Nabak-kimchi

A mild, rosy water kimchi with thinly sliced radish and napa cabbage floating in a light, refreshing brine.

Nabak-kimchi is the gentlest member of the kimchi family — a lightly fermented water kimchi whose elegant pale-pink brine is as much the point as the vegetables themselves. Thin squares of Korean radish and ribbons of napa cabbage are combined with sliced green onion, garlic, ginger, and a small amount of gochugaru (just enough to tint the liquid a delicate rose), then submerged in salted water and left to ferment for a day or two. The result is a cooling, effervescent broth that Koreans drink directly from the bowl, appreciating its subtle tang and slight natural fizz. It appears frequently on the tables of formal Korean meals and in royal court cuisine records, where it was valued for cleansing the palate between richer dishes. In modern Korea, nabak-kimchi is especially popular during spring and autumn when the weather calls for something refreshing but not as intense as gochugaru-heavy baechu-kimchi, and it is one of the few kimchi varieties that non-spice-tolerant guests can enjoy freely.