Nabak Kimchi

This short-lived kimchi's full name is nabak sseolgi, which refers to the way the ingredients are cut. Prized for being refreshing, it's often served ice cold with noodles during the summer. The salt is 2 per cent of the combined ingredients, including the water. 

INGREDIENTS

Equipment:

• 3-litre jar or crock

Ingredients:

• 650g radish (preferably daikon/mooli, or any large, mild-tasting variety)
• 1 carrot (120g)
• 500g cabbage (preferably napa)
• 80g salt (2%)
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (optional)
• 120g warmed water (optional)
• 1 apple or pear (170g)
• 3 garlic cloves (20g)
• 3 spring onions (15g)
• 20g ginger root
• 1 bunch of minari (Chinese celery) - if you struggle to source this, replace with fresh flat-leaf parsley
• about 2.3kg water
  
  

METHOD

1. Clean the radish and carrot; no need to peel them. Cut the radish into thin pieces, roughly 2 x 3cm (¾-1¼in) and only a few millimetres thick. Remove the cabbage leaves from the stem and give them a quick wash. Cut the cabbage leaves into 3cm (1¼in) pieces.

2. Put the cabbage in a bowl with the radish and salt. Toss the ingredients around, then cover and leave somewhere at room temperature for 30 minutes to draw the water out.

3. While you wait, if you're being traditional, cut three little v-shaped grooves along the length of the carrot, then chop it up into 3mm (⅛in) disks to make them look like flower petals. Add the carrot to the bowl with the cabbage and radish.

4. Soak the gochugaru in the warmed water to make a spicy shot. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes. If you don't like spice, you can skip this step.

5. Peel and core the apple or pear and cut into small pieces. Thinly slice the remaining ingredients and put them all into the bowl with the cabbage and mix well.

6. Pack them all into the jar or crock, along with the water released from them and any undissolved salt.

7. Top up the container with enough of the fresh, cold water to cover everything, leaving enough room for the shot ofgochugaru, if using.

8. Filter out the gochugaru, if used, and add the golden red liquid to the jar. Close the lid and leave to ferment for just 2-3 days before storing in a fridge for up to 2 weeks.