Korean Scallion Kimchi (Whole Stalk Anchovy Shrimp Paste)

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

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.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

scallions700 gg

coarse sea salt2½ tbsptbsp

Korean chili flakes6 tbsptbsp

anchovy fish sauce4 tbsptbsp

salted shrimp1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic1½ tbsptbsp

plum syrup1 tbsptbsp

sweet rice paste3 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Rub away soil from the root ends of 700 g scallions, rinse well, and remove any yellowed leaves.

Trim into 8 to 10 cm lengths, then drain gently so the white sections stay intact.
2

Season

Sprinkle 2.5 tbsp coarse sea salt mostly over the white root sections and brine for 20 minutes.

Turn once halfway through, then shake off moisture before the scallions become overly limp.
3

Season

Mix 6 tbsp gochugaru with 4 tbsp anchovy fish sauce, 1 tbsp salted shrimp, 1.5 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp plum syrup, and 3 tbsp sweet rice paste. Keep the paste thick enough not to run.
4

Season

Take a small handful of brined scallions and spread the seasoning thinly from the root ends upward.

Do not squeeze the green tips hard; coat them lightly with the remaining paste.
5

Control

Arrange the coated scallions in one direction in a container and press with the palm to remove air pockets.

Cover with a slightly loose lid and ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.
6

Finish

Move the container to the refrigerator for 1 day so the seasoning penetrates evenly.

When the white sections stay crisp and the seasoning aroma settles, cut into 5 to 6 cm pieces and serve as a side.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Jjokpa-kimchi layers anchovy and shrimp paste for a complex seafood umami on whole scallions.
Finish cue: Move the container to the refrigerator for 1 day so the seasoning penetrates evenly.
Avoid this: Do not squeeze the green tips hard; coat them lightly with the remaining paste.
Storage and reheating: 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.