How to Make Kimchi and Then Cook With It

From cocktails to potstickers, kimchi can give your dishes a kick in more ways than you'll ever imagine.

By SAVEUR Editors | Published Apr 26, 2016 10:00 PM

Food

Matt Taylor-Gross

Quick Basic Kimchi

Or Tackle this Project Cabbage Kimchi

Cabbage Kimchi

This cabbage kimchi, packed out in pint-size mason jars, makes a unique gift. Tie a tag around the jar lid with hand-written suggestions such as Kimchi Stew or Kimchi Pancakes, as well as a reminder to keep the kimchi refrigerated. See the recipe for Cabbage Kimchi»

Swap Cabbage for Radish Kimchi

Radish Kimchi

Very large, firm daikon radishes are the best for making this classic kimchi.

Make Kimchi With Little More Than Water

Water Kimchi

This light-tasting kimchi is sometimes served with flavorful garnishes, such as pomegranate seeds, and a little of the brine solution in which it’s pickled.

And Then Get Cooking, Starting With Kimchi Pancakes

Kimchi Pancakes

These savory pancakes are flavored with ground pork and chopped kimchi. This recipe makes about 25 small pancakes; you can also cook large ones that fit the bottom of the skillet and slice them into wedges.

And Kimchi Stew

Kimchi Stew

This traditional Korean stew makes good use of long-aged kimchi. Get the recipe for Kimchi Stew »

Or a Fermented Bloody Mary

Fermented Bloody Mary

Korean Mung Bean Pancakes with Dipping Sauce (Bindaeduk Cho Kanjang)

These savory Korean pancakes are made from a batter of ground mung beans flecked with pork, scallions, and pungent kimchi. Get the recipe for Korean Mung Bean Pancakes with Dipping Sauce (Bindaeduk Cho Kanjang) »

Savory Kimchi-Nori Popcorn

A mix of intensely umami Asian flavors makes this popcorn heartier than most. Great as a snack, try it also as a side dish or as part of an appetizer spread.

Pork and Kimchi Potstickers

Some zesty kimchi can bring your typical dumplings to the next level and enhance the pork filling’s savoriness. Get the recipe for Pork and Kimchi Potstickers »

Korean Rice Cakes (Ddukbokki) with Pork Belly and Cheddar

Korean Rice Cake “Nachos”

Though not strictly nachos, take a Korean classic—ddukbokki, or spicy rice cakes—and add on an oh-so-American layer of melted cheddar for a stroke of Korean-American pub-fusion brilliance that recalls nachos as much as Korean cooking. Get the recipe for Korean Rice Cake Nachos »

How to Make Kimchi and Then Cook With It

Start With a Quick, Basic Kimchi