Mother In-law’s Kim-Chi Baechu Gutjori (Traditional)
Brine…
– To medium heads of fresh Napa cabbage, about 4 to 5 pounds
– 2 tablespoons of sea salt
Sweet Rice Porridge…
To make the porridge add 1/3 cup powered sweet rice to enough water to form a thick paste. Simmer this ‘porridge’ over heat to remove the raw flour taste. Allow to cool before adding to the seasoning paste.
Seasoning Paste…
– 2 tbsp of salted shrimp
– 1/3 cup of sweet rice porridge
– ¼ cup anchovy sauce
– ¼ cup beef or vegetable stock
– 2 tbsp minced garlic
– 1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger root
– 2 tsp sugar
– 2/3 cup Korean chili pepper flakes
– ½ cup thinly sliced yellow onion
– 4 green onions, green parts, about ½ cup
– 3 oz of chives
– 6 to 8 fresh oysters (optional)
Directions:
– Cut cabbage into quarters and then cut ¼ in half lengthwise. Remove cores. End by cutting pieces into 1 inches wide strips and 6 inches long.
– In a large bowl toss cabbage with the salt. Sit aside and allow to brine for at least an hour. Rinse off the salt by running under cold water and allow the cabbage to drain thoroughly.
– To make the seasoning paste… Grind the shrimp and mix in a bowl with the porridge, anchovy paste, stock, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Lastly add the ¼ cup of the chili pepper flakes. Blend well.
– In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, onion, green onions, and chives with the remaining chili flakes. Insure that all the cabbage is coated with the chilies. Add the seasoning paste and oysters and mix well.
– Pack tightly into a 2 quart container, cover, and set aside for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
Then move to the refrigerator to slow/stop the fermentation. Since the ferment will expand make sure to allow at least a 5% head space to prevent overflow.This style of kim-chi may be eaten directly, allowed to ferment for a short time, or allowed to ferment for a longer amount of times. Enjoy and happy fermenting!
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