- 1/2 cup coarse salt
- 1 napa cabbage, cut into chunks
- 2 jujube (Chinese dates), or more to taste (optional)
- 5 1/2 cups water, divided
- 3 tablespoons salted fermented shrimp (saewujeot)
- 2 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tablespoons sliced fresh ginger
- 1/2 Korean radish, cut into matchsticks
- 5 chestnuts, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 pear, cut into matchsticks
- 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 red chile pepper, seeded and thinly sliced, or more to taste
- 1 green chile pepper, seeded and thinly sliced, or more to taste
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Dissolve 1/2 cup coarse salt in a large bowl of water. Submerge cabbage in the salted water and let soak, 12 to 24 hours. Drain. Rinse well and drain, squeezing out excess water.
- Soak jujube in a small bowl of water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, pit, and cut into thin slices.
- Combine 1/2 cup water, salted shrimp, scallions, garlic, and ginger in a food processor; puree until smooth.
- Pour puree into a large bowl; add jujube, radish, chestnuts, pear, carrots, red chile pepper, green chile pepper, brown sugar, and 2 teaspoon salt. Stir in remaining 5 cups water. Mix in cabbage until well coated.
- Pack cabbage mixture into an airtight jar. Pour in any liquid left in the bowl.
- Seal and let sit at room temperature until starting to ferment, 1 to 2 days. Transfer to the refrigerator.