Korean Bok Choy Kimchi (Gochugaru Fermented Quick)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Cheonggyeongchae kimchi is a bok choy kimchi prepared by halving the heads lengthwise, salting them for twenty minutes, and coating each leaf layer with a paste of gochugaru, salted shrimp, anchovy fish sauce, and sweet rice paste.
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Keeping the salting time short preserves the crisp snap of the stems, while the leaves soften just enough to hold the seasoning. Julienned scallions and carrot add color and textural variety, and adjusting the fish sauce quantity based on the salted shrimp salinity keeps the overall salt level balanced. After four hours of room-temperature fermentation followed by refrigeration, this kimchi is ready within a day and offers a lighter, crunchier character than traditional napa cabbage kimchi.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Halve 500 g bok choy lengthwise, rinse, and sprinkle 2 tbsp coarse salt mainly on the thick stems for 20 minutes.
Strictly keep the brining under 20 minutes to preserve the stems' crisp texture.
- 2Season
Rinse the salted bok choy once or twice in cold water to adjust salinity and drain completely in a colander.
Removing all moisture prevents the seasoning from becoming watery and ensures it sticks.
- 3Season
Mix 3 tbsp chili flakes, 1 tbsp salted shrimp, minced garlic, 1.5 tbsp fish sauce, and 3 tbsp sweet rice paste until evenly combined with no lumps.
- 4Season
Cut 40 g scallions into 3cm lengths and julienne 40 g carrot thinly, then mix into the seasoning.
These vegetables enhance the visual color and provide a varied textural profile to the kimchi.
- 5Season
Peel back each leaf and spread the seasoning paste thinly and evenly between the layers.
Use your fingertips to gently stroke the leaves, ensuring the paste does not clump in specific areas.
- 6Step
Pack into an airtight container and ferment at room temperature for 4 hours before refrigerating.
Age for one day to enjoy a crunchy, refreshing flavor that differs from traditional napa cabbage kimchi.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Stems in cheonggyeongchae bok choy kimchi stay snapping crisp after a brief 20-minute salt cure.
- Finish cue
- Pack into an airtight container and ferment at room temperature for 4 hours before refrigerating.
- Avoid this
- Do not over-salt bok choy; keep salting to around 20 minutes.
- Storage and reheating
- After four hours of room-temperature fermentation followed by refrigeration, this kimchi is ready within a day and offers a lighter, crunchier character than traditional napa cabbage kimchi.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 9 ingredients
Category median
32min, 7 ingredients
Based on 163 recipes
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