Kimchi (김치) here means baechu kimchi, whole napa cabbage salted and coated in a paste of gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce or salted shrimp and rice porridge, then fermented. Young kimchi is crunchy, bright and mildly spicy, a side dish for rice and grilled meat. After a few weeks it turns sour, soft and fizzy, and that aged kimchi is what gives kimchi jjigae, kimchi fried rice and kimchi stir-fries their depth. Both stages are correct; they belong in different dishes.

How to buy

Look in the refrigerated section for jars or pouches labeled napa cabbage kimchi. Jongga, Bibigo (CJ), Mother-in-Law's and Cleveland Kitchen are in H Mart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Costco and larger US and UK supermarkets; Korean grocers sell house-made kimchi in tubs, usually the best value. Check for fish sauce or salted shrimp if you need it vegan. A bulging lid or bag means active fermentation, not spoilage. For stew, look for 'sour' or 'well-fermented' (신김치) kimchi, or buy ahead and let it age at home.

How to store

Keep kimchi in the fridge in a tightly closed container, with the cabbage pressed under its own liquid. It keeps for months and only gets more sour; sealed at the back of the fridge it stays fresh-tasting for 2–3 weeks. Open it over the sink the first few times; it can fizz. Discard it if it smells rotten rather than sour, turns slimy or grows fuzzy mold; a white film on top is usually harmless yeast and can be skimmed off.

Substitutes

  • Sauerkraut + gochugaru and garlic: 1 cup sauerkraut with 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon fish sauce. Gives the sour, fermented base for stew; misses the ginger and crunch.
  • Quick kimchi: napa cabbage salted 1 hour, tossed with gochugaru, garlic, ginger and fish sauce. Fine as a side; too fresh for stew.
  • Radish kimchi (kkakdugi) or cucumber kimchi: 1:1 as a side or in fried rice. Different texture, same seasoning.

How to use

Match the age to the dish: fresh kimchi straight from the jar as a side, sour kimchi for cooking. For kimchi jjigae or fried rice, chop the cabbage and fry it in a little oil or pork fat for 3–5 minutes before adding liquid; this concentrates its flavor. Never throw away the juice: a few tablespoons season the stew and turn fried rice red without extra gochujang. If your kimchi is too fresh for stew, add ½ teaspoon vinegar and a pinch of sugar to fake a few weeks of aging.

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