Recipe:

• 1 head baby napa cabbage

• 3 cups warm water

• 3 tbsp coarse salt

• 1/2 cup coarse salt

Divide your Napa cabbage into quarters. Place the four segments into a bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tbsp of coarse sea salt and rub into and between the leaves.

In a separate small bowl, add your water and 1/2 cup of coarse salt. Stir to dissolve the salt crystals. Pour the brine over the cabbage and place a plate on top to weigh them down. Soak for 1 hour, rotating the cabbage pieces every 15 minutes.

• 1 asian pear

• 1/4 white onion

• 1/2” piece ginger

• 1-2 garlic cloves

• 1.5 tbsp coarse salt

• 3 cups water

In a medium sized bowl, add the water and the salt. Stir to dissolve the salt crystals.

Peel the asian pear. Remove the core and slice into four segments. Place the pieces in a blender along with the onion, ginger and garlic. Blend until smooth.

Take a clean cheesecloth (or large spice bag) and pour the blended pear mixture inside. Squeeze the juice into the bowl of salt water. Tie the end of the cheesecloth so the mixture doesn’t spill out. Place the bag in the bowl of saltwater (with the opening overhanging the edge of the bowl) and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes squeeze the bag of any remaning juices and discard the solids. Set the fruit brine aside.

• 25g carrot, julienned

• 25-50g red or yellow bell pepper, julienned

• 30g daikon radish, julienned

• 3 green onions or garlic chives, cut into 2” long strips

Prepare your assorted vegetables by julienning into 2” long pieces.

At this point your cabbage should have been soaking for at least an hour. Remove it from the brine and place in a strainer in your sink. Rinse the cabbage under cold water to wash away any excess salt. Squeeze to get rid of water.

Time to assemble:

Take your cabbages and place them on a clean cutting board.

Taking one cabbage segment, starting with the outermost leaf folded down, place an assortment of your prepared vegetables on top of the leaf. Fold down the following leaf and add more vegetables on top.

Repeat this process of stuffing each leaf with vegetables until you have gotten all the way to the core of the cabbage.

Repeat with remainder of cabbage segments.

Place the stuffed cabbages into a 5L container. Fitting them snugly so the fillings down fall out.

Pour your prepared pear brine overtop of the cabbage until it is mostly covered. Seal with an airtight lid.

Store at room temperature for a day or two before moving to the fridge.

This kimchi is best enjoyed 2-3 days after making and will last about 1 month in your fridge.