Kimchi

Directions

1. Peel off 2-3 of the outer leaves of the cabbage and set aside for later use. Chop the remaining cabbage into pieces about 1 to 2 inches long or to your preferred size.
2. Place chopped cabbage in a large bowl with ¼ cup of salt. Add enough water to the bowl to fully submerge the cabbage. Mix to dissolve the salt, then cover and let rest for 6-8 hours or overnight.
3. After the cabbage has soaked, drain the brine but do not discard it. Rinse the cabbage, squeeze out any excess water, and place cabbage into a clean empty bowl. Add scallions and radish. Mix to combine.
4. Combine the garlic, ginger, onion, pear, fish sauce, salted shrimp, gochugaru, and sugar in a food processor. Process until fully combined.
5. Add the chili mixture to the bowl of cabbage and mix thoroughly until the vegetables are coated. At this point, it may be helpful to taste the mixture. Add more salt, sugar, and/or gochugaru until the seasoning is to your liking.
6. Scoop the unfermented kimchi into a 2-quart jar or crock and press down firmly, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top. Pour a small amount of the reserved brine over the kimchi to ensure that it is fully submerged, then use one of the whole cabbage leaves to push the kimchi down further and keep it submerged in the brine.
7. Let the kimchi rest on the counter, covered, for about 24 hours, then move to the fridge. After about 3-4 days in the fridge, the kimchi will have started to ferment and will be ready to eat! The taste will develop more the longer the kimchi sits in the fridge, so taste it at 7 days, two weeks, and one month to experience different flavors.
8. As long as it is submerged in the brine, kimchi will last for several months in the fridge. Keep it on hand as a side dish for bulgogi or use it to make kimchi fried rice!