Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish that is made of fermented vegetables with a variety of spices. There are over 200 types of kimchi identified based on the region and ingredients. Dongchimi (radish water kimchi) is traditionally consumed during winter and is made with Korean radish. Daikon radish also can be used. This simple and easy recipe is vegan-friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Korean radish or daikon radish
- 1 small Gala or Fuji apple, cored
- 1 medium Korean pear or 2 bosc pear, cored
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1-inch ginger, sliced
- 3 green onions
- ½ medium onion
- 8 cups of water
- 4 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 2 green chili pepper (optional)
- 2 red chili pepper (optional)
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Salting the Radish
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Clean the radish thoroughly and cut it into 2-inch disks. Radish does not need to be peeled, so it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. If there are too many dirty spots on the peel, those spots can be peeled.
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Cut the disks into ½-inch sticks, and put the cut radish in a large bowl. When cutting the disk, slice it vertically in one direction then perpendicularly in another direction.Advertisement -
Add 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt to the radish and mix well. Make sure to coat the radish sticks as evenly as possible.
- You can substitute kosher or pickling salt for the course sea salt. However, use only 1 ½ tablespoon if substituting.
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Let it stand in the bowl for 1 hour. Cover the bowl with a lid or a tea towel if desired, but covering is not necessary. The radish sticks will start to “sweat,” producing their own juice.
- Do not discard the water from radish.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Adding the Spices
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Clean and core the apple and pear. They do not need to be peeled, so clean them well with baking soda or a produce cleaner. To core the fruits, you can either use a corer or cut them into quarters and remove the core.
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Cut the apple and pear into ½-inch sticks. Slice them in ½-inch thick slices first, then slice them again perpendicularly in the other direction to make sticks.
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Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Slice the garlic cloves in ¼-inch thickness.
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Peel and slice the ginger. Slice the ginger to ¼-inch thickness.
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Chop the green onions into 2-inch length. First, chop off the root of the green onions. Then use both white and green parts of the green onions.
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Slice the onion to ½-inch thickness. Cut a whole onion in half vertically, and use only one half.
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Slice chili peppers to ½-inch thickness. Chili peppers are optional. Add chili peppers if you desire spicier Dongchimi. If you use green and red chili peppers, they will add a pop of color to your Dongchimi.
- Remove the seeds if desired. (optional)
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Put all the prepared ingredients in a clean glass jar. If more than one jar is used, distribute them evenly among the jars.Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Putting Everything Together
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Add the salted radish to the jar with the other ingredients in it. If more than one jar is used, distribute the radish evenly among the jars.
- Do not discard the water from the radish. Instead, pour it into the jar with the radish.
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Dissolve 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt in 8 cups of water. You can substitute coarse sea salt for kosher or pickling salt. However, use only 1 ½ tablespoon if substituting.
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Pour salt water into the jar, leaving 1-inch of room on the top, and close the lid. Once the jar is filled, discard leftover water.
- Close the lid fingertip tight so that the jar has some breathing room.
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Leave the jar at room temperature on the kitchen countertop for 2 to 3 days. As Dongchimi ferments, it will start to bubble and taste sour. Check the taste after 2 to 3 days, and leave it out another day or two, depending on your taste preference.
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Put the jar in the refrigerator after 2 to 3 days. Dongchimi can last two months in the refrigerator.
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Stir well before serving. Enjoy the refreshing Dongchimi with any dish.Advertisement
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Tips
- You can find most ingredients at a large grocery store. If you are having trouble finding the ingredients, try your local Asian grocer or an online shopping mall. H-mart carries most of the non-produce products on their online mall.Thanks
- The amount of spices, like garlic and ginger, can be adjusted to your tastes. Add less or more if desired.Thanks
- Use coarse sea salt if you can. Use ¾ of the amount if using a pickling or Kosher salt. Do not use iodized table salt because the iodine can change the color and taste of Dongchimi.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl
- Measuring spoon
- Measuring cup
- Clean glass or ceramic jar with lid (or plastic kimchi container)
About this article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,510 times.
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