“I haven't been making kimchi for a while because I'm a kid and I'm still in school. But now I have time, so buy my kimchi. It's probably going to sell out in a few weeks.”
Valentin Thang, aged 13 · Putney, London
What it tastes like
Four things happening
at once.
Spicy
The kick has to be there: that's non-negotiable. It'll attack your mouth a little.
Umami
Dried Vietnamese shrimp adds a depth you won't get from fermented shrimp. The secret.
Salty
Fish sauce, soy sauce, and brine from the fermentation itself.
Sweet
Just a tiny bit. Barely there, but you'd miss it if it wasn't.
The recipe
Not traditional.
Better.
Most kimchi uses a tapioca base and layers the paste into the cabbage. I blend everything together: the sauce gets further into the vegetable, the flavour is deeper and more even throughout.
I also use dried Vietnamese shrimp from my mum's fridge instead of fermented shrimp. More umami, more depth.
What’s in it
Napa cabbage
One whole big head per 2kg jar
Gochugaru + chilli blend
Blended smooth into the paste
Garlic & ginger
Also blended. Will make your eyes water.
Lots of onions
A lot of onions. You have been warned.
Soy sauce
Salt and depth
Fish sauce
Umami base (omit for vegan)
Dried Vietnamese shrimp
The secret. Replaces fermented shrimp: more umami
Vinegar
Balances the fermentation
Kimchi goes with anything savoury.
Bulgogi beef
Bulgogi is sweet. Kimchi is spicy and salty. The spice cuts through the sweetness. Best combination.
Egg & rice (for beginners)
Never tried Asian food? Start here. Kimchi + a fried egg + plain rice. Gets you into soy sauce and fish sauce while keeping it familiar.
Sunday roast
Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, kimchi on the side. I think you should try it. I'm probably right.
Sausages
Another good British entry point. Savoury + spicy. Works.
Kimchi fried rice
Use the older kimchi for this: the sour, funky stuff. Chop it up, fry with rice and egg. Perfect one-pan meal.
Fresh mackerel
I caught mackerel in Weymouth, came home, cooked it in butter with leftover kimchi sauce, ate it on rice with an egg. Still one of the best things I've eaten.
Pro tip: leftover kimchi sauce
Eaten all the cabbage but still have sauce left? Don’t throw it away. Cook it with beef or fish. Mackerel works especially well: fry in butter, add the kimchi sauce, serve on rice with a fried egg. I tested this after a fishing trip to Weymouth. Still one of the best things I’ve eaten.
The formula
Sauce + fish
+ butter + rice
“If you’re depressed, buy kimchi. If you’re lonely, buy kimchi. Just buy kimchi: because kimchi will make you happy.”
Valentin, aged 13
Storage guide
The longer,
the better.
Kimchi ferments over time. The flavour deepens, the tang increases. What starts as fresh and crunchy slowly becomes something more complex and more useful in the kitchen.
Days 1-3 (fresh)
Clean, crunchy, mild tang. Perfectly good to eat right away.
1 week
Fermentation kicks in. Flavour deepens noticeably. My preferred stage.
1-3 months
Sour, complex, intensely flavoured. Excellent for cooking.
3+ months
Funky and deeply fermented. Make kimchi fried rice or kimchi pancakes. Don't throw it out.
CO2 tip: don't overfill
Fermenting kimchi produces CO2, which makes the liquid rise. If you fill the jar right to the top, it will overflow. Leave a couple of centimetres of space at the top when you first open it. Press the cabbage below the brine level and seal it again. If it bubbles over, just open the lid briefly to release the gas.
Fridge vs counter
Leave it on the counter for a day or two to kickstart fermentation quickly, then move it to the fridge to slow it down. In the fridge it keeps for 3 to 4 months. On the counter it will ferment much faster: check it daily.
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Place an order
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Name, email, how many jars. Mention dietary needs or how you want to collect.
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I'm a student: weekends and school holidays work best. I reply within 24 hours.
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SW London collection is easiest. I can also come to you (£3) or send someone to deliver to your door (£6): just choose in the form.
Pricing
£10
for 1kg
£30
for 4kg
One whole nappa cabbage · glass jar · no microplastics
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Dietary options
You ask, I answer