Miso-Kombu Vegan Mak-Kimchi

Method

1. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters, cut out the hard core and slice crosswise into 4 cm pieces. Put them in a 30 cm bowl, toss well with the salt and leave to salt for 1 h 30 min, turning every 30 minutes. They are ready when the white stems bend without snapping.

   Add in this stepNapa cabbage 1,200 gCoarse sea salt 90 g

2. Put the cold water and kombu in a 14 cm pot and warm on medium heat for 7 min. When tiny bubbles form around the edge, lift out the kombu just before it boils. Whisk in the rice flour and cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 min, until it thickens into a smooth porridge; let it cool completely.

   Add in this stepKombu (dried kelp) 5 gWater (for the kombu stock) 300 mlGlutinous (sweet) rice flour 2 tbsp

   medium heat→medium-low heat

3. Core the apple (no need to peel) and cut it into chunks. Blend the apple, garlic, ginger, miso, soy sauce and cooled kombu porridge until smooth, then tip into a bowl and stir in the gochugaru. With no fish sauce, the miso brings both the saltiness and the savoury depth.

   Add in this stepApple 150 gGarlic cloves 30 gGinger 10 gWhite miso (shiro miso) 40 gSoy sauce 2 tspGochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 40 g

4. Rinse the salted cabbage twice in cold water, drain in a colander for 20 min and squeeze gently by hand.

5. Cut the carrot into thin 4 cm matchsticks and the scallions into 4 cm lengths. Wearing gloves, toss the cabbage, carrot and scallions in the paste until evenly coated. Taste and add salt a pinch at a time if it seems flat.

   Add in this stepCarrot 80 gThin scallions 60 g

6. Press it firmly into a clean 2 L glass jar to squeeze out the air, leaving 2 to 3 cm at the top. Leave at room temperature (about 20 °C) for 12 h, until it bubbles and smells tangy, then refrigerate. It tastes good after 2 to 3 days in the fridge and is at its best after about a week.