Vegan kimchi

Portion: approx. 2–2.5 liters (1 large jar 2–3 l or 2–3 one-liter jars)

Preparation time: approx. 1 hour + 30–60 minutes of salting + 3–5 days of fermentation.

Ingredients

• 1 large Chinese cabbage (approx. 1.5–2 kg)
• 3–4 tablespoons (approx. 45–60 g) non-iodized salt for salting
• 3–4 carrots (approx. 300–400 g)
• 1 bunch of chives or green onions (approx. 80–100 g)

Paste:

• 2-3 medium apples (approx. 300–350 g)
• 1 medium pear (approx. 150–200 g)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 4 cm piece of ginger
• 2 tablespoons (approx. 30 g) non-iodized salt
• 3 tablespoons (approx. 30–50 g) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

Preparation

Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, remove the tough core. Cut into large pieces (approx. 3–5 cm). Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and thoroughly rub/mix with your hands to ensure the salt reaches everywhere. Set aside for 30–60 minutes. The cabbage should release a lot of juice and soften.

Peel the carrots and cut them into sticks. Cut the chives/green onions into pieces about 2 cm long.

Paste

Core the apples and pear (you can peel them or leave the skin on). Place them in a blender along with the garlic and ginger, 2 tablespoons of salt, and gochugaru. Blend into a smooth paste.

Add the chopped carrot and chives to the finished paste and mix well.

Thoroughly rinse the cabbage to remove excess salt and squeeze out the water. Cut into smaller pieces. Transfer to a large bowl, add the paste, and mix thoroughly (preferably wearing gloves - gochugaru stains heavily). Press/mix for a few minutes until the cabbage releases juice and is covered by it.

Fermentation

Transfer to clean jars (do not fill to the brim - leave 2–3 cm of space). Press down to eliminate air bubbles and ensure the vegetables are submerged in the juice.

Loosely screw on the lid (or cover with cheesecloth + rubber band) and leave at room temperature for 3–5 days (depending on the warmth of your home - the warmer it is, the faster it ferments). Check daily and press down to keep everything submerged.

After 3–4 days, taste it - it should be slightly sour and bubbling. Then transfer to the refrigerator. In the cold, fermentation slows down significantly, and kimchi develops deeper flavors over the following weeks.

Tips

• You can add 3-4 tablespoons of rice flour to the paste, but it is not necessary.
• Feel free to use any vegetables to make kimchi. If you have daikon or even zucchini - add it!