Delicious Radish Greens Kimchi Made with Autumn Radishes
How to Make Delicious Radish Greens Kimchi with Fresh Autumn Radishes
We harvested fresh radish greens during our autumn gardening and made delicious kimchi! Autumn radish greens are tender and sweet, making them exceptionally tasty when used in kimchi. I was initially concerned the thick stems might be tough, but they turned out to be perfectly tender. This recipe confirms once again that fresh, seasonal ingredients are the foundation of delicious food. Here’s how to make this wonderful radish greens kimchi.
Ingredients- Radish greens: 27 bunches
- Coarse sea salt: 1.5 cups
- Water: 2 cups
- Salted shrimp: 2 Tbsp
- Plum extract: 3 Tbsp
- Minced ginger: 1 Tbsp
- Red chili flakes: 30 Tbsp
- Onion: 1
- Red chilies: 12
- Garlic cloves: 22
- Cooked rice: 3 Tbsp
- Dried anchovy and kelp broth: 2 cups
- Water: 0.5 cup
- Fish sauce (clear type): 30 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, the radishes used in this recipe are specifically the ‘radish greens’ variety, grown for their abundant greens rather than large radishes. They produce smaller radishes perfect for dongchimi (water kimchi) and plentiful greens. We thinned out the radishes growing four to a spot. The larger radishes from the thinning process were used for this kimchi, while the greens from the others were cut off and are being dried for siraegi (dried radish greens).
Step 2
Similar to preparing Napa cabbage, gently remove the outermost leaves from the radish greens. Although they may look vibrant, some inner leaves might be yellowing.
Step 3
Trim the very ends of the radish greens, specifically the parts with wide leaves, using a knife for a clean finish.
Step 4
This is the initial preparation of the radish greens outdoors. Now, we’ll bring them inside to wash the radishes and peel them.
Step 5
For the radish part of the prepared greens, rinse them lightly under running water to remove any soil. Avoid soaking them for too long.
Step 6
Starting from the top of the radish, use a paring knife to scrape off the peel. You can also use a vegetable peeler for convenience.
Step 7
Even if the radishes are small, cut them lengthwise into quarters for easier kimchi making.
Step 8
Cut any smaller radishes into halves.
Step 9
Prepare 1.5 cups of coarse sea salt. In a large bowl, layer the prepared radish greens. Sprinkle a handful of salt evenly over the layer. Repeat this process, layering radish greens and salt.
Step 10
Dissolve the remaining salt in 2 cups of water and pour this brine evenly over the layered radish greens. Let them salt for 2 hours. Flip them halfway through to ensure even salting.
Step 11
These are the radish greens after being salted for 2 hours. Rinse them 2-3 times under running water and drain them thoroughly in a colander. Excess water can make the kimchi watery.
Step 12
In a large bowl for the kimchi paste, combine 30 Tbsp clear fish sauce, 2 Tbsp salted shrimp, 1 Tbsp minced ginger, and 3 Tbsp plum extract. (Tip: Using fermented shrimp paste adds more umami.)
Step 13
Add 30 Tbsp red chili flakes to the mixture and stir well until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Step 14
Roughly chop 1 onion and add it to the blender.
Step 15
Add 22 cloves of garlic to the blender as well. You can adjust the amount of garlic to your preference.
Step 16
Remove the stems from 12 red chilies, chop them roughly, and add them to the blender. Blend everything together.
Step 17
Pour the blended onion, garlic, and chili mixture into the bowl with the other seasoning ingredients.
Step 18
Add 3 Tbsp of cooked rice to the blender that was used for the seasoning. The rice will help thicken the paste and add flavor.
Step 19
Pour 1 cup of dried anchovy and kelp broth into the blender and blend until the rice is smooth. If you don’t have broth, plain water can be used.
Step 20
Add the blended rice and broth mixture to the seasoning bowl.
Step 21
To use up any remaining seasoning in the blender, pour another 1 cup of broth into it, swirl it around to rinse the residue, and add this liquid to the seasoning bowl as well.
Step 22
Now, mix all the ingredients thoroughly to create the delicious kimchi paste.
Step 23
Gradually add the prepared radish greens to the kimchi paste. Gently mix them in, being careful not to splash the paste. It’s easier to mix if you add the greens in batches rather than all at once, to prevent tangling.
Step 24
Carefully pack the seasoned radish greens kimchi into your kimchi container. Press down gently to fill any gaps.
Step 25
Finally, pour 0.5 cup of plain water into the seasoning bowl. Use your gloved hands that were mixing the kimchi to scrub the inside of the bowl, collecting any leftover seasoning, and pour this into the kimchi container. This ensures no delicious seasoning is wasted.
Step 26
Close the lid of the kimchi container and let it sit at room temperature for about a day to ferment slightly, then store it in the kimchi refrigerator. This recipe yields approximately 2/3 of a 9-liter kimchi container. Enjoy your delicious radish greens kimchi!
