White Kimchi Baek-kimchi 백김치

Directions Salt the cabbage: Cut the cabbage in half, then cut a slit through the core 2 inches above the stem, so the leaves are loosened but still attached. Rinse the halves under running water, or soak them in a basin for a few seconds until all the leaves are wet. Put the halves in a large basin and sprinkle ? cup of salt evenly between the leaves. Let them sit for 1½ to 2 hours, turning them over every 20 minutes. Rinse the cabbage under cold running water a couple of times to get rid of any dirt or salt. Split each half under the running water, to divide the cabbage into quarters. Cut out the remainder of the core. Drain and set aside. Make the vegetable fillings: Combine radish, carrot, jujubes, chives, chestnuts, and red bell pepper in a bowl. Set aside. Make seasoning mix for brine: Blend pear, garlic, onion, and ginger in a food processor until creamy. Set aside. Make brine: Mix 4 cups of water and 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of salt in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir it well until the salt is thoroughly dissolved. Put the blended seasoning mix into a cotton pouch, or wrap it a couple times in cheesecloth, and put it into the bowl of brine. Press it down with a spoon so the delicious blended flavors seep through. Squeeze it a bit and stir the brine for a while. Remove the pouch. Make kimchi: Spread the vegetable fillings between each leaf of the cabbage. Fold the stuffed cabbage quarters over and put them into a container, glass jar, or Korean earthenware pot. Pour the brine over the kimchi so it’s submerged. Cover and let sit at room temperature until it starts fermenting, which should be between 1½ to 3 days depending on how warm your room is. A warmer room will ferment faster. Just keep an eye on the kimchi and taste it now and then: when the brine turns sour, it’s fermenting. Move it to the fridge, which will slow down the fermentation process. It will keep for about 1 month. Serve cold.