Pa-kimchi is a Korean green onion kimchi with a vivid heat, clear notes of garlic and ginger, and a gentle fruity sweetness. It comes together with ease: make a rice paste, blend an aromatic seasoning with gochugaru, then coat each stalk of onion until every ridge is lacquered. After just one day of fermentation at room temperature, it is ready to bring crunch, fire, and depth to rice, meat, and noodles.
Ingredients
- Green onions or scallions — 450–500 g (1–1.1 lb)
- Fish sauce — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Glutinous rice flour — 1/2 tbsp
- Water — 120 ml (1/2 cup) for the rice paste + 60 ml (1/4 cup) for the blender
- Gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes — 1/2 cup (about 50 g)
- Yellow onion — 1/4
- Red apple or Korean pear — 1/4
- Garlic — 5 cloves
- Fresh ginger — about 4 g
- Sugar — 1 tsp
- Honey — 1 tbsp
How to make pa-kimchi
- Prepare the onions. Wash the green onions thoroughly, trim the roots, and remove any damaged leaves. Leave the stalks whole. If the white sections are especially thick, slit them lengthwise so the paste can seep in more easily.
- Cook the rice paste. In a small saucepan, combine 120 ml water and the glutinous rice flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until lightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
- Make the aromatic base. Add the onion, apple or Korean pear, garlic, ginger, and 60 ml water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Build the kimchi paste. In a large bowl, combine the gochugaru, fish sauce, sugar, honey, the blended puree, and the cooled rice paste. Mix until evenly combined.
- Coat the onions. Add the green onions to the bowl and gently work the paste over each stalk, paying special attention to the white parts.
- Ferment. Pack the onions into a clean airtight container and cover. Leave at room temperature for 1 day to start fermentation, then transfer to the refrigerator. The flavor will settle and deepen after 2–3 days in the fridge.
Serving and storage
Serve pa-kimchi as a side dish with rice, pork, beef barbecue, or noodles, or fold it into ramen and fried rice. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks in a tightly sealed jar. The flavor grows deeper and more layered with time.
Nutritional value per serving
| Calories | 60 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fiber | 3.3 g |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
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Tips and variations
- Adjust the heat: reduce or increase the gochugaru to suit your taste. For a gentler finish, choose larger pepper flakes.
- Fruit note: Korean pear gives a softer sweetness and juiciness, while apple brings a brighter, more fragrant edge.
- Gluten-free: glutinous rice flour acts as a gluten-free thickener. Do not replace it with wheat flour, or the texture and flavor will change.
- Control fermentation: if your kitchen is warm, shorten the initial ferment to 12–18 hours; if it is cool, allow up to 36 hours.
- Cleanliness matters: use a sterilized container to keep unwanted bacteria at bay.
FAQ
Can fish sauce be replaced?
Yes, a light Asian salted fish seasoning or soy sauce can work, but the flavor will be less authentic. If you use soy sauce, add a pinch of dried anchovy powder or a little kelp powder for deeper umami.
Do I have to cook the rice paste?
The rice paste helps bind the seasoning and allows the spices to cling to the onions, while also feeding fermentation. You can skip it, but the paste will be looser and the flavor less rounded.
When is pa-kimchi ready?
After one day at room temperature, the flavor is already lively. The best balance of acidity and heat usually comes after 2–3 days in the refrigerator. After that, it will continue to deepen gradually.