Crispy Yeolmu Kimchi (Young Summer Radish Kimchi)
A crispy yeolmu kimchi side dish made easily by blending cold cooked rice instead of cooking porridge.
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 →
Skip the hassle of cooking porridge by blending cold cooked rice directly with anchovy broth for an easy seasoning paste. Tossed gently to highlight the tender, crunchy texture of spring young summer radishes, this kimchi is wonderful when slightly fermented and served with noodles or bibimbap.
- Servings
- about 10–12 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Young summer radish (yeolmu)2 bunches, 2 kg
- Onion2 (small)
- Red chili pepper5
- Coarse sea salt2/3 cup
Seasoning
- Anchovy broth3 cups
- Cold cooked rice2/3 bowl
- Red chili pepper5
- Peeled garlic20 cloves, 5 tbsp (minced garlic)
- Ginger15 g (1 tbsp, minced ginger)
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 cup
- Salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)4 tbsp
- Sand lance fish sauce (or dried anchovies)4 tbsp
- Sugar (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong))2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds2 tbsp
- Salt the young summer radishes for about 1 hour 30 minutes, but if the stems are thin and tender, salt them for under 1 hour.
- If you make glutinous rice porridge instead of using cold cooked rice, you can simmer 3 cups of anchovy broth with 5 tbsp of glutinous rice flour until thick and use that instead.
- If you have scallions on hand, you can add them as well.
Steps
Trim the young summer radishes
Gently scrape the root area with a knife to remove fine roots and impurities.
If the roots are too thin or excessively pungent, cut them off and discard them. Cut the radishes into bite-sized lengths of around 4 cm.
If there is a lot of dirt on the young summer radishes, rinse them once and soak them in water for about 10 minutes so the sediment settles.
Rinse them several times under running water, shaking them gently to keep them from bruising and smelling grassy, until the water runs clear.
Salt the young summer radishes
Spread two or three handfuls of young summer radishes in a large basin and grab about 2 tbsp of salt in your hand to sprinkle over them. Continue layering and sprinkling evenly.
Salt for about 1 hour 30 minutes, but if the radish stems are thin and tender, salt them for under 1 hour.
Adjust the time depending on the condition of the radishes.
Toss them halfway through so the top and bottom layers salt evenly.
Check to ensure the stems are pliable and not overly salty.
Make the seasoning paste
You can make the seasoning paste while the young summer radishes are salting.
These are the ingredients for the seasoning paste. I prepared whole peeled garlic and ginger, but if you have minced garlic, you can use 5 tbsp, and prepare 1 tbsp of minced ginger instead.
Blend the garlic, ginger, red chili peppers, and salted fermented shrimp together in the anchovy broth.
Roughly chop the red chili peppers so they blend easily.
Add the anchovy broth, salted fermented shrimp, cold cooked rice, garlic, ginger, and red chili peppers to a blender and blend.
If you make glutinous rice porridge instead of using cold cooked rice, you can simmer 3 cups of anchovy broth with 5 tbsp of glutinous rice flour until thick and use that instead.
Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl, add 1 cup of gochugaru, 4 tbsp of sand lance fish sauce, and 2 tbsp of sugar, then mix well and let it sit so the flavors meld and the color deepens.
Slice the extra ingredients
Having only young summer radishes can be plain, so I prepared and thinly sliced red chili peppers and small onions as secondary ingredients.
If you have scallions, you can add them as well.
Rinse the salted young summer radishes once in water, then drain thoroughly.
Toss and finish
Spread out the salted, drained young summer radishes along with the sliced onions and red chili peppers.
Pour over the seasoning paste and toasted sesame seeds.
Without kneading heavily, gently lift and drop the young summer radishes to toss them evenly with the seasoning.
Taste and season with salt if it is too bland.
Ppunwife's tips
- Rinse several times under running water, shaking gently so the radishes do not bruise and smell grassy, until the water runs clear.
- Do not knead heavily; gently lift and drop the young summer radishes to coat them evenly with the seasoning.
- Depending on the temperature, let it ferment at room temperature for a day or two until it smells pleasantly tangy, then put it in the refrigerator.
FAQ
Can I use cold cooked rice instead of porridge?
Yes. Blending cold cooked rice directly with anchovy broth allows you to make the seasoning easily without cooking a separate porridge.
What is the ratio if substituting with glutinous rice porridge?
If making glutinous rice porridge instead of using cold cooked rice, simmer 3 cups of anchovy broth with 5 tbsp of glutinous rice flour until thickened, let it cool, and use that instead.
What should I keep in mind when salting the young summer radishes?
If the radish stems are thin and tender, salt them for under 1 hour; otherwise, salt for about 1 hour 30 minutes, flipping top to bottom halfway through and adjusting the time based on how soft they become.
How can I prevent a raw, grassy smell when washing or tossing young summer radishes?
Rinse them gently by swishing them in water rather than scrubbing, and when tossing with seasoning, lift and drop them lightly instead of bruising or kneading heavily.
