Crisp and Refreshing Radish Kimchi (Mookimchi)
Summer Delight! Easy and Delicious Radish Kimchi Recipe for Everyone
Beat the summer heat with the ultimate side dish: crisp, refreshing, and clean-tasting radish kimchi! It’s deliciously savory without being overly sweet. While it might seem daunting, this recipe breaks it down step-by-step, making it easy for anyone to achieve perfect results. It’s a fantastic side for rice or a delightful topping for cold noodles!
Main Ingredients
- 2/3 of a medium Korean radish
- 1 stalk of green onion (white part mainly)
Seasoning Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or raw sugar)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 7 Tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or raw sugar)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 7 Tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the radish thoroughly, peel it, and then slice it into flat pieces about 0.5 to 1 cm thick. Slicing too thin can affect the texture, while too thick might prevent the seasoning from penetrating well, so aim for a moderate thickness.
Step 2
Place the sliced radish in a large bowl or a kimchi container. If you’re using a kimchi container from the start, it will save you from transferring it later.
Step 3
Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup of granulated sugar over the radish. Using granulated sugar adds a subtle sweetness and umami flavor.
Step 4
Lightly mix the radish with the sprinkled sugar, then evenly sprinkle 2 Tbsp of coarse sea salt over it. Salting the radish first helps draw out moisture, ensuring a crisp texture.
Step 5
Gently mix the salt into the radish with your hands, ensuring it reaches all parts. Let the radish sit and cure in this mixture at room temperature for about 6 hours and 30 minutes. Stir it once or twice in between to ensure even curing.
Step 6
During the curing process, stir the radish at least 1 to 2 times. This helps the radish release moisture evenly and become slightly chewy (kkodul-haejin) while absorbing the flavors. Adjust the time based on the radish thickness and ambient temperature.
Step 7
After 6 hours and 30 minutes, squeeze out the excess water from the cured radish by hand. Don’t squeeze too hard, or the radish might break apart; apply moderate pressure. Transfer the squeezed radish to a container for mixing the seasoning.
Step 8
Slice the white part of the green onion into thin, diagonal pieces, about 0.5 cm thick. It’s convenient to mix the seasoning ingredients—fish sauce, minced garlic, and chili flakes—together beforehand to create a paste.
Step 9
Add the sliced green onions and the pre-mixed seasoning ingredients (2 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 7 Tbsp chili flakes) to the container with the squeezed radish. Gently mix everything together with your hands until the seasoning evenly coats the radish pieces.
Step 10
Pack the seasoned radish kimchi neatly into the prepared container. Seal it tightly to prevent air from entering and store it in a kimchi refrigerator.
Step 11
After letting it ferment for a day, the taste was truly remarkable! The perfect balance of seasoning, the satisfying crunch, and the clean finish made it incredibly delicious. It’s great to eat immediately, or you can let it ferment for a few more days for a deeper flavor.
