Slice them lengthways into four pieces. Thoroughly wash the Kimchi cabbage under cold running water.

Place the Kimchi cabbage in a deep pot. For 2 heads, prepare a brine with 1 litre of water and 50g of salt (5% solution).

Sprinkle 25g of salt over the cabbage, concentrating on the white stalk areas. Layer the pieces neatly in salted water.

Cover with a weight or a bowl of water to keep them fully submerged.

Leave to soak for 8–12 hours. The stalks should bend easily without snapping. If they break, leave to soak a little longer.

Gently squeeze out the excess moisture by hand, then drain upright in a colander.

Meanwhile, make a flour paste. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 200ml of water and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened.

Stir the spice seasoning into the cooled flour paste. Add a little salted shrimp for extra flavour, if you like.

Layer the Kimchi cabbage in a large container, spreading the seasoning between each leaf.

Finish with the smaller leaf on top, tucking them in so the seasoning stays inside.

Eat straight away as a fresh kimchi, or leave to ferment at room temperature. In summer, it’s ready in a few days; in winter, allow up to a week.

Check daily. Once the flavour has developed to your liking, transfer to the fridge.

Spoon out what you need into a smaller dish and keep the rest sealed for best flavour.

I usually use Chinese leaf from Sainsbury's (650g) as it's easy to find in the UK.

Napa and Chinese cabbage are great for making kimchi and are available at Asian supermarkets.

Fresh kimchi (Geotjeori) tastes great with a spoonful of perilla oil added.