1 large napa cabbage (1½ kg worth)
2 tbsp salt, for the brine
43 g salt, for the cabbage
250g daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
32 g carrots, cut into matchsticks
3/4 stalk chives, slice
½ red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
1 medium Korean pear, peeled and cored
4 cloves garlic
64 g onion
1 tsp ginger
3 jujubes, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 fresh chestnuts, peeled and cut into thin strips
Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core.
Rinse the halves under running water or soak them in a basin for a few seconds until all the leaves are wet.
Sprinkle 43 g of salt evenly between the leaves. Let them sit for about 2 hours, turning them over every 20 minutes.
Rinse the cabbage under running water or wash in a basin to get rid of any dirt or salt. Drain and set aside.
Combine daikon radish, carrot, red bell pepper, chives, chestnuts and jujubes in a separate bowl. Set aside.
In a blender, blend the onion, ginger, garlic, and Korean pear into a creamy paste. Set aside.
Mix 4 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Stir it well until the salt is thoroughly dissolved.
Put the blended paste into a muslin cloth and put the cloth into the bowl of brine for the blended flavors to seep through. Squeeze it a bit and stir the brine for a while.
Spread the daikon radish, carrot, red bell pepper, chives, chestnuts and jujubes between each leaf of the cabbage and put into a container or casserole.
Pour the brine over the kimchi until it’s submerged.
Cover and let it sit at room temperature until it starts fermenting, between 1½ to 3 days, depending on how warm your room is. A warmer room will ferment faster. Keep an eye on the kimchi and taste it every now and then. When the brine turns sour, it’s fermenting.
Move it to the fridge, which will slow down the fermentation process. It will keep for about 1 month.