Easy Refrigerator Kimchi

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes

Ingredients
For the Vegetables:
1 medium head napa cabbage, chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup julienned daikon radish
1 cup shredded carrots

For the Seasoning Paste:
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

For the Brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
4 cups water

Directions
Salt the cabbage. Dissolve the salt in the water. Add the cabbage and let it soak for 1 1/2–2 hours, tossing occasionally. Drain well and rinse lightly to remove excess salt.

Make the seasoning. In a large bowl, combine the gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil until well blended.

Mix everything together. Add the cabbage, sweet onion, green onions, carrots and daikon to the seasoning. Wearing food-safe gloves, toss until every piece is evenly coated.

Pack the jars. Transfer the mixture into a clean quart jar, pressing it down firmly to remove air pockets. Leave about 1 inch of headspace.

Refrigerate. Let the kimchi sit at room temperature for 2–4 hours (optional), then refrigerate for 24–48 hours before serving. The flavor will continue to deepen over the next several days.

Cook's tip: The longer it rests, the tangier it becomes. Enjoy it within 3–4 weeks, and use it to brighten fried rice, grilled cheese, burgers, grain bowls or scrambled eggs.