Whole Cabbage Kimchi
Information
The traditional whole cabbage kimchi is a typical Seoul kimchi and one of
the most popular in Korea.
The cabbage is stuffed with a combination of aromatic vegetables, pickled
fish, and fresh oysters. Here, the radishes mixed with Korean watercress
and Indian mustard leaves add an aromatic taste to the cabbage, and pickled
baby shrimp and yellow corvina blended with fresh oysters further elaborate
the exquisite taste of the kimchi.
Ingredients
- Celery cabbage heads, 5
- Korean radishes, 2
- Green onion stalks, 5; cut into narrow strips, 2" (5 cm) lengths
- Green thread onion, 1/2 bundle - cut into 2" (5 cm) lengths
- Korean watercress, 1 bundle - cut into 2" (5 cm) lengths
- Indian mustard leaves, 1/2 bundle
- Garlic bulbs and ginger roots, 2 each; crushed
- Sponge seaweed, 3 1/2 oz (100 g); cut into 2" (5 cm)
- Pickled baby shrimp, 1 cup' chopped
- Pickled yellow corvina, 1/2 cup; cut into julienne
- Oysters, 3/4 lb (300 g)
- Red pepper threads
- Red pepper powder, 1 cup; made pasty with water
- Coarse salt, 3 1/2 cups
- Table salt
- Sugar
Preparations
- Trimming and Salting the Cabbage.
Trim off the coarse, discolored outer leaves of the cabbage and save
them. Insert a knife through the bottom of the cabbage head, cutting
down onethird of the cabbage length. Once the bottom part is cut through
, split it apart holding each side. This way, the tender inner leaves
will not be damaged. Soak the cabbage sections and the removed coarse
leaves in a brine prepared with 3 cups of salt and 4 quarts (4 liters)
of water for 3 to 4 hours or until softened. Then, rinse thoroughly in
cold water and drain.
- Preparing the Pickled Fish Juice.
Cut the pickled yellow corvina into narrow strips; boil its juice and
bones with a little water and strain.
Directions
- Cut the trimmed cabbage heads into 2 or 4 sections and soak them in the
brine.
- Cut the radishes into thin julienne.
- Cut the sponge seaweed into 2" (5 cm) lengths.
Wash the oysters in slightly salted water.
- Mix the radish strips with the red pepper paste until the peppery red
color is set.
- Mix in all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt, pickled fish
juice, and sugar. Finally, the stuffing is ready when the mixture is
tossed with the oysters.
- Pack the stuffing between the layers of leaves, holding back the leaves
and layering the stuffing under them.
- Firmly wrap the stuffed cabbage with the outerleaves; stack them in a
crock, cover with the salted coarse leaves (PRELIMINARIES), and press
down lightly.
Back to the cabbage page.