Spring Green Radish Kimchi: A Refreshing Taste of Spring
How to Make Spring Green Radish Kimchi, Spring Green Water Kimchi Recipe, Natural Digestive Kimchi
Introducing a recipe for crisp and refreshing Spring Green Radish Kimchi, made with seasonal spring greens. This kimchi, with its unique sweetness and freshness, acts as a natural digestive aid. We’ll guide you through the detailed process, including the blended ingredients that create its rich flavor. Measurements are based on a standard Korean rice spoon, and the instructions are detailed for beginners. **Tip:** Use smaller spring greens for a more tender and delicious kimchi. You can substitute sugar or new sugar for plum extract.
Water Kimchi Ingredients- Spring greens 600g (after trimming and cleaning)
- Korean radish 400g (for slicing) + 100g (for blending)
- 1/2 Onion
- 1 Apple
- 6 Red chili peppers
- 1 White part of a leek
- 10 Scallions
- 3 Tbsp cooked rice
- 12 cloves Garlic (approx. 50g)
- 20g Ginger
- 5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 3 Tbsp Fish sauce
- 4 Tbsp Plum extract (or sugar)
- 1 Tbsp Coarse sea salt (for seasoning)
Salting Spring Greens & Radish- 7 Tbsp Coarse sea salt (approx. 100ml)
- 200ml Water
- 7 Tbsp Coarse sea salt (approx. 100ml)
- 200ml Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. **Prepare and Wash Spring Greens:** Select fresh spring greens. For water kimchi, it’s best to use smaller, tender ones. Discard any tough outer leaves, as they can be used for other dishes. First, trim the hard base of the spring greens. If the leaves are very large, cut them into bite-sized pieces (about 5-7cm). Use smaller, tender leaves as they are. After trimming, the spring greens should weigh about 600g. Rinse the prepared spring greens thoroughly in several changes of water to remove any dirt or impurities. Drain them well in a colander.
Step 2
2. **Slice Radish:** Cut the 400g of Korean radish into approximately 2cm lengths. Slice them thinly and broadly (nabak style) so they integrate well with the kimchi broth.
Step 3
3. **Salt Spring Greens and Radish:** In a large bowl, layer the prepared spring greens and sliced radish. Mix 7 Tbsp of coarse sea salt (approx. 100ml) with 200ml of water to create a brine. Pour this brine evenly over the spring greens and radish. Sprinkle salt between the layers, pour the prepared brine over everything, and gently mix with your hands to ensure the salt is evenly distributed. Let it salt for 30 minutes. You can toss it once or twice during this time to ensure even salting.
Step 4
4. **Prepare Broth Ingredients:** While the spring greens and radish are salting, prepare the ingredients for the kimchi broth. Chop the 100g of radish (for blending), the white part of 1 leek, 6 red chili peppers, 1/2 onion, and 1 apple into large chunks and place them in a blender.
Step 5
5. **Blend Ingredients:** Add 3 Tbsp of cooked rice, 12 cloves of garlic (approx. 50g), 20g of ginger, and 500ml of water to the blender with the chopped ingredients from step 4. Blend until everything is smooth and finely pureed. This will give the broth a rich and savory texture.
Step 6
6. **Make Kimchi Seasoning:** Transfer the blended mixture to a clean bowl. Add 3 Tbsp of fish sauce, 4 Tbsp of plum extract (adjust sweetness to your preference), and 5 Tbsp of gochugaru. Mix well to create the kimchi seasoning. Taste and add more fish sauce or salt if needed.
Step 7
7. **Prepare Scallions for Garnish:** Wash the 10 scallions for garnish and cut them into approximately 2cm lengths. Tip: Soaking the cut scallions in cold water briefly and then draining them will make them crisper and more vibrant.
Step 8
8. **Assemble and Ferment Kimchi:** Do NOT rinse the spring greens and radish after they have salted for 30 minutes; use them as they are. Add the chopped scallions to the salted spring greens and radish. Pour the kimchi seasoning (from step 6) along with a total of 3000ml of water into the bowl. Stir continuously with your hands as you pour the water to ensure the seasoning dissolves evenly into the broth. If there is any leftover seasoning paste in the blender, squeeze it through a cheesecloth into the kimchi broth. Mix everything thoroughly. Taste the kimchi and add about 1 Tbsp of coarse sea salt if it’s too bland. Transfer the finished kimchi to an airtight container. Let it ferment at room temperature for about a day, then refrigerate. For serving, if the kimchi is too salty, you can add some plain water. If you prefer it sweeter, add more plum extract or sugar. If it’s not salty enough, add more salt to taste.
