David Chang's Unexpected Hack For Deliciously Quick Kimchi

If your first introduction to kimchi was through an American grocery store in the last decade or so, chances are you've been eating baechu kimchi. The popular variety of the Korean fermented banchan is made with napa cabbage and gochugaru, lending it a fiery color and a deep, spicy flavor. Baechu kimchi is delicious, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. Kimchi comes in countless shapes, sizes, and flavors. As such, it can be prepared in myriad ways. 

For David Chang, one of those ways involves a secret ingredient: 7UP. The celebrity chef makes use of lemon-lime soda for a unique version of mul kimchi (which is white instead of red) that takes significantly less time than other kinds. "This recipe was a way to introduce people to a world of different kinds of kimchi," Chang wrote for Food & Wine. If you've always wanted to make kimchi but have avoided it because the process seemed demanding, Chang's recipe could be the perfect gateway. 

David Chang's version of mul kimchi is certainly inventive, but he's not the first to pour citrusy soda into kimchi. According to Chang, many Korean families — including his own growing up — use 7UP or Sprite to "get the right balance of acidity and sweetness." What's more, the broth it leaves behind is great for sipping. "The taste of it reminds me of something we always had in my house growing up," he writes, adding that the soda also lends an ideal bubbliness. Chang's recipe also takes into account plenty of traditional techniques, which he picked up on his visits to Buddhist temples in Korea.

The recipe calls for napa cabbage, kosher salt, scallions, a carrot, Fresno chiles, rice vinegar, 7UP, and watercress. Chang starts by salting the cabbage and letting it sit for one hour under a weight to draw out its moisture and soften its leaves. Next, he drains the cabbage and tosses it with the scallions, carrots, chiles, and vinegar. Finally, he pours the 7UP (or Sprite) over the mixture, covers it with plastic wrap, and refrigerates it overnight. He folds in the watercress just before serving for a bit of freshness. 

In 2017, 7UP published its own version of "Easy White Kimchi." While the company may have been nodding to a popular Korean custom, some chalked it up to cultural appropriation. At the time, a Korean Japanese American reader told HuffPost that she thought the criticism was deserved. 

"There's a temptation for some people to blame the outrage on PC culture," she said. "But, from my point of view, Asian Americans are discovering their voice and speaking out against disrespect to our cultural identity." She added that the 7UP recipe shouldn't be called white kimchi but rather geotjeori, a dish that requires less fermentation time and often calls for a sweet ingredient. That point might be contended with by David Chang, whose recipe for mul kimchi appears to be copy-pasted onto 7UP's website. Wherever you stand on how to define kimchi with soda, it's a simple project that yields delicious results.