Authentic Jeolla-style Kimchi
Mix 1 cup anchovy fish sauce with 1/2 cup yellow croaker sauce first. Stir 2 cups chili flakes into 1 cup glutinous rice paste and let them bloom until the paste turns red, then add 1/2 cup minced garlic, 50 g finely chopped sea staghorn and the fish sauce base, and toss in 1 cup shredded radish lightly, because over-mixing gives the radish a raw, grassy smell. Spread the seasoning between every leaf of the 2 salted cabbages, wrap each head in its outer leaves, and pack them tightly to press out air pockets before fermenting in a cool shaded area or a kimchi refrigerator.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 90 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Two fermented fish products go into this southern Korean kimchi, anchovy fish sauce and salted yellow croaker, layered for a saltier, deeper flavor than most napa kimchi.
Read more
Finely chopped sea staghorn, a branching seaweed, adds a cool, briny savoriness that grows as the kimchi ripens. The chili flakes soak in glutinous rice paste first, which brightens the color and helps the paste cling to each leaf. The seasoning goes in generously, as is typical of Jeolla kimchi, and the heads are pressed down hard in the container because air contact gives fermenting kimchi a stale smell.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Wash 50g of sea staghorn thoroughly 2 to 3 times under cold running water, drain well, and then finely chop into 0.5cm pieces.
This ingredient provides the signature refreshing umami characteristic of authentic Jeolla-style kimchi.
- 2
Combine 1 cup of rich anchovy fish sauce with 0.5 cup of savory yellow croaker sauce, mixing until the deep and nutty aroma of fermented fish rises. This base establishes the intense flavor profile unique to Southern-style kimchi.
- 3
Add 2 cups of chili flakes to 1 cup of glutinous rice paste and let it bloom until the color turns red, then mix in 0.5 cup of minced garlic and the chopped sea staghorn. Blooming the chili flakes ensures a bright and even color. Blend the prepared anchovy fish sauce and yellow croaker sauce base evenly into this rice-paste seasoning.
- 4
Fold 1 cup of shredded radish into the seasoning paste, tossing lightly to keep the vegetables crisp.
Avoid over-mixing to prevent the radish from developing a raw, grassy smell.
- 5
Spread the stuffing generously between each leaf of the 2 salted cabbage heads, then wrap the entire head tightly with the outer leaves to keep everything in place. Ensure every layer is seasoned well to prevent uneven fermentation.
- 6
Pack the seasoned cabbage tightly into a kimchi jar or container, pressing down firmly to remove air pockets, then ferment in a cool shaded area or kimchi refrigerator. Minimizing air contact prevents odors and ensures a clean taste.
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Korean Cheonggak Kimchi (Seaweed Kimchi)
Anchovy Fish Sauce, Glutinous Rice Paste
Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Anchovy Fish Sauce, Glutinous Rice Paste
Korean Coastal Hogfennel Kimchi
Anchovy Fish Sauce, Glutinous Rice Paste