Spring Cabbage Kimchee (ulgaree kimchee)
Young cabbage is tender and crispy. It makes a wonderful quick kimchi
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb spring cabbages about 3 bunches or Napa cabbages
- 1/2 bunch Asian chives or 2 bunch green onions cut into 2-3" slices
- 3/4 cup Korean coarse sea salt
- 1/2 Asian pear or Bosc pear peeled, seeded and diced
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 " ginger piece peeled and cut into small chunks or 2 tsp pureed ginger
- 3 tbsp cooked white rice
- 1/2-1 cup seafood stock
- 5 fresh red chilies long finger size chilies
- 1 cup Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 4 Tbsp Korean anchovy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Korean shrimp sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds optional
For the seafood stock:
- 2 cups water
- 5-6 large dried anchovy
- same volume of dried shrimps Pollock, and/or sea kelp
Instructions
- Cut off the base of the stem and rinse the cabbages to remove all the dirt. Cut them into 2-3" slices.
- In a large shallow bowl or in you sink, spread a layer of cabbage and sprinkle some salt all over. Repeat the layers until all the cabbages and salt are used. Cover with another bowl or plastic to prevent them form drying out. Let it soak for 45 minutes and toss them to turn around. Let it sit another 30-45 minutes until they are all wilted and the stem bend easily without breaking.
- Rinse the cabbages and let them drain in a colander.
- Meanwhile, make seafood stock by combining your choice of dried or fresh seafood with water. Let them boil and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Let the stock cool in a pot with the seafood. Strain the stock and reserve 1 cup.
- To make kimchee filling, in a blender puree pear, onion, garlic, ginger, rice and 1/2 cup seafood stock until smooth. Add the fresh chilies and pulse 2-3 times. You should have some small pieces of chilies visible.
- Mix the purees with Korean chili flakes, anchovy sauce, shrimp sauce, and sugar. the filling consistency should be more like thin banana bread batter. Adjust amount of stock if needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine well drained cabbages, chives and 2/3 of Kimchee filling. Toss well as if you are massaging them around. Add more filling if needed.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and toss well. You can eat fresh right away with some rice or let it sit in the room temperature for 2 days to ferment.
- Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge all the time after fermented.