Crispy Yeolmu Kimchi (Young Summer Radish Kimchi)
A crisp kimchi side dish made by tossing salted young summer radish in a seasoning paste of red chili peppers and glutinous rice paste.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This kimchi is made by salting young summer radish and tossing it gently in a seasoning paste prepared with glutinous rice paste and ground red chili peppers. The key is to mix gently so it does not develop a grassy taste, resulting in a spicy, crisp side dish.
- Servings
- about 8–10 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Yeolmu kimchi ingredients
- Young summer radish (yeolmu)1 kg
- Onion1/2 (large)
- Red chili pepper8 (4 peppers for the seasoning)
For salting
- Coarse sea salt5 tbsp (1/3 cup)
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2/3 cup
- Red chili pepper4 (ground)
- Minced garlic3 tbsp
- Anchovy fish sauce (or sand lance)2 tbsp
- Salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)2 tbsp
- Ginger powder1 tsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Glutinous rice paste1 cup
Glutinous rice paste
- Glutinous rice flour1.5 tbsp
- Cold water1 cup
Seasoned yeolmu with doenjang: ingredients
- Boiled young summer radish (yeolmu)150 g
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)1 tbsp
- Minced green onion2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Perilla seed powder1 tbsp
- Perilla oil1 tbsp
- Soy saucea little
- I salted it for approx. 2 hours; turn it over once halfway through.
- I added red chili peppers for a sharp, spicy kick, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
Steps
This is two bunches of young summer radish (yeolmu). They are tender yet have thick stems.
They are very clean with hardly anything to discard.
Just trim off the roots and cut into manageable lengths.
The trimmed young summer radish weighs 1kg.
Wash it thoroughly.
Lay down a layer of washed young summer radish, sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt, add another layer, sprinkle more salt...
Salt it this way in layers.
I salted it for approx. 2 hours; turn it over once halfway through.
While the young summer radish is salting, make the glutinous rice paste.
Add 1.5 tbsp of glutinous rice flour to 1 cup of water, simmer until thick, and let it cool.
Of the 8 red chili peppers, 4 will go into the seasoning paste...
and 4 will be tossed with the onion and young summer radish.
Thinly slice the onion and 4 red chili peppers to prepare them.
If you want to remove the pungent sharpness of the onion, soak it in cold water.
You can also omit the red chili peppers here.
This is the seasoning paste. It is great to mix all the seasonings above into the glutinous rice paste and let it hydrate.
The color of the seasoning paste also turns vibrant.
I added red chili peppers for a sharp, spicy kick, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
Here is the prepared seasoning paste.
Rinse the salted young summer radish once or twice, then drain the water.
Add the red chili peppers and onion to the young summer radish, then toss with the prepared seasoning paste.
Toss gently so it does not develop a grassy taste.
Once the seasoning and ingredients are well blended, it is done.
These are the slightly wilted, tougher outer leaves.
Blanching softens them, making them delicious when seasoned as a side dish.
You can also boil a lot of them and add them as dried cabbage greens (ugeoji) to ugeoji soup, yukgaejang, or dakgaejang.
Blanch the thoroughly washed radish greens in boiling water.
Once the stems turn tender, rinse in cold water.
Squeeze the moisture tightly out of the blanched radish greens.
Cut them into bite-sized lengths.
Add all the seasonings above and toss gently with your hands.
Ppunwife's tips
- Toss gently so it does not develop a grassy taste.
- If you prefer yeolmu kimchi with a bit of broth, pour in a little rich anchovy broth or broth made by simmering dried pollock; it becomes refreshing and delicious.
- If you want to remove the pungent sharpness of the onion, soak it in cold water.
FAQ
What should I keep in mind when tossing the young summer radish with the seasoning?
Toss it gently without applying force so it does not develop a raw, grassy taste.
How can I make it with a bit of broth?
You can pour in a little rich anchovy broth or broth made from dried pollock to enjoy it as a refreshing, slightly brothy kimchi.
Do I have to include the red chili peppers in the seasoning?
They are added to give a sharp, spicy kick, so you can omit them according to your preference.
How can I use the leftover outer leaves from trimming?
Blanch them in boiling water and toss with doenjang and perilla oil, or use them as greens in soups.
