Kimchi Recipe: Kimchi with Korean Paste

Looking for an authentic and flavorful kimchi recipe? This classic Kimchi with Korean paste combines crisp cabbage, radishes, and carrots with a spicy, tangy paste for a perfectly balanced homemade ferment. Packed with probiotics, vitamins, and bold flavors, it’s easy to make at home using simple ingredients and a reliable fermentation method. Follow our step-by-step guide to create your own delicious, gut-friendly kimchi in just a few days.

Ingredients:

1 kg (2 lbs) cabbage (Napa or Chinese)
100 g (3.5 oz) daikon radishes/red radishes
2 medium carrots (optional)
Bunch of scallions or onions
1 tbsp ginger root, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sugar
3-5 tbsp gochujang paste (Korean chili paste)
4 tsp salt
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

Preparation Steps:

Prepare the vegetables and rinse them if necessary.
Prepare a large bowl and put the cabbage (you can cut it in half), radishes, and carrots in it.
Pour 2% brine over the vegetables and cover with a ceramic plate to keep them submerged. Leave to soak for a few hours or overnight.
Drain the vegetables well and chop them into pieces. You can cut them into really thin slices or leave them in large chunks. Chop the onions too.
Add into the mixture minced garlic and ginger root. Add salt, sugar, gochujang paste, and fish sauce and mix well with hands (you can use gloves).
Transfer into the large Kefirko jar and press down with a pounder. The vegetables should start releasing juices that will overflow them.
Put the glass weight on top to keep the vegetables submerged. Cover with lid and pump out the air.
Let ferment for at least 2 days before you try it. Your kimchi should be ready in 3-5 days.
Once it finishes fermenting, store in the refrigerator. Keeps for months.