Mak Kimchi Recipe

An open jar of mak kimchi next to a small plate with mak kimchi — The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Fermentation: 74 hrs

Total: 74 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 36 servings

Yield: 9 to 10 cups

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Kimchi is not a singular dish but rather a type of fermentation process essential in Korean cuisine—salty, spicy, sour, pungent, often crunchy, with zing. Not every kimchi, however, is spicy or pungent. There are many kimchi varieties that do not use any chili flakes and are, in fact, clear in color (these are called baek-kimchi, or white kimchi) with a tangy broth or brine.

What is Mak Kimchi?

Chopped Napa cabbage kimchi is known as mak- (rough) or mat- (tasty) kimchi. This is the kind you commonly find in stores, pre-chopped and sold in small jars. This style is much faster to make because salting chopped baechu (cabbage) takes much less time than the quartered heads used for traditional baechu ‘pogi’ kimchi (pogi is the unit of Napa cabbage).

Baechu pogi kimchi is made in late fall and early winter using firmer, denser baechu (generally halved or quartered heads) and is consumed throughout the winter.

Mak kimchi is also more convenient to serve (especially for a small household) because you can take out the portion you need instead of having to take out a cutting board to slice a half head of baechu pogi kimchi.

My Mom's Brilliant Cabbage Cutting Technique

My mother slices her cabbage on the bias. Imagine a chevron shape, but the leaves are cut lengthwise down the center. This is so that each slice will have crunchy white and softer green parts in one bite.

Stack three or four leaves on top of each other, and cut the leaves in half lengthwise down the center of the rib. Then, instead of cutting the leaves straight across, cut the leaves at a 45 degree angle and make longer slices so that the white core part will have more of the green leafy part on it.

What To Know About Gochugaru

Beyond cabbage, gochugaru is another primary ingredient in mak kimchi. A type of chili flake, it is often sold in very large bags. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the storage of gochugaru. The beauty of this spice is its vibrant color. When kept like Italian-style chili flakes in a container with holes, it oxidizes and loses its vibrant color.

I recommend keeping gochugaru in the freezer in an airtight bag. I double bag it, and then wrap it with newspaper to absorb any liquid that may occur from freezer accidents. I also keep a little jar in the spice drawer for when I need a small amount, like garnishing pasta dishes to add color.

Korean White Radish Kimchi (Dongchimi)

Use Kimchi Paste to Make Fruit Kimchi

The best kimchi is prepared using seasonal ingredients. Just like there are no rules on what can go into a salad, you can make kimchi with just about any vegetables and even fruits. Try using the kimchi paste with firm peaches, apple, or green mango to make fruit kimchi. Remember that fruit kimchi is best consumed within 3 days before it loses its firm texture.

Tips for Making Mak Kimchi

Save your extra kimchi paste—If you have any kimchi paste left over, keep it in the freezer and use it to make another small batch of kimchi, or stir into salad dressings or other marinades.
What kind of pear or apple to use—Use Korean pears or apple pears (also known as Asian pears) if they are in season and you can find them. For the apples, I prefer sweeter varieties, such as Fuji and Honeycrisp. If your fruit has thick wax on the skin, peel them before grating or pureeing. My ultimate lazy hack is using unsweetened applesauce.
Separating the cabbage leaves—Cutting off the top green part of the napa cabbage where the leaves meet makes separating the leaves very easy. Then, the top part you cut off can be roughly torn into slightly larger bite-sized pieces and added to the prep bowl with the rest of the sliced cabbage.
Cutting the cabbage—I find it helpful to stack 3 or 4 leaves like a deck of cards, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut them crosswise into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces. The chopping of cabbage is the least important part of this process, so there's no need to be precise.
Seasoning the kimchi—Divide the kimchi seasoning paste in half and use half of it to season the cabbage at first. This is because some cabbages lose more liquid from salting and thus have a lower yield. In that case, using all the paste would result in kimchi that is too salty or spicy. You can always add more paste until it tastes the way you want.
How to know when the kimchi is ready—You can start eating kimchi right away, even before it has fermented. Taste the kimchi as it ferments and move it to the refrigerator when it tastes the way you want. Fermentation will slow down in the fridge but the kimchi will continue to become more sour over time.

"This homemade kimchi was delicious and surprisingly easy to make. It will expand the first day or two at room temperature, so if you start fermentation in a glass mason jar, make sure to place the jar on a plate and screw the lid on loosely. Can't wait to use some for kimchi fried rice!" —Diana Rattray

1 cup Korean coarse sea salt or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 3/4 cup fine sea salt (do not use iodized salt)
10 cups water
5 pounds Napa cabbage, chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces or preferred bite size pieces
1 cup gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes)
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup grated Asian pear or apple
2 tablespoons minced garlic (do not use pre-minced kinds sold in a jar)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup julienned daikon radish, cut about 2 inches long
1/2 cup sliced garlic chives (or Korean chives), cut into 2 inch long pieces, optional

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Mix 1 cup Korean coarse sea salt into 10 cups water in a large bowl or a plastic container that can hold up to 1 1/2 gallons of liquid, until dissolved. It’s okay if you see some salt not fully dissolved and sunk to the bottom.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Add the 5 pounds Napa cabbage, chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces to the salt water and give it a good mix to ensure that the salt water has touched all the cabbage.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Place a bowl on top of the cabbage and put heavy objects, such as canned tomatoes, a cutting board, or a Dutch oven lid on top to help the cabbage stay submerged in the salt water. Let sit for 2 hours.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
While the cabbage is salting, grab another large bowl (that can hold at least 1 1/2 gallons) and mix together 1 cup gochugaru, 1/2 cup fish sauce, 1/2 cup grated Asian pear or apple, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger. It should form a thick paste.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Fold in 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, 1/2 cup julienned daikon radish, and 1/2 cup sliced garlic chives, if using. Cover and set aside. You will notice that the paste becomes slightly more watery and the radish becomes limp as the time goes by. That is what we want to see. Give it an occasional stir to incorporate well.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
After the cabbage has sat for 2 hours, grab a strainer. Drain off the brine from the cabbage, then rinse the cabbage under water, squeeze gently, and place it into the strainer. Repeat the rinsing process twice. Drain off any excess liquid.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Remove half the kimchi paste from the bowl and reserve, then add the salted cabbage to the remaining kimchi paste in the large bowl. Use gloved hands to mix the ingredients well. Taste the kimchi and add more of the reserved paste a little at a time, mixing after each addition, until the flavor is as spicy and salty as you like.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Transfer the kimchi to a lidded large plastic container or a half gallon mason jar, leaving about 1-inch headspace. Rest the lid over the plastic container without sealing it, or if using a mason jar, screw the lid on loosely to allow for fermentation gases to escape. Transfer to a plate to catch any leaks.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Place plastic wrap directly over the kimchi and press gently to remove any air. Let it sit on the kitchen counter for 1 to 2 days during the summer and up to 3 days in the winter. Check everyday and “burp” the kimchi to see whether the scent suggests fermentation (the smell will be slightly vinegary). Store in the refrigerator for another 2 weeks for slow fermentation, and enjoy within 3 months.

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How To Store

If you are new to fermentation, I recommend using a plastic container to start as it has a bit of give when kimchi is releasing CO2 as it actively ferments in the beginning. Once the kimchi scent suggests fermentation—from the first 1 to 2 days or fermentation on the kitchen counter—you can then move the kimchi into a glass jar for slow fermentation.

Why the switch? Because plastic containers are porous, and unless it is brand new, there may be some particles that are invisible to our eyes but harmful for good bacteria that may interrupt healthy fermentation. I find that glass jars yield more pleasant and non-volatile kimchi.

Recipe Variations

Fruit kimchi—Try mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons of kimchi paste with sliced firm peaches, apples, pears, or green mango to make fruit kimchi. It is refreshing and makes a delicious side to any BBQ party! Remember that fruit kimchi is best consumed within 3 days, before it loses its firm texture.
Fish sauce swap—Some fish sauces contain sugar. Read the nutrition facts label and find the ones without any sugar, if possible (such as Red Boat 40). You may be able to find Korean fish sauces that are made using Pacific sand lance (also known as canary fish sauce) which is a preferred type for baechu kimchi because it is less fishy but also has lighter color. This helps prevent the kimchi from releasing dark colored liquid as it ferments.

Spicy Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi Chigae)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
13	Calories
0g	Fat
3g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories	13
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 742mg	32%
Total Carbohydrate 3g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg	44%
Calcium 23mg	2%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 95mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.