Kimchi

Quarter the cabbage lengthwise, cut out the core and chop the leaves into 4–5 cm pieces.

Rinse the cabbage in cold water, transfer it still wet to a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt, tossing with your hands.

Use non-iodized salt: iodized salt tastes bitter and slows fermentation.

Leave the cabbage for 1½–2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes, until the thick ribs are flexible and bend without snapping.

Rinse the cabbage three times in cold water and taste it: it should be pleasantly salty, not overly so. Tip into a colander to drain.

If the cabbage is too salty, soak it in fresh cold water for 10 minutes and drain again.

While the cabbage drains, finely chop the garlic and ginger. Mix them with the chili flakes, fish sauce, sugar and 3 tbsp of water into a thick paste.

Regular ground red chili is far hotter than gochugaru, so use a third to a quarter of the amount.

Cut the carrot into thin matchsticks and the green onions into 3 cm lengths.

Put the cabbage, carrot and green onions in the bowl, add the paste and mix well with your hands so every piece is coated.

Wear gloves: the chili burns your skin and is extremely painful if you then touch your eyes.

Pack the kimchi tightly into a clean jar, pressing down to squeeze out air, and leave 3 cm of headspace. Close the lid.

Leave the jar at room temperature for 1–2 days until the kimchi tastes tangy and bubbles appear, then move it to the fridge. Enjoy!

Press the kimchi down with a clean spoon every day to keep it under the brine, and stand the jar in a bowl in case it overflows. It keeps for up to a month in the fridge and gets sourer over time.