Korean Red Cabbage Kimchi
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Jeokchae kimchi is made by salting red cabbage leaves, then tossing them in a seasoning of gochugaru, sand lance fish sauce, minced garlic, and Korean pear juice before a short fermentation.
Read more
Red cabbage has thicker, denser leaves than napa cabbage, so it holds its crunch well after brining rather than going soft. The anthocyanin pigment in the red cabbage reacts with the chili seasoning to produce a vivid purple color rather than the typical red associated with kimchi, making it visually striking on the table. Pear juice provides a gentle fruit sweetness underneath the heat and spice, while sand lance fish sauce builds enough savory depth that even a brief fermentation yields full flavor. Scallions add a fresh, aromatic finish that ties the seasoning together. The result is a kimchi that is crunchy, spicy, and umami-rich simultaneously, with a distinctive character that sets it apart from traditional napa kimchi.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Slice 500 g of red cabbage into 2 cm bite-sized strips, sprinkle evenly with 1.5 tbsp coarse salt, and let it brine for 20 minutes until the leaves soften and release their moisture.
- 2Season
Rinse the brined red cabbage lightly once or twice in cold water to remove excess salt, then place it in a colander to drain completely for at least 10 minutes to prevent dilution.
- 3Prep
Julienne 50 g of onion into very thin strips and cut 40 g of scallions into 3 cm lengths, keeping them similar in size to the cabbage strips for a balanced texture.
- 4Season
Combine 3 tbsp Korean chili flakes, 2 tbsp sand lance fish sauce, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 3 tbsp pear juice, stirring well until the chili flakes hydrate and develop a deep red color.
- 5Season
Add the red cabbage, onion, and scallions to the seasoning paste and toss gently by hand until the vivid purple pigment of the cabbage begins to blend beautifully with the spicy red seasoning.
- 6Season
Pack the kimchi firmly into a container and refrigerate for about 12 hours; during this time, the anthocyanin pigments will bleed into the sauce, creating a striking and purple hue.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Jeokchae-kimchi uses dense red cabbage and pear juice for a crisp, purple-hued fermentation.
- Finish cue
- Pack the kimchi firmly into a container and refrigerate for about 12 hours; during this time, the anthocyanin pigments will bleed into the sauce, creating a striking and purple hue.
- Avoid this
- Do not over-brine red cabbage; 20 minutes keeps it crisp.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
30min, 8 ingredients
Category median
32min, 7 ingredients
Based on 163 recipes
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