Homemade Dongchimi with Pickled Peppers: The Secret to a Refreshing and Deep Flavor
Dongchimi Recipe with Pickled Peppers, Lovingly Made with Homegrown Radishes
Bring the fresh taste of your garden into your kitchen with this special Dongchimi! Made with small radishes from your family’s vegetable patch, this Dongchimi is elevated with the addition of pickled peppers, giving it a delightfully spicy yet refreshing kick. Enjoy the complex flavors and satisfying crunch of this homemade fermented radish water kimchi.
Dongchimi Ingredients- 1.4kg Dongchimi radishes
- 1/3 cup coarse salt (for salting radishes)
- 1/2 bunch scallions
- 1/2 bunch crown daisy (Chonggat)
- 7 jujubes (red dates)
- 2/3 cup chili seeds
- 2 cups water (for soaking chili seeds)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 piece dried kelp (approx. 10x10cm)
- 1 knob ginger (approx. 20g)
- 12 whole cloves garlic (approx. 60g)
- 12 pickled Cheongyang chili peppers
- 1 medium pear
Brining Liquid Seasoning- 3.5 liters purified water
- 1/2 cup coarse salt (for brining liquid)
- 3.5 liters purified water
- 1/2 cup coarse salt (for brining liquid)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the Dongchimi radishes thoroughly and pat them dry. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 5-6 cm long. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of coarse salt evenly over the cut radishes and let them salt for about 10 hours. Stirring them once in between will help them cure more evenly.
Step 2
Peel the ginger and slice it thinly into rounds. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly as well. Wash the jujubes and remove their seeds.
Step 3
Wash the pear well. Cut it into 4 wedges, keeping the skin on. Remove the core and seeds from each wedge.
Step 4
Place the chili seeds in a bowl with 2 cups of water and soak for about 10 minutes. Drain the excess water using a sieve, then place the soaked chili seeds into a spice bag (or cheesecloth). This allows the chili seeds to infuse their spicy flavor into the liquid while keeping the brine clear.
Step 5
After 10 hours, take out the salted radishes. Lightly rinse them under cold water to remove excess salt and drain well. Do not discard the salty brine; instead, add the chopped scallions and crown daisy to the brine and let them wilt for about 20 minutes.
Step 6
Place the sliced ginger and garlic into the spice bag. Put this spice bag at the very bottom of your kimchi container to infuse the base with aroma. Add the piece of dried kelp and the spice bag containing the chili seeds on top of the ginger and garlic.
Step 7
Now, arrange the salted Dongchimi radishes in the kimchi container over the aromatics. Nicely place the wilted crown daisy and scallions on top of the radishes.
Step 8
In a separate bowl, dissolve 1/2 cup of coarse salt into 3.5 liters of purified water to create the brining liquid. Taste the liquid and adjust the saltiness as needed – add more salt if too bland, or a little more water if too salty. You can also add 1 tablespoon of sugar for a touch of sweetness, if desired.
Step 9
Carefully pour the prepared brining liquid over the ingredients in the kimchi container, ensuring everything is submerged. Finally, add the pear wedges, pickled Cheongyang chili peppers, and jujubes on top. Close the lid and let it ferment at room temperature for about one day, then refrigerate for another 2-3 days. You’ll have a delicious and refreshing Dongchimi ready to enjoy!
