Nabak Kimchi (Water Kimchi) with Kohlrabi & Napa Cabbage
A light, fizzy Nabak Kimchi (water kimchi) made with tender napa cabbage and crunchy kohlrabi. This small-batch water kimchi is fermented in a refreshing fruit-based broth with no fish sauce, perfect for spring and summer! Naturally tangy, mild, and rich in probiotics.
Servings: 3 liters (3.2 quarts)
Equipment
- 1 kimchi container (around 3,2 liters or 3.5 quarts) preferably glass (or BPA-free plastic)
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 400 g inner leaves of Napa cabbage
- 300 g kohlrabi peeled
- 20 g spring onion thinner stalks
- ½ red chili pepper or long paprika for less heat
Brining
- 2 tbsp coarse sea salt around 20g
- 2 cups water
Gochugaru Mixture
- 2 tbsp gochugaru Korean red chili powder
- 1 cup water
Yangnyeom (Seasoning Broth)
- 1 Asian pear (200g) Peeled, cored, and diced. If unavailable, use a crisp red apple like Gala or Fuji.
- 50 g onion diced
- 20 g garlic (around 4-6 cloves) crushed
- 5 g ginger a small knob
- 4 cups water
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Vegetables
- Cut off the stem end of napa cabbage and separate the leaves one by one. Rinse, drain, and cut napa cabbage into 2x2 cm squares (3mm thick).
- Wash and peel the kohlrabi and also cut into 2x2 cm squares (3mm thick).
- Cut spring onion into 3cm lengths. For thicker white parts, cut lengthwise in half.
- Halve the chili pepper lengthwise, remove seeds, and julienne it thinly.
Step 2: Brining
- In a container, add cabbage and kohlrabi. Dissolve 2 tbsp of sea salt in 2 cups of water and pour it over. Toss gently so that brine will be distributed evenly.
- Let them brine for 30 minutes, flip halfway (after 15 minutes) to ensure even brining. Do not rinse after brining, as this forms the base of the broth.
Step 3: Making the Broth
- In a blender, combine diced pear and onion with 1 cup of water blend until smooth. Add crushed garlic, and sliced ginger and pulse until garlic and ginger are finely minced.
Step 4: Preparing the Gochugaru Mixture
- Mix 2 tbsp of gochugaru with 1 cup of water. Let it bloom (soaking gochugaru in water lets it release more color and flavors) for 30 minutes. It's more convenient if you use a fine sieve as bigger pieces will be filtered out later on.
Step 5: Combining Everything
- Strain the broth mixture through a fine sieve or cloth to extract only the juice. Squeeze to get even till the last drop!
- Pour in the soaking water (of gochugaru) and filter the gochugaru mixture to extract even more color and flavor. The leftover soaked gochugaru residue can be used for other dishes like stew, stir-fry, etc.
- Add 3 more cup of water for the broth.
- Add the spring onion and julienned chili. Stir gently and press down to keep everything submerged.
Step 6: Fermentation
- Close the lid and ferment at room temperature (around 15°C) for 1-2 days.
- You'll notice bubbles rising and smell slight tang when you open the lid. The broth should feel tangy but cabbage and kohlrabi should still taste fresh.
- Transfer to the fridge and let it slowly ferment for 3–7 days. Enjoy chilled!
Video
https://youtube.com/watch?v=hrfr_eafM-c