Chinese leaf kimchi (baechu)

Baechu kimchi is the most common of all kimchi varieties and the key component that is always found in Korean fridges. When you just say ‘kimchi’ this is the type you refer to. At Arirang batches of kimchi are prepared using twenty kilograms of Chinese leaf every other day. Korean families often have their own recipe, which of course is the best of them all. You can also halve the amounts for a smaller batch.

Credit: Anna Kern

• makes

  5 litres

• prep

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 kg Chinese cabbage leaf (wombok)
• 200 g sea salt

 Kimchi paste

• 150 g gochugaru, Korean chilli powder (see Note)
• 300 g finely chopped leek
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 200 g fresh daikon (mooli), shredded
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1–2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

You will need one large jar, approx. 5 litres for this recipe

Standing time 24 hours

Instructions

Cut the Chinese leaf in half and place the halves, cut-side up, in a large bowl.

Salt the Chinese leaf layer by layer (not too meticulously).

Pour over water so that the Chinese leaf is covered and place a plate with a weight on top, or use your kimchi stone (see Note), so that the vegetable is completely submerged. Leave to stand for 24 hours at room temperature.

Drain the water and taste a bit of the Chinese leaf, preferably somewhere from the middle. Rinse the kimchi multiple times in cold water and carefully squeeze the liquid out of the leaves.

Mix together all the ingredients for the kimchi paste.

Mix the Chinese leaf and kimchi paste thoroughly. Lift and pat some paste in between the leaves.

Roll the Chinese leaf halves together, and place them together tightly but without too much force, with the cut-side facing up, in a jar or other container with a tight fitting lid. Leave to stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Transfer to the fridge. The kimchi is ready after 7−10 days and will last for at least 2 months.

Slice the Chinese leaf when serving.

Note

•Gochugaru is a Korean red chilli paste is a traditional Korean condiment used to bring rich spiciness. It can be either coarse or fine and is available from most Asian grocers. 

• A good kimchi contains the right amount of salt. To get it right it's important to taste the vegetable after salting. If it's very salty the vegetable needs thorough rinsing, and so rinse multiple times until it tastes just slightly too salty. If the salt levels are just right it's probably undersalted so add additional salt. 

• For some kimchi recipes you might need a weight to keep the vegetables ubmerged. For this you can use a stone or a plate. Do not fill your jar to the top or it may overflow.

This recipe was published in Kimchi; Essential Recipes of the Korean Kitchen (hbk $29.99). Read our review here. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.