of White Cabbage Kimchi and spicy Cabbage Kimchi which I will share with you next. Napa cabbage kimchi takes only 3 days to ferment and so they are really quick to make. Sauerkraut which uses green cabbage takes at least 6 days to ferment.
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is essentially Korean style fermented vegetables. I have several kimchi recipes on this blog made using the “regular” method and they are as follows:
1. Napa Cabbage Kimchi (Poggi Kimchi)
2. Kkakdugi (Radish Kimchi)
3. Stuffed Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)
4. Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi
5. Baek Kimchi (White Kimchi)
These next two are from my other blog.
6. Napa Cabbage and Scallion Kimchi
7. Mustard Greens Kimchi (Gat Kimchi)
Why Use This Method for Kimchi?
I have been making kimchi for a while now but this time I wanted a fresher and brighter tasting kimchi that is also a little less salty. This Mason jar method enabled me to control the use of salt better and monitor the fermentation more effectively. The amount of ingredients used and the results are more consistent. There is less of the guessing game involved, which I appreciate. When you see certain “signs” like the cabbage swelling, pockets of gas, and bubbles, you know that your kimchi is fermenting and it will soon be ready for eating.
Napa Cabbage For White Cabbage Kimchi
For kimchi, we use Napa cabbage and not green cabbage. We love Napa cabbage and I grow them in the spring and fall/autumn. They grow better when it is cooler and will bolt in high summer. Currently, I have quite a few growing very slowly in our unheated greenhouse as well as covered vegetable boxes outside but it is still very cold. Not sure if the ones outside will survive. Hopefully, the ones in the greenhouse will catch up when the weather warms up in spring. If they do, I will have lots of Napa cabbage to make more jars of kimchi in early spring, woohoo! As such, for today’s recipe I had to buy Napa cabbage from the grocery store.
Preparing The Napa Cabbage For White Cabbage Kimchi
The Koreans like to cut the base of the Napa cabbage and pull it apart instead of cutting it right through. This is to prevent the inner leaves from shredding which is bound to happen if you cut right through the cabbage. I like to cut them into quarters for easier salting. Do not cut them into small pieces for salting or they will get too wilted and salty as there is much more cut surface area for the salt to penetrate.
Salting The Napa Cabbage For White Cabbage Kimchi
Unlike sauerkraut where the green cabbage is shredded, kimchi requires that the Napa cabbage be salted for several hours. Salting does the following to the cabbage.
1. Draws out excess water from the cabbage to help it maintain a crisp texture.
2. Wilted cabbage allows the seasonings to penetrate better which contributes to proper fermentation.
3. Prevents a watery consistency.
The con to salting is that it makes the cabbage very salty. To get around this,
1. Use as little salt as possible to do the job.
2. Rinse and drain the salted cabbage thoroughly.
Cutting The Salted Napa Cabbage into Smaller Pieces
In this Mason jar method, it is best to cut the salted cabbage quarters in bite size pieces after rinsing and draining them thoroughly. I cut off the core and then cut the cabbage cross-wise into ¾ inch wide slices. Transfer them to a large bowl and add the remaining vegetables (julienned carrots, Korean radish, Asian pear, green onions, red dates, and peppers). Sprinkle minced garlic, ginger, salt (if using), and sugar over the vegetables. Do taste the salted cabbage to determine if you need any salt at this stage. I choose to use less garlic for a fresher and brighter taste.
Massaging The Cabbage To Release Its Brine
This is where it defers from the “regular” method where the cabbage is not massaged but packed directly into jars or containers. In this regular/”traditional” method, it takes a longer time for the fermentation to occur because there is less brine especially if a glutinous rice “porridge” is used to thicken any brine released during fermentation. In this Mason jar method, I massaged the cabbage and vegetables to get it to release its brine. This brine is to facilitate and quickly kick start the fermentation process.
Packing The Jars With Juicy Cabbage and Vegetables
When the cabbage and vegetables are juicy and wilted, it is time to pack them into sterilized jars and cap the jars with a silicone fermentation lid. The silicon fermentation lid keeps the oxygen out but allows the CO₂ (carbon dioxide) to escape. If you do not have these lids, then you will have to burp your ferment to prevent an explosion. You may also have to leave your lids slightly loose to let CO₂ escape, which means keeping a closer eye for oxygen contamination and brine loss.
You also want to place jars on a tray in case the brine overflows and transfer to a cool dark place to ferment. Ideally, the temperature in that place should be between between 60⁰F and 70⁰F / 15⁰C and 21⁰C.
Fermentation
Fermentation should start to occur within the second day. You will see lots of bubbles at the top of the jar.
On the third day, your White Cabbage Kimchi should be ready! It is definitely much quicker than sauerkraut which takes about 6 days under the right conditions.
Similar Tools Used in This White Cabbage Kimchi
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
Masontops Complete Mason Jar Fermentation Kit
Masontops 8 PC Pickle Pebbles Glass Weight & Pickle Pipes Airlock Kits, Regular Mouth
Ball Regular Mouth Quart 12 Pieces Jars (32oz)
Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, (Quart, 32 Ounce) (Pack of 4)
Masontops Regular Mouth Mason Jar Screw Bands
Ball Leak-Proof Plastic Lids for Glass Mason Jars, (Regular Mouth, Pack of 6)
Granite Ware 7.5 Qt Strainer Pot with lid.
White Cabbage Kimchi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium Napa cabbage (3 lbs/1.35 kg)
- 1¾ tbsp coarse salt
- 2 small carrots (julienned) (3 oz/84g)
- 3 oz Korean radish (julienned) (84g)
- 1 small Asian pear (peeled, cored, and julienned)
- 4 green onions (cut into 2-inch lengths and thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 6 red dates (soaked, rinsed, seeded, and cut into strips)
- ½ medium yellow bell pepper (seeded and julienned)
- ½ medium red bell pepper (seeded and julienned)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1¼ tsp pickling & canning salt ** (optional)
- 1¼ tsp sugar
Instructions
- Cut through the base of the cabbage and pull apart to split in half. Then, cut through each half at the base and pull apart to split into quarters. Rinse under running water and drain. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle salt evenly over cabbage leaves, lifting leaves to sprinkle salt in between leaves. Cover and leave overnight (6 to 8 hours).
- Drain and rinse cabbage really well under running water. Taste the cabbage. If it is still too salty, soak in water for 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible from the cabbage. Continue to drain in colander for 30 minutes.
- Wash jars in warm, soapy water. Place the washed jars in a deep pot or canner. Fill the jars up to the top and the canner up to the same level as the jars with water. Cover the canner and bring water to a simmer (with small bubbles).
- Wash metal bands and silicone fermentation lids with warm soapy water. Drop the metal bands (but not the silicone fermentation lids) into the canner together with the jars. When ready to use, take them out from the canner with a pair of tongs. Dry them with a clean towel. If you are using plastic bands, wash them with warm soapy water but do not drop into canner.
- Cut off the core from each cabbage quarter. Then, cut crosswise into ¾ inch wide slices. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add julienned carrot, Korean radish, Asian pear, green onions, red dates, yellow and red bell peppers. Sprinkle minced garlic, ginger, salt (if using), and sugar over the vegetables.
- Mix, toss, squeeze, and massage shredded cabbage and vegetables well to incorporate the salt and red pepper powder well. This will take some work, about 4 to 5 minutes, and you should see some juices/brine being released. Use a wooden tamper/pounder to pound and mix the cabbage and vegetables for another 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are wilted and juicy.
- Pack cabbage into prepared jars with a couple of handfuls of cabbage at a time. Use wooden tamper/pounder to pack it down firmly. Continue adding and packing down the cabbage until the jar is filled to just below the shoulder. The brine should rise up to the top. Do not overfill jar.
- Place a cut-out cabbage circle on the surface of shredded cabbage to prevent little bits from floating up. Place a weight on the top to keep the shredded cabbage submerged in the brine.
- Wipe the rim of the jar, place a silicone fermentation lid on the rim, and secure with a Mason jar band. Place jars on a tray just in case the brine overflows the jar. Transfer to a cool, dark place to ferment with preferably an ambient temperature between 60⁰F and 70⁰F / 15⁰C and 21⁰C.
- Fermentation should begin within 2 days. As it proceeds, you will notice these changes:a. The cabbage and vegetables swell up so that the brine almost touches the lid.b. Pockets of gas appear in the cabbage.c. The color changes from bright green to the color of cooked vegetables.d. The color changes from bright green to the color of cooked vegetables.e. A sulfurous aroma emitting from the jar.
Taste Test
- After 3 days, open the jar, remove the weight and cut-out cabbage circle, and have a taste. The cabbage should be nearly translucent by now. The salty flavor should have diminished and be replaced with a bright and tangy flavor of the lactic acid.
- If you feel that the taste of the White Cabbage Kimchi is to your liking, screw on a plastic Mason jar lid and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Leave a Reply