Crispy Homemade Chicken Radish Pickles
[Radish Dish] How to Make Delicious Chicken Radish Pickles Without Pickling Spice
Craving chicken radish pickles every time you eat fried chicken? Now you can make them yourself at home! With just one radish, you can create sweet, sour, and crispy chicken radish pickles even without pickling spice. This recipe uses simple ingredients and an easy process, ensuring success for everyone. Check out the detailed recipe at blog.naver.com/bluepigk!
Main Ingredients
- 1kg Jeju Radish (Choose firm and large radishes)
Pickle Brine
- 500ml Water
- 200ml Sugar (approx. 1 cup)
- 200ml Vinegar (approx. 1 cup, apple cider or brown rice vinegar recommended)
- 0.5 Tbsp Flower Salt (approx. 7g)
- 500ml Water
- 200ml Sugar (approx. 1 cup)
- 200ml Vinegar (approx. 1 cup, apple cider or brown rice vinegar recommended)
- 0.5 Tbsp Flower Salt (approx. 7g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start with a quick tip! Vinegar loses its aroma if boiled for too long, so it’s best to add it in the final step of making the pickle brine. Also, make sure to remove the tough outer skin of the radish before using it.
Step 2
Wash the radishes thoroughly. Peel off the tough outer skin, and use only the tender inner part. Rinsing them again under running water after peeling will make them even cleaner.
Step 3
Cut the radishes into bite-sized pieces. Aim for slightly smaller than kkakdugi (Korean diced radish kimchi), about one bite per piece. This size ensures the flavors penetrate evenly and the pickles absorb the brine well. Cutting them too large might prevent the flavor from developing fully, while cutting them too small can make them mushy. Maintaining the right size is the key to this recipe!
Step 4
Place the prepared radishes into a storage container. Sterilized glass jars are great for long-term storage, but I used a rectangular airtight container for easy serving. You can also add other vegetables like cucumbers, beets, or cabbage for a more complex and richer pickle flavor!
Step 5
Now, let’s make the delicious pickle brine! Pour 500ml of water into a pot. The secret to easy pickle brine is to remember the ‘basic ratio’! Generally, a 2:1:1 ratio of water to sugar to vinegar is golden, but you can adjust the amounts of sugar and vinegar to suit your taste. I used 500ml (about 2.5 cups) of water as my base.
Step 6
Next, add 200ml (about 1 cup) of sugar.
Step 7
Then, add 0.5 Tbsp of flower salt and stir well over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. You don’t need to wait for the brine to boil vigorously; just cook until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then reduce the heat for the next step.
Step 8
Once the sugar has dissolved, keep the heat low and add 200ml (about 1 cup) of vinegar. As mentioned earlier, vinegar loses its aroma if boiled too long. After adding the vinegar, once the brine starts to simmer gently, turn off the heat immediately! If you prefer a less sour taste, you can reduce the amount of vinegar or increase the sugar.
Step 9
Pour the prepared pickle brine over the radishes already in the container. If you pour the hot brine, the pickles will be ready to eat in 2-3 days. If you want to store them for longer, let the brine cool completely before pouring it over the radishes. This will allow the flavor to develop more slowly. Seal tightly and refrigerate.
Step 10
Your crispy and delicious homemade chicken radish pickles are ready! Typically, pickling spice is added to chicken radish pickles for extra aroma, but you can skip it as I did if you don’t have it on hand – they’ll still be wonderfully tasty! Now you’ll never run out of chicken radish pickles when you’re craving fried chicken. Enjoy your meal!
