4 heads napa cabbage, about 7 to 8 pounds, washed and drained
4 1/4 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
1 daikon radish pureéd
1 medium onion, peeled and pureéd
3/4 cup chopped scallions (about 2 bunches)
3 or 4 red chili peppers, to taste, cored, seeded, and pureéd
1/2 cup pureéd garlic
2 tablespoons pureéd fresh ginger
8 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup beef stock, preferably homemade
Put whole cabbages in a kimchi pot or pickling crock and pour 4 1/2 cups of the salt
over the cabbage cover and let stand for 12 hours or overnight. In the morning,
rinse off the salt with cold running water and drain the cabbages in a colander for
30 minutes. Cut the cabbages in half lengthwise.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the 1 1/2 tablespoons
salt. Mix well until a coarse paste is formed. Spread the seasoning paste between
the cabbage leaves, making sure each of the leaves is coated, and then stack
the cabbage halves in the kimchi pot and cover. Let stand at room
temperature for 1 day, then refrigerate to chill before serving. Refrigerated,
it will last for 2 weeks.
From Lucy Norris's Pickled, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2003.
