Mom’s Recipe: Refreshing and Crispy Young Radish Kimchi (Yeolmu Kimchi)
Learn How to Make the Most Delicious Young Radish Kimchi, Just Like Mom’s!
There’s nothing quite like homemade kimchi, especially when it’s made with a mother’s touch! This recipe captures that special, comforting flavor. Learn how to make a perfectly refreshing and crunchy young radish kimchi that’s perfect for any meal.
Main Ingredients for Young Radish Kimchi- 3 bunches of fresh young radish (yeolmu)
- 1.5 cups coarse sea salt (per paper cup measurement)
Seasoning for Flavorful Kimchi- 3 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, per paper cup measurement)
- 5 cups flour paste (porridge) (per paper cup measurement)
- 1 Tbsp fermented shrimp (saeujeot)
- 1 Tbsp fermented anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 3 Tbsp plum extract (maesil)
- 2/3 cup sugar (per paper cup measurement)
- 2 stalks large green onion (preferably white parts)
- ½ bunch of young green onions (or scallions)
- 3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1L vegetable broth
- 3 Tbsp flour (for the paste)
- 3 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, per paper cup measurement)
- 5 cups flour paste (porridge) (per paper cup measurement)
- 1 Tbsp fermented shrimp (saeujeot)
- 1 Tbsp fermented anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 3 Tbsp plum extract (maesil)
- 2/3 cup sugar (per paper cup measurement)
- 2 stalks large green onion (preferably white parts)
- ½ bunch of young green onions (or scallions)
- 3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1L vegetable broth
- 3 Tbsp flour (for the paste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The first secret to delicious young radish kimchi lies in the broth! In a pot, add 10 large dried anchovies, 2 thoroughly washed large green onion stalks, half a bunch of young green onions, and 1.5L of water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Step 2
Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes to extract a deep, rich flavor. This allows the savory essence of the anchovies and vegetables to infuse the broth.
Step 3
After simmering, remove the pot from the heat and let the broth cool down completely. It’s crucial to let it cool before making the flour paste, as hot broth can cause lumps or uneven cooking.
Step 4
To the cooled broth (about 1L), whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until smooth. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a porridge-like consistency. Once it thickens and slightly bubbles, remove from heat and let it cool completely. This homemade flour paste will add a wonderful depth of flavor to your kimchi.
Step 5
Now, let’s prepare the main ingredient: the young radishes. Wash the fresh young radishes thoroughly under running water to remove any soil or debris. Make sure to clean the root areas carefully.
Step 6
Sprinkle 1.5 cups of coarse sea salt (measured with a paper cup) evenly over the washed young radishes. Let them salt for about an hour until they become tender and wilted. Gently toss them once or twice during this time for even salting. Rinse the salted radishes under cold water two to three times to remove excess salt. Then, place them on a colander, cut-side down, to drain thoroughly. Avoid squeezing out too much moisture.
Step 7
Prepare the green onions for the seasoning. Slice the white parts of the large green onions diagonally, and finely chop the young green onions. Using both the white and green parts of the young green onions can add a nice flavor.
Step 8
In a large bowl, combine the drained young radishes, prepared large green onions, and chopped young green onions. Add the cooled flour paste (5 cups, per paper cup), gochugaru (3 cups), plum extract (3 Tbsp), sugar (2/3 cup), fermented anchovy sauce (1 Tbsp), fermented shrimp (1 Tbsp), and minced garlic (3 Tbsp). Mix everything well to create the kimchi seasoning. (All measurements are based on a standard paper cup).
Step 9
Once all the seasoning ingredients are well combined, your flavorful young radish kimchi paste is ready! Ensure the gochugaru is smoothly incorporated without lumps.
Step 10
Gently mix the drained young radishes and green onions into the prepared seasoning. Be careful not to mash the radishes; use your fingertips to lightly toss and coat them evenly with the seasoning. This gentle mixing helps maintain their crispness.
Step 11
As the spicy and sweet seasoning coated the crisp young radishes, my mouth started watering immediately! I couldn’t wait to taste this delicious, homemade young radish kimchi.
