Kimchi, Cabbage

Cut into the cabbage from the middle of the cabbage through the core lengthwise. Then using your hands, pull the cabbage apart. Then again, cut through the middle of each half through the core. Again pull apart the cabbage. You now have 4 quarters.
Take the core out by cutting it off at an angle. Cut the cabbage again vertically and then cut it into bite size pieces about 1” big.
Put the cabbage into a big bowl and wash the cabbage with running water. Then drain the cabbage and put it back into the bowl. Add the salt and toss the cabbage.
Continue tossing the cabbage every 30 minutes for the next hour. The cabbage will shrink and get pliant as it absorbs the salty water.

Put 1 cup of water in a saucepan and add the sweet rice flour. Mix to combine and then bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring to keep the rice flour from burning.
Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.
Add the sugar and cook a few more minutes until the mixture is thick and looks like glue.
Take the pot off the heat, add the fish sauce and chile flakes to the pot and stir to combine. Set the pot aside and let it cool to room temperature.

Peel the carrots and cut into julienne by slicing thin on the diagonal, then stacking the slices and cutting through them again to create thin strips. Set aside in a large bowl.
Peel the radish and cut into julienne by slicing thin on the diagonal, then stacking the slices and cutting through them again to create thin strips. Add the radish to the carrots.
Wash the scallions and then trim the top and bottom. Cut the scallions into 1 ½ inch pieces. If the white stems are very thick cut them in half. Add them to the other vegetables.
Put the garlic, ginger, and onion into a food processor and puree until it is thick and smooth. Add it to the bowl with the julienned vegetables. Add the fish sauce mixture. Mix everything together.

Drain the cabbage by putting it in a colander. Rinse the cabbage in the sink under running water. Then drain the cabbage very well (let it sit over the sink or elevated in the big bowl so it’s not sitting in the water), and once it’s no longer dripping water, put it back into the big bowl.
Pour the sauced vegetables over the cabbage. Put on a pair of disposable gloves and mix everything together. Make sure to get to the bottom of the bowl and the center. You want all of the cabbage coated with the sauce and the vegetables evenly mixed in.
Use a glass container (If you use a plastic one, just know that it will absorb the smell and color and you will never get it out.) and scoop the kimchi into the container (or you can use multiple small containers), making sure to push down on the kimchi to eliminate any air pockets.
Fill up your container, leaving a good inch at the top for the fermenting liquid to expand. Wipe down the bottle and add the lid. Continue filling up another container or two in the same way until you have all of your kimchi packed away.
You can eat the fresh kimchi as is or let it ferment. Put your container in the fridge to start a slow fermentation. Or set your kimchi on the kitchen counter to kick start the fermentation process. It will be a little bubbly the next day. Then put it into the fridge and it will continue to ferment slowly.