Baek-kimchi & Dubuzzim

Ingredients

• 2 mediumChinese cabbages (or savoy cabbages)
• 3 litreswater
• 200 gsalt
• 1 litrevegetable stock
• 100 gcooked rice (halve the amount in hot weather)
• 150 gonion (halve the amount in hot weather)
• 150 gapple (halve the amount in hot weather)
• 100 gpear
• 100 gsugar
• 50 gturnip
• 35 gsalt
• 15 ggarlic
• 20 gfresh ginger (or 1 level tablespoon ground ginger)
• 2 blocksextra-firm tofu
• 100 gsoy sauce
• 60 gbrown sugar
• 20 gspring onion
• 10 gfresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1onion
• 1 clovegarlic
• 20 gKorean miso
• to tastesesame oil
• as neededrice flour (or wheat flour)

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the cabbage

   Trim and wash the cabbages, then cut them in half lengthways. Dissolve 200 g of salt in 2 litres of water in a large container, add the cabbage and make sure the brine reaches between the leaves. Weigh the cabbage down with a plate and leave it overnight. The next day, remove it from the brine, rinse it well and drain in a colander.

2. 2

   Ferment the kimchi

   Blend the vegetable stock, the remaining 1 litre of water, cooked rice, garlic, ginger, onion, apple, pear, turnip, 35 g of salt and sugar. Put the cabbage in a large container and pour the blended fermentation liquid over it, making sure it spreads between the leaves. Leave at room temperature for 2–6 days; bubbles on the surface of the liquid indicate that fermentation is progressing. Once ready, keep the kimchi in a tightly closed plastic container in the fridge, not a glass jar.

3. 3

   Freeze the tofu

   Cut the tofu into pieces about 2 cm thick and freeze for at least 6 hours.

4. 4

   Simmer the sauce

   Put all the dubuzzim ingredients except the tofu, flour and sesame oil in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer over very low heat for at least 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Press and simmer

   Take the tofu from the freezer and place it on a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to catch the liquid. Press gently with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Add the tofu to the pan of sauce to marinate and cook for about 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Flour and brown

   Coat the tofu with rice flour, or wheat flour, and brown it in a frying pan with sesame oil over very low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of sauce and 3 tablespoons of water to make a little gravy. Serve hot.

What are baek-kimchi and dubuzzim?

Baek-kimchi, or white kimchi, is a Korean fermented cabbage that is made without the chilli seasoning associated with many familiar kimchi varieties. It is paired here with dubuzzim, a tofu dish simmered in a soy, miso and ginger sauce before being browned.

The recipe brings together fermentation and a freshly cooked accompaniment. The fruit and cooked rice go into the cabbage’s fermentation liquid, while freezing and pressing the tofu prepares it to take on the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 200 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 20g fat.

The tofu and sesame oil are the main sources of fat, while the rice, fruit, sugars and flour contribute carbohydrates. Tofu provides the dish’s protein, although the supplied nutrition figures list 0 g protein per serving. For a balanced plate, pair a serving with plain rice and vegetables, adjusting the portion to suit your appetite.

The cabbage and brine

Cut lengthways: halving the cabbages leaves the leaves connected at the base while making space for brine to reach between them. Use a container large enough to keep the cabbage immersed, and weigh it down with a plate as directed.

Rinse well: after the overnight soak, wash away the surface brine and let the cabbage drain. This is the handover from salting to fermenting in the blended liquid.

The fermentation liquid

Fruit and rice: apple, pear, cooked rice and sugar bring sweetness and body to the liquid, while turnip, onion, garlic and ginger add savoury flavour. Blend them with the stock, water and measured salt so the mixture can spread through the leaves.

Warm conditions: the recipe suggests halving the rice, onion and apple amounts in hot weather. Check for the stated sign of progress—small air bubbles in the liquid—during the 2–6 days at room temperature.

Freezing the tofu

Freeze first: the recipe calls for the tofu to be cut into pieces about 2 cm thick and frozen for at least 6 hours. Allow enough time for this before starting the tofu’s simmer.

Press gently: thawed tofu can hold liquid, so use a tea towel or kitchen paper and press with your hands to draw out as much as possible. The method asks for a gentle press rather than crushing the pieces.

Simmering and browning

Build the sauce: simmer all the dubuzzim ingredients apart from tofu, flour and sesame oil over very low heat for at least 15 minutes. Add the pressed tofu and cook it in the sauce for about 15 minutes.

Finish gently: flour the tofu and brown it in sesame oil over very low heat, then add 3 tablespoons each of sauce and water for a little gravy. The recipe serves the tofu hot.

Serving the pair

Serve the warm tofu alongside the baek-kimchi, with some of the kimchi liquid and the tofu’s small amount of gravy. The kimchi needs its own fermentation time, so prepare it well ahead of the meal.

The recipe does not specify an additional side. If you want to make the meal more substantial, serve it with plain rice; keep the kimchi chilled until serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a container large enough to keep the halved cabbage submerged in brine.
• Weigh the cabbage down with a plate during its overnight soak.
• Blend the fermentation ingredients until the liquid is smooth enough to spread between the leaves.
• Allow at least 6 hours for the tofu to freeze before you plan to cook it.
• Press the tofu gently over a towel or kitchen paper to collect the liquid.
• Keep the kimchi in a tightly closed plastic container in the fridge, as the recipe cautions against glass.

Variations

• Use savoy cabbage: substitute it for the Chinese cabbage as the recipe suggests.
• Choose wheat flour: use it instead of rice flour to coat the tofu.
• Use ground ginger: substitute the stated ground amounts for fresh ginger.
• Adjust for hot weather: halve the specified rice, onion and apple amounts in the kimchi liquid.
• Serve with rice: add plain rice alongside the tofu and kimchi for a more substantial meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cabbage above the brine: weigh it down with a plate so the liquid reaches between the leaves.
• Skipping the rinse: rinse the salted cabbage well the next day, then drain it before adding the fermentation liquid.
• Rushing fermentation: allow 2–6 days at room temperature and look for bubbles in the liquid.
• Using a glass jar: store fermenting kimchi in a tightly closed plastic container as directed, not glass.
• Leaving excess water in the tofu: press it gently with a towel or kitchen paper before simmering.
• Browning over high heat: keep the sesame-oil pan over very low heat as the recipe specifies.

How to store

Keep the fermented kimchi in a tightly closed plastic container in the fridge; the recipe does not give a storage duration. It cautions against using a glass jar because fermentation can increase pressure. Serve the tofu hot; no storage or reheating instructions are specified for leftovers.

Frequently asked questions