NABAK KIMCHI (WATER KIMCHI)

 

WHAT IS NABAK KIMCHI

Nabak kimchi (나박 김치) is a type of Korean water kimchi (Mul kimchi, 물김치). It is made with radish and cabbage as the main ingredients, which are salted and then combined with water and other seasoning ingredients such as pear, onion, garlic, and Korean chili flakes to make delicious water kimchi.

Unlike regular kimchi, nabak kimchi doesn’t need any fish sauce, so it is a great vegetarian or vegan kimchi.

The name “nabak” comes from the technique of slicing radish into a thin, square shape. Koreans call this technique “nabak-sseolgi (나박썰기). This name comes from the sound when slicing the radish: “nabak-nabak (나박-나박)”.

Nabak kimchi brings a lot of fresh taste with an added saltiness. As it sits and ferments, the tangy flavor starts to develop.

It matches perfectly with most Korean dishes, but will go especially well with baked or roasted sweet potatoes, rice cake soup and hearty Korean foods. So, it is often served as one of the dishes on the Charye table (ancestral ritual) and is also commonly served during Korean New Year’s Day.

HOW LONG DOES NABAK KIMCHI LAST

Once you make nabak kimchi, you leave it out at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Then, store it in the fridge. (You could leave it out longer, but then it might ferment too fast for your liking.) You can start eating the kimchi from the next day.

As with other kimchi, nabak kimchi will ferment slowly in the refrigerator over time, turning sour. Some say it should be eaten within 3 to 4 days, but based on my experience, it is okay to eat it within 3 weeks of making it. Of course, this will depend on how long you left the kimchi out initially and also the storage conditions in general. After this point, the kimchi will turn quite sour and the radish will turn soft, meaning it’s not in an optimal state.

SERVING TIPS

Nabak kimchi is often served with a bowl of rice and other Korean side dishes. It adds a nice, refreshing and tangy taste.

When you dish out nabak kimchi to eat, you can top it with some thinly sliced cucumber, nashi pears, or apples. This will give the dish a nice, natural sweet taste to the kimchi brine and a crunchy texture.

NABAK KIMCHI INGREDIENTS : 


MAIN

  • 450g / 15.9 ounce radish (Korean or daikon), peeled, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares with 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thickness
  • 345g / 12.2 ounces napa cabbage, use inner part of yellow leaves only (remove green leaves) and cut into smaller pieces (1 inch squares)
  • 2 Tbsp cooking salt
  • 110g / 3.9 ounces carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thickness)
  • 40g / 1.4 ounces green onions, cut in 2 inch (5 cm) length
  • 35g / 1.2 ounces red chili, seeded and thinly sliced

WATER KIMCHI SEASONING

  • 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
  • 1.5 cup water
  • 400g / 14.1 ounces nashi pear, blended (with a stick blender or vegetable chopper) or finely grated
  • 95g / 3.3 ounces onion, blended (with a stick blender or vegetable chopper) or finely grated
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 Tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 Tbsp Korean chili powder (gochugaru)
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp cooking salt

OPTIONAL (TO SERVE)

  • cucumber, thinly sliced
  • nashi pear, peeled, thinly sliced

* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml

HOW TO MAKE NABAK KIMCHI

1. Prepare a large kimchi container (4.8 litre/ 1.26 gallon) and add the prepared radish and napa cabbage. Add the salt (2 Tbsp) and mix well. Cover and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.


2. While waiting, prepare the glutinous rice paste. Mix the glutinous rice flour with the water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until it thickens. Once the glutinous rice paste is ready, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl and cool it down. Add the pear, onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, and Korean chili powder. Stir well.

3. Place a strainer over the kimchi container from step 1 and cover that with a large cotton cloth. Pour the kimchi seasoning from step 2. Wrap the cotton cloth and squeeze it, making sure to strain only the liquid


4. Add 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to the container. Add the prepared carrots, green onions, and chilies, and stir. Close the lid and leave it out at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Then store it in the fridge. You can start serving from the next day. Serve it chilled and give it a good stir before scooping.


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