Nabak Kimchi — Water Kimchi with Vegetables (나박김치)

Cut the radish into squares of 3 cm × 3 cm × 3 mm — no thicker, so the light brine can work its way through the flesh evenly rather than curing only the outside while leaving the centre raw and sharp. Cut the napa cabbage to the same dimensions. Combine both in a bowl with the fine sea salt, toss to distribute, and set aside until the radish begins to yield its moisture slightly and feels just barely pliable at the edge, which is the sign that the salt has drawn enough liquid to open the vegetables to the brine that follows.

Tie the gochugaru tightly in a cheesecloth pouch and submerge it in the cold water, working it gently between the fingers for one to two minutes, so the water takes on colour and mild heat while the grit and husk stay trapped in the cloth rather than clouding the finished brine. The brine should arrive at a pale, clear rose — delicately tinted, not opaque or grainy — because that pale rose is the visual signature of nabak kimchi; if the colour runs deeper, the flavour will overpower the vegetables. Remove the pouch and discard it.

Add the garlic and ginger slices to the rose-coloured brine, keeping in mind that these are supporting notes only, so the brine should smell clean and lightly spiced rather than dominated by either. Add the piece of Asian pear or apple whole, so it lends its gentle sweetness slowly without breaking down and turning the brine murky.

Transfer the lightly salted radish and cabbage into a clean, non-reactive container, then add the chive, carrot, and green onion. Pour the prepared brine over the vegetables so that everything is fully submerged — if not, add a small amount of cold water, since any vegetable left exposed to air will discolour and soften unevenly. Taste the brine: it should register as barely seasoned, subtly salty and faintly sweet, and well below the seasoning level of regular kimchi; adjust with a pinch of salt if necessary.

Cover the container loosely and leave it at room temperature for no longer than one to two hours in warm conditions, so the fermentation starts gently and the brine picks up its first light tang before the cold of the refrigerator slows everything to the right pace. Leave it too long at room temperature and the brine sours past the point of return, clouding and losing its clean snap. Nabak kimchi is ready to eat within three to five days; judge it by the brine — still clear and pale rose, with a clean snap when a piece of radish is bitten — and once the brine clouds and that snap is gone, the optimal window has passed.