How to Make Kimchi Easily (With Fresh-Squeezed Clementine or Other Fruit)

When putting together this baechu (Napa cabbage) kimchi ferment/recipe, I remembered the boatloads of clementines we had in the fridge and it hit me – some fresh squeezed juice and orange zest would be a great add to kimchi. The sugars help feed the lactic acid-producing bacteria (LABs) present on the cabbage as well as that on the orange peel zest (particularly if it’s organic citrus) for an active, healthy ferment.

If you want to skip the clementine and just make a traditional mak (easy) Napa cabbage kimchi, this recipe has got you covered.

Now back to why the clementine was so good: the sweet and sour flavors of oranges are an amazing complement to kimchi. You may never want to make kimchi without it again. I indicated the measurements of juice and zest at the end of the ingredient list.

The addition of fruit juices to kimchi is also not unusual in Korea. I have made kimchi with the addition of freshly-squeezed carrot juice, pineapple juice, apple juice, a mix of various juices, and even whole fruit blended into the paste such as plums, local Georgia peaches, and more! There doesn’t need to be an exact measurement, but you can follow the guidance below for the clementines to give you a general idea. It’s also fun to just experiment and be a little “insane!”

If you’re in the market for a juicer, I have used this wide-mouth version for years and love it. You can use all-natural juices from the supermarket but fresh-squeezed will give the healthiest and most delicious juice.

If you want to see my many other kimchi recipes off the beaten path not available anywhere else, check out the First and Second Insane in the Brine Cookbooks!! (US Amazon links provided. Outside the US, just search your own country’s Amazon for “Insane in the Brine: The Official Cookbook.”)

You will need:

• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Large non-reactive bowl
• Non-iodized salt
• Half gallon fermenting vessel (with or without an airlock) or two quart jars
• Carrot/vegetable peeler (optional)
• Zester/grater (optional)
• Kitchen/latex gloves (to prevent hot pepper from touching skin)
• Juicer or juice press (optional)
• Note a ferment weight isn’t really needed for kimchi

Notes on fermenting in jars:

My recipes usually use glass mason jars for fermenting. There are other options but not really explored here. For larger batches (more than double this recipe), a really nice fermenting device is the E-Jen container which is extremely popular in Korea.

The shoulder of a jar is an ideal resting point in a kimchi ferment. However, if you fall a bit short of it, kimchi is a very forgiving ferment and there should be no issues. (In general, ferments that have too much “headspace” in a jar are more prone to mold or undesirable wild yeast). You also don’t have to have everything submerged in a liquid brine when making kimchi, but everything needs to be at least coated in the paste.

Metric Jars and/or Swing-Top Jars: In Europe and elsewhere, it may be more common to find or use jars based on the metric system (i.e, liters). A liter jar is slightly smaller than a quart jar but is roughly equivalent. Thus, two liter jars can be used in place of two quarts. Or, instead of a single half-gallon jar, you may use a single 2L jar. Note also that these jars often have a built-in “swing-top” or “clasp” lock that will effectively allow the release of CO2 buildup and will eliminate the need for airlocks or airlock lids. (These are very convenient and often referred to by brands or styles such as Bail Wire, Kilner, or Bormiolo Rocco.) Bormiolo is a high-quality, popular brand in the US and is widely available at Target stores or Amazon.

This recipe is for a half-gallon jar or two quart jars (or make substitutions for metric jars using the guidance above). You can double, halve the recipe, etc. as desired, but make sure to modify the size of the container so that there is never excessive headspace at the top of the jar.

Ingredients:

• 5.25 lb. Napa cabbage (or “Chinese cabbage”, or you may sub with any other cabbage variety with similar results); ~2380 grams
• 1/2 lb. of Korean radish, matchstick cut (or any radish; I used regular red radishes from my garden; daikons are another great substitute, or use a combination of radish and carrot strings); ~225g
• 1/2 cup non-iodized salt (150 g)
• 1 bunch of green onions, cut in 1/2″ to 3/4″ inch slices
• 3 TBSP minced garlic (use only 1-2 TBSP if you prefer a milder garlic flavor)
• 1 TBSP minced ginger
• 1-2 TBSP sugar; you can also omit sugar or increase up to 3 TBSP depending on preference, more sugar increases fizziness in early stages and final sourness of the kimchi. (In this batch featured in the photos, I subbed sugar with Korean rice syrup and loved the result, although it’s not normally used in Korea for ferments)
• 1-2 TBSP fish sauce (3 TBSP for a stronger umami flavor; no fish sauce for vegetarians is fine or substitute with another umami ingredient such as organic soy sauce, tamari, liquid aminos or – possibly my favorite – coconut aminos, or kelp powder)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup Korean red pepper flakes. (Use more flakes for a hotter flavor; add more brine for a juicier kimchi)
• 1/2 cup cabbage salt brine (will form after soaking the cabbage in salt long enough and should be reserved in a separate bowl)
• Juice of 1-2 clementines and zest of 1 clementine
• Optional: for a spicier kimchi, add 1 TBSP minced hot pepper (or more to taste) such as red serrano, or 1 tsp spicy red pepper flakes (I used half a manzano pepper for this recipe, which is very hot and has a citrusy flavor to pair with the clementine)
• Optional: You can blend 1/2 a pear or Asian pear into the kimchi paste for added depth of flavor and a thicker consistency

Directions:

1.) Wash all produce; peel radish if desired before matchstick cutting.

2.) Remove dry/blemished exterior leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage length-wise, then repeat process, cutting the cabbage into quarters or eighths. Discard the core. (I cut into eighths to produce smaller, more bite-size pieces.) Make cuts every 1” perpendicular to the strips of cabbage. The process is shown here:

3.) Place the cut cabbage into the large bowl and thoroughly massage with the salt. If possible, cover cabbage with a weighted object, cover with wrap, and let sit for at least 2-3 hours (preferably in the fridge but room temp is fine). The salt will pull out the water from the cabbage, forming a salt brine.

4.) After the allotted time, strain the brine that forms into a separate bowl (you will use some of the brine later). Then rinse the cabbage thoroughly two to three times, then let sit in a colander for 15-20 minutes to fully drain. The cabbage will still have a salty flavor but shouldn’t be unpleasant. (If so, give it one more rinse and allow to dry well.)

5.) In the large bowl, add and thoroughly mix all the kimchi paste ingredients. That is the pepper flakes, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, clementine zest and juice, and (optional) hot pepper and/or pear. Then add around 1/3 – 1/2 cup of the reserved brine (you can use a bit more for a juicier kimchi) and mix thoroughly or run through a blender or food processor. I prefer to blend all the kimchi paste ingredients for a smoother texture. (If you are adding the pear or other whole fruit, you’ll definitely need to blend it in.) Then combine the paste with the drained cabbage, green onion, and matchstick cut radish and evenly mix with gloved hands.

6.) Transfer the fresh kimchi to the fermenting vessel (using an optional canning funnel). See below for ferment times.

Notes:

If you don’t use an airlock lid (as shown just above), you can use the regular metal lid, just remember to burp the jar once a day for the duration of the ferment to prevent excessive gas buildup. This involves a slight counter-clockwise turn of the lid to loosen but not removing it.

Ferment duration: I let it sit on a shelf for several days to a week before refrigerating. My ambient temp usually ranges from 68-74F, which is an ideal range but it can be somewhat below or above. The batch featured in the photos went for a week before fridgeing and was hot and sour, with a welcome touch of sweetness and fizz. Some choose to ferment kimchi for a shorter period, such as 4-5 days, while others go much longer. This can also depend on your ambient temperature, where higher temps associated with quicker ferment times. Higher temps can also make cabbage more prone to softening, in which case you may wish to transfer to the fridge after just a few days, but allow further fermentation to take place in the fridge over the next week or so to achieve the desired sourness and fizz.