Korean Mustard Leaf Kimchi
Quick answer
Gat kimchi is a Jeolla-province kimchi made from salted mustard greens (gat) fermented with gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, garlic, and plum extract.
What makes this special
- Sharp brassica oils in gat mustard leaf kimchi turn into a pungent spice during fermentation.
- Mustard-family volatile transforms into sharp spice through fermentation
- Grated onion adds natural sweetness that smooths the aggressive heat
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 1000 g mustard leaves by opening the spaces between the stems so any grit rinses away.
- 2 Sprinkle 70 g coarse salt mainly over the firm stem sections, using less on the tender leaves.
- 3 Blend 80 g onion until smooth, with no large pieces that could separate from the paste.
Gat kimchi is a Jeolla-province kimchi made from salted mustard greens (gat) fermented with gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, garlic, and plum extract. The brassica oils in the leaves transform during fermentation into a sharp, nose-tingling pungency distinctly different from standard napa cabbage kimchi. Anchovy fish sauce lays down deep umami while plum extract softens the acidity, balancing the aggressive aroma against the pronounced saltiness. Served alongside fatty pork or soup-rice bowls, it cuts through richness and refreshes the palate forcefully between bites. Dolsan gat, grown on Dolsando Island in Yeosu, is considered the most aromatic variety, and the kimchi reaches its ideal balance of pungency and fermentation tang after two to three days of resting rather than immediately after preparation.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Wash 1000 g mustard leaves by opening the spaces between the stems so any grit rinses away.
Shake off excess water, keeping the thick stems and leafy tops attached so the greens are easier to salt evenly.
- 2Season
Sprinkle 70 g coarse salt mainly over the firm stem sections, using less on the tender leaves.
Turn the greens once halfway through and brine for about 1 hour, until the stems bend without snapping.
- 3Season
Blend 80 g onion until smooth, with no large pieces that could separate from the paste.
Mix in 6 tablespoons gochugaru, 5 tablespoons anchovy fish sauce, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon plum syrup.
- 4Season
Rinse the salted greens lightly in cold water only twice so some seasoning salt remains.
Press them between your palms instead of twisting hard, removing surface water while keeping the stems crisp.
- 5Season
Spread the seasoning from the stems toward the leaf tips in a thin, even coat.
Break up clumps of chili paste as you work, tossing gently so the leaves stay intact and do not become mashed.
- 6Control
Pack the seasoned greens tightly into a kimchi container, pressing out air pockets and covering the surface with the remaining paste. Leave at room temperature for half a day, then refrigerate for 2 days before serving.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
More Kimchi →Based on shared ingredients and meal pairing
Korean Pepper Leaf Kimchi
Gochuip kimchi is a seasonal Korean kimchi made from pepper leaves, prepared during late spring to summer when the leaves are available. Blanching is the essential first step. Fresh pepper leaves contain compounds that produce a raw bitterness, and simply seasoning them without pre-cooking leaves an unpleasant edge. A brief blanch of about 30 seconds collapses the cell structure, removing bitterness while dramatically reducing the volume of the leaves. The softened leaves also accept the seasoning more evenly across their surfaces. Glutinous rice paste added to the gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, and garlic mixture thickens the coating so it adheres uniformly to each leaf and supports lactic acid fermentation even within the short one-day curing window. The herbaceous quality in pepper leaves survives fermentation, remaining as an undercurrent beneath the spicy coating and producing a green, herb-like character that distinguishes this kimchi from napa cabbage or young radish varieties.
Korean Scallion Kimchi (Whole Stalk Anchovy Shrimp Paste)
Jjokpa kimchi is a traditional Korean scallion kimchi made by briefly brining whole scallions in coarse salt, then coating them from root to tip with a seasoning paste of anchovy fish sauce, fermented shrimp, gochugaru, and sweet rice flour paste. Using both anchovy fish sauce and salted shrimp together is intentional: the two condiments each carry a different profile of seafood umami, and combining them produces a more complex, layered depth than either alone could achieve. The sweet rice flour paste acts as a binder, adhering the seasoning evenly to the surface of each scallion and keeping it in place as moisture releases during fermentation. Without this paste, the pickling liquid would dilute the coating and the flavor would fade over time. The white bulb sections of the scallion hold their crunch through the brining and fermentation process while absorbing the spice of the gochugaru, and the green tops wilt to a silky texture that releases the scallion's characteristic sweet, pungent aroma. After six hours at room temperature followed by a day of refrigeration, the seasoning has fully penetrated the scallion and the kimchi is ready to eat alongside grilled pork belly or bossam. After three or more days of fermentation, a gentle lactic acidity develops that makes the kimchi equally useful as an ingredient in stews or stir-fries.
Korean Grilled Doenjang Onions
Onions are sliced into 2 cm rings, secured with skewers, and grilled over medium heat while being brushed with a sauce of doenjang, gochujang, minced garlic, perilla oil, and water. Over eight to ten minutes of flipping and re-brushing, the onion's moisture evaporates and its natural sugars concentrate into pronounced sweetness, while the doenjang chars lightly at the edges to add a toasted, earthy note. Perilla oil softens the salt intensity of the doenjang, and a finish of sliced green chili and ground sesame layers in mild heat and nuttiness. At 146 calories per serving, this is a low-calorie side dish that also works as a light accompaniment to drinks.
Korean Green Onion Kimchi
Daepa kimchi is made by cutting large green onions into six- to seven-centimeter lengths and coating them in a paste of gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, soy sauce, plum extract, and glutinous rice paste. The rice paste acts as a binding agent that keeps the seasoning adhered to the onion surfaces through the entire fermentation period rather than pooling at the bottom of the container. Handling the stalks carefully so they do not bend or split is important for keeping each piece intact, and splitting the thicker white portions lengthwise down the center gives the paste more exposed surface area to penetrate. Eight hours of room-temperature fermentation followed by two days in the refrigerator brings the kimchi to its best point, when the sharp bite of the green onion and the deep fermented umami of the fish sauce have worked fully into each stalk. Daepa kimchi is a natural pairing with grilled pork belly or boiled pork, and it also makes a practical use for green onions before they go past their prime.
Serve with this
Korean Steamed Soybean Sprouts
Kongnamul-jjim is a traditional Korean side dish centered on steamed soy bean sprouts. The preparation involves layering fresh bean sprouts with a mixture of red chili flakes, soy sauce, and finely minced garlic before placing them in a pot. A critical aspect of the cooking process is keeping the lid tightly closed from the beginning until the sprouts are fully cooked. This sealed environment creates a build-up of steam that is essential for maintaining the natural crispness of the sprouts while ensuring that the savory and spicy seasoning permeates each individual strand. The resulting flavor profile features a sharp heat from the red pepper that complements the clean and refreshing qualities of the bean sprouts, resulting in a light and clear finish. To finish the dish, a generous drizzle of sesame oil and a handful of sliced scallions are added to provide a fragrant, toasted aroma and a layer of savory depth. Because the primary ingredients are inexpensive and the entire process from preparation to plating takes less than fifteen minutes, this dish serves as a dependable addition to any meal when the table requires an extra side dish on short notice. For a different aromatic profile, perilla oil can be substituted for sesame oil to introduce an earthy and more herbaceous scent. Individuals seeking a more intense level of spice can add sliced Cheongyang chilies during the cooking stage to elevate the heat.
Korean Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl
Soft tofu and ground pork are cooked in a Sichuan-inspired doubanjiang sauce, then ladled over steamed rice. Blanching the tofu in salted water firms it up so the cubes hold their shape through stir-frying. The fermented heat of doubanjiang builds layers of flavor alongside the pork, and a starch slurry thickens everything into a glossy sauce that clings to each grain of rice. A finishing drizzle of sesame oil rounds out the dish, and a pinch of Sichuan pepper adds authentic numbing heat.
Korean Ssuk Deulkkae Jjigae (Mugwort Perilla Stew)
This seasonal stew highlights fresh mugwort simmered with perilla seed powder in a rice-rinse water base. The perilla powder gives the broth a creamy, nutty thickness, while the mugwort's slightly bitter herbaceous aroma floats through gently. Potato breaks down to add heartiness, and oyster mushrooms and firm tofu provide textural variety. Seasoned lightly with soup soy sauce, it is a springtime specialty that captures the taste of the season.
Similar recipes
Jeolla-style Green Onion Kimchi
Deep-flavored green onion kimchi with rich fish sauce and spicy seasoning.
Kimchi Dwaejigogi-guk (Kimchi Pork Tofu Soup)
Kimchi-dwaejigogi-guk starts by stir-frying pork shoulder and well-fermented sour kimchi together in perilla oil. The pork is cooked first until its fat renders fully, then chili flakes join the pan for three more minutes of cooking alongside the kimchi. This initial stir-fry step is what gives the soup its depth - the caramelized kimchi acidity and rendered pork fat fuse into a base that a plain simmered broth cannot replicate. Water and sliced onion are added and simmered for fifteen minutes, then blocks of firm tofu go in near the end, soaking up the spicy, ruddy broth and providing a soft contrast to the chewy pork. The soup has considerably more liquid than a jjigae, making it well suited for pouring over rice in a bowl. Kimchi that has fermented longer delivers more lactic tang and a more complex broth. Pork belly can replace shoulder for a richer, fattier result.
Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad
Oi-muchim - Korean spicy cucumber salad - is one of the most frequently served vegetable banchan on summer Korean tables, tossing thinly sliced cucumber in gochugaru, garlic, vinegar, and sesame oil. Slicing the cucumber as thin as possible with a mandoline or knife is important - thin slices absorb the dressing rapidly and deliver a texture that is simultaneously crunchy and yielding. Salting for ten minutes and squeezing out the released water is the pivotal step; undrained cucumber turns the dressing into a diluted puddle. The seasoning mixes gochugaru, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds - vinegar amplifies the cucumber's natural freshness while gochugaru provides a gentle trailing heat. Assembling immediately before serving is essential, as osmotic action wilts the cucumber within thirty minutes. This banchan tops naengmyeon and bibimbap or stands alone alongside rice. When summer heat suppresses appetite, oi-muchim is often the first dish Korean diners reach for - its cool, sharp bite cuts through the lethargy.