Gat Kimchi (Mustard Green Kimchi) with Dried Pollack Broth
A pungent side dish of Dolsan mustard greens coated in a rich dried pollack broth and glutinous rice paste.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This Dolsan gat kimchi features a signature pungent kick and a crisp texture. The glutinous rice paste is cooked with a broth simmered thoroughly from dried pollack heads and dried anchovies to add deep savory richness. Salt the thick stems just until tender without turning mushy, then coat evenly in seasoning to ferment and enjoy.
- Servings
- about 10–12 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Yeosu Dolsan mustard greens1 bunch, 2 kg
- Coarse sea salt1 1/2 cups
- Water10 cups
Broth ingredients
- Dried pollack head (hwangtae) (or dried pollack)1
- Dried kelp (dasima)4 pieces (10 cm)
- Dried soup anchovies30
- White part of large green onion (daepa)2 stalks
- Water10 cups
Glutinous rice paste
- Broth3 cups
- Glutinous rice flour4 tbsp
Seasoning
- Glutinous rice paste3 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 cups
- Sand lance fish sauce (or dried anchovies)2/3 cup
- Minced garlic1/2 cup
- Minced ginger2 tbsp
- Sugar (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong) 5 tbsp)3 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds5 tbsp
- Pull off any yellowed leaves, trim away any hard, dirty parts from the root ends, and rinse about 3 times under running water until free of dirt and debris.
- If you do not have dried pollack heads, you can substitute dried shrimp or dipori (large dried herrings) in the same amount as the anchovies, or simply increase the amount of dried anchovies to make the broth.
Steps
Dolsan mustard greens are known for their thick stems and wide leaves.
Even though the stems are thick, they are neither tough nor hard. Greens harvested during the kimchi-making season are tender, giving the finished kimchi a superb crispness.
Pull off any yellowed leaves and neatly trim away the hard, dirty root ends.
It started out slightly over 2 kg, but after trimming, it weighed exactly 2 kg.
Rinse the trimmed mustard greens about 3 times under running water until no dirt or foreign particles remain.
Dissolve 1 cup of coarse sea salt in 10 cups of water. The remaining 1/2 cup will be sprinkled directly onto the stems.
Dip the mustard greens thoroughly in the salt water and lay them out in a large basin. Sprinkle the coarse sea salt evenly over the stems only.
Repeat layer by layer, then gently pour the remaining salt water evenly over the very top.
Salt for about 3 hours, adjusting the time up or down depending on the thickness of the stems. Turn them over once or twice halfway through so they salt evenly.
Shall we make the broth while the greens are salting?
Add all broth ingredients to a pot, bring to a rolling boil, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes to extract the flavors thoroughly.
If you do not have a dried pollack head, substituting dried shrimp or dipori in the same amount as the anchovies works well. If you have neither, just increase the amount of anchovies to make the broth.
Once the broth cools, dissolve 4 tbsp of glutinous rice flour in 3 cups of the broth, then cook over low heat until thickened into a paste and let cool.
Add all seasoning ingredients and mix evenly. Taste with your finger; if it tastes slightly bland, adjust with fish sauce or salt depending on how salty your greens turned out.
After about 1 hour and 30 minutes, the salt had dissolved and the bottom greens had wilted, so I flipped everything over. After another 1 hour and 30 minutes, the stems bent pliantly and were properly salted. To keep the crisp texture of Dolsan gat kimchi, do not salt the stems until they become limp.
Rinse once under running water and drain thoroughly. I drained them for about 1 hour, but since the leaves still held water, I squeezed them gently by hand to remove the remaining moisture.
Place the mustard greens in a large basin and spread the seasoning evenly over both the stems and leaves.
As you pack them layer by layer into the container, apply extra seasoning to the stems so the saltiness stays balanced.
After sitting overnight, liquid had formed at the bottom and kept everything moist.
Flip the top and bottom layers so the moisture stays evenly distributed, ferment at cool room temperature for 2 to 3 days, and then store in the refrigerator to enjoy.
Because Yeosu Dolsan mustard greens come in large bunches, making kimchi with them gives you plenty to enjoy over a long time.
Vegetables harvested during kimchi season brave the cold winds to reach peak natural flavor, so they are packed with nutrition as well as great taste.
I feel tempted to preserve every single seasonal green into kimchi. Have a wonderful day.
Ppunwife's tips
- To preserve the crisp texture of Dolsan gat kimchi, do not salt the stems until they are limp.
- As you layer the greens in the container, spread extra seasoning along the thick stems to keep the flavor balanced.
- Taste the mixed seasoning and adjust with fish sauce or salt to match how salty your mustard greens turned out after brining.
FAQ
What should I keep in mind when salting the mustard greens?
To preserve the crisp texture of Dolsan mustard greens, salt them only until the stems bend pliantly without becoming completely limp.
How can I substitute the dried pollack head for the broth?
You can replace it with dried shrimp or dipori in an amount equal to the anchovies, or simply use more anchovies to brew the broth.
How should I store and ferment this kimchi?
Pack it into a container, let it sit overnight, flip the top and bottom layers once, and let it ferment at cool room temperature for 2 to 3 days before moving it to the refrigerator to enjoy.
