Baechu Kimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi)

Method

1. Pull off any wilted outer leaves and trim a thin slice off the stem end. Cut a 10 cm slit into the base, then pull the head apart into halves with your hands; tearing instead of cutting all the way keeps the leaves whole. Dissolve part of the salt in the water in a 40 cm basin, then dip each half in, leaves open, so the brine runs between them.

   Add in this stepNapa cabbage (whole heads) 2,400 gWater (for the brine) 2,000 mlCoarse sea salt 72 g

2. Lift the leaves one by one and sprinkle the rest of the salt between them: plenty on the thick white stems, almost none on the green tips. Lay the halves cut side up in the basin, pour the leftover brine over and leave to salt for 6 h, turning them over every 2 to 3 hours. They are ready when the thickest stem bends without snapping.

   Add in this stepCoarse sea salt 168 g

3. Rinse the cabbage gently in cold water three times to wash off the surface salt. Set it cut side down in a colander and drain for 1 h. Taste a bit of leaf: it should be pleasantly salty but not bitter; if it is too salty, rinse once more.

4. While the cabbage drains, make the rice porridge. Whisk the rice flour into the cold water in a 14 cm pot until smooth, then cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4 min, until it bubbles and turns thick and translucent like thin glue. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely; hot porridge cooks the garlic and makes the kimchi sour too fast.

   Add in this stepGlutinous (sweet) rice flour 2 tbspWater (for the rice porridge) 240 ml

   medium heat

5. Chop the saeujeot finely. In a large bowl, mix the cooled porridge with the gochugaru, fish sauce, saeujeot, garlic, ginger and sugar. Let it stand for 10 min so the chili flakes swell and the paste turns a deep red.

   Add in this stepGochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 90 gAnchovy fish sauce 80 mlSaeujeot (salted fermented shrimp) 2 tbspGarlic, minced 70 gGinger, minced 15 gSugar 2 tsp

6. Cut the radish into matchsticks 5 cm long and 3 mm thick, and the scallions into 4 cm lengths. Toss the radish into the paste first until it is evenly red, then fold in the scallions gently. Taste: it should be a little saltier than you would like to eat on its own; the cabbage evens it out.

   Add in this stepKorean radish (mu) or daikon 500 gScallions (thin ones) 100 g

7. Put on kitchen gloves. Starting from the outermost leaf, lift each leaf and spread a generous layer of filling on the stem end and a thin layer towards the tip. Fold each half in two and wrap it with its outer leaf to make a neat bundle. Pack the bundles cut side up into a clean 3 L container, pressing down firmly to push out the air and leaving 3 cm of space at the top. Cover with a reserved outer leaf and close the lid.

8. Leave at cool room temperature (about 20 °C) for 24 h, until small bubbles appear in the juices and it smells slightly tangy, then move it to the fridge. In hot weather half that time is enough. It is crunchy and delicious right away, but the flavour is deepest after 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge. Press the top back under the juices every time you take some out.