1.5 cups coarse sea salt or natural rock salt (for saltwater)
1/2 cup cooking salt (for sprinkling)
Kimchi Seasoning / Marinade
2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
1.5 cups water
1.5 cups (150 g) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
500 g Korean radish, julienned
1 tbsp fine sea salt
3.5 tbsp Korean fish sauce
2 tbsp salted fermented shrimp, minced (optional)
90 g chives, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) lengths
150 g carrots, julienned
1/4 cup (50 g) minced garlic
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp raw sugar
75 g onion, freshly chopped
Instructions
Cut the napa cabbage into quarters, keeping the stem intact. Rinse under running water.
Dissolve coarse salt in water (16 cups or 5 liters) in a large bowl. Dip each cabbage quarter into the saltwater and place on a tray for further salting.
Sprinkle cooking salt (1/2 cup total) over the thick white parts of the cabbage leaves. Place the salted cabbage in a large bucket with the wedge side up, then pour in the reserved saltwater.
Press the cabbage down with a heavy object (e.g., a pot filled with water). Let it pickle for 4-5 hours, turning the cabbage every 2 hours.
Rinse the cabbages under running water to remove excess salt, focusing on the thick white parts. Allow them to drain in a colander for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the glutinous rice paste by mixing rice flour with 1.5 cups of water. Boil over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Let it cool, then mix in Korean chili flakes.
In a large bowl, combine radish, fine sea salt, fish sauce, and salted shrimp. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Add chives, carrots, garlic, ginger, sugar, onion, and the chili paste. Mix thoroughly to create the kimchi seasoning.
Place one cabbage quarter on a tray and spread the seasoning over each leaf (only on one side). Repeat for all cabbage quarters, keeping the leaves attached to the stem.
Transfer the seasoned cabbage to an airtight container and seal it. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours, then refrigerate.
For optimal flavor, let the kimchi ferment for 3-4 days before eating. Serve with steamed rice.
