Mul kimchi — water kimchi — is a non-spicy variety fermented in a light salt brine with garlic, ginger, and Asian chives, producing a clear, slightly fizzy, refreshing fermented drink/condiment that is the opposite of baechu kimchi's intensity. It demonstrates that the kimchi fermentation principle — Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus in a salt-vegetable environment — produces an entirely different character when the capsaicin, fish sauce, and heavy seasoning are absent.
- **No gochugaru:** The absence of chilli produces a mild, refreshing ferment — completely different from standard kimchi. - **The brine:** Light salt brine (2–3%) — lower than kimchi, producing a faster fermentation. - **The fermentation:** 1–2 days at room temperature, then refrigerated. The result: lightly fizzy (CO₂ from fermentation), slightly sour, refreshing. - **The vegetables:** Napa cabbage, radish, Asian chives — briefly salted, rinsed, and placed in the brine with garlic and ginger.
Maangchi