According to my Korean Canadian friend and avid kimchi maker Bonah, there are over two hundred varieties of kimchi. Because she regularly shares her wonderful kimchi creations with me, I quickly learned about the diverse flavors and kinds of kimchi. One of the first types of kimchi she shared with me lacked the signature reddish color I was accustomed to but had all the great flavor of kimchi that I love. She told me it was a type of kimchi known as white kimchi. I’ve created here a simplified version that has lots of flavor without the heat often associated with kimchi, for those who can’t eat spicy foods or anyone looking to try a diverse range of kimchis. Instead of the traditional Korean ingredients, which can be difficult to find in the small town in which I live (and perhaps where you live too), I substituted vegetables that are more readily available.
Ingredients
- 1 large Napa cabbage (about 2½ pounds), quartered, with the stalk removed, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large carrot, julienned into 2-inch-long strips
- 1 large black Spanish radish or 3 red radishes, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and julienned
- 3 sprigs green onion or chives, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 pears (I use red pears, but you can use whatever type is available), stemmed, seeded, and quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ small onion, quartered
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons unrefined fine sea salt or 6 tablespoons unrefined coarse sea salt
- 6 cups filtered water
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, radish, bell pepper, and green onions.