A easy kimchi made with candy onion! Straightforward, scrumptious, and nice with Korean BBQ dishes.
Onions are one of many fundamental components in lots of dishes world wide. They’re versatile and accessible all yr lengthy. Nonetheless, when spring comes round, freshly-harvested onions are tender and candy. Onion kimchi (yangpa kimchi, 양파김치) is a spring favourite in Korea together with pa kimchi (파김치). This crunchy, spicy, and scrumptious onion kimchi pairs particularly properly with Korean BBQ dishes.
Whereas any onion sort is okay for making kimchi, a light, candy selection is finest — the kind you’d use in your salad. My favourite is Georgia grown small Vidalia onions, which normally are available 3-pound baggage round right here.
Onions lose a few of their chew when they’re salted and additional mellow because the kimchi ferments whereas growing extra sweetness.
Find out how to make onion kimchi
Probably the most troublesome a part of making onion kimchi most likely is peeling and slicing. To keep away from tearing, put the onions in icy chilly water for about half-hour earlier than peeling. Reduce onion in half from the tip to the bulb finish, and take away the outer pores and skin. Place the onion half, lower aspect down, on a slicing board, and lower it lengthwise at a slight angle into 2 or 3 even wedges. It will end in 4 to six items per onion relying on its dimension.
Since that is kimchi, the onions should be pre-salted. Merely soak the onion wedges in salt water for about an hour.
Onion kimchi doesn’t want a lot of different fragrant greens, however a little bit little bit of scallions and/or garlic chives add a pleasant pop of coloration. I don’t use garlic or ginger on this kimchi, however be happy so as to add some in the event you like.
For the seasonings, onion kimchi will be seasoned with fish sauce (myulchiaekjeot or kkanari aekjeot). I like to make use of a mix of fish sauce and saeujeot (salted and fermented shrimp). So long as you utilize candy onion, there’s no want for an extra sweetener, however a little bit little bit of sugar will assist relying on the sweetness of your onion.
For a vegan model, you’ll be able to substitute the fish sauce and salted shrimp with soup soy sauce.
For extra Korean cooking inspirations, observe alongside on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Fb, and Instagram.

Directions
-
To keep away from tearing, put the onions in icy chilly water for about half-hour earlier than peeling. Reduce onion in half from the tip to the bulb finish, and take away the outer pores and skin. Place the onion half, lower aspect down, on a slicing board, and lower it lengthwise at a slight angle into 2 or 3 even wedges.
-
Dissolve the salt in 2 cups of water and pour over the onions. Let sit for about an hour, flipping them over half approach via.
-
Whisk collectively the glutinous powder and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer over low warmth, stirring sometimes, till it thickens to a skinny paste. Let it cool. Then, combine all of the seasoning components in a big bowl.
-
Drain the onions from salt water. Rinse the onion in recent water as soon as, and drain properly.
-
Add the onions, and toss all the pieces properly till the onion slices are evenly coated with the seasonings.
-
Throw within the optionally available scallion and/or garlic chives. Retailer the kimchi in an hermetic container. Maintain it at room temperature for a day, after which refrigerate. Onion kimchi will be eaten immediately, however the taste develops because it ferments over every week or two within the fridge.
Notes
A few tablespoons of vinegar in salt water may also help take away the spicy chew of the onions. I do not discover it crucial with Vidalia onions, however will probably be useful with extra spicy onions.