Crisp and Refreshing Water Radish Kimchi with Water Dropwort
Crisp and Refreshing Water Radish Kimchi with Water Dropwort
How to Make Refreshing Water Radish Kimchi Using Seasonal Water Dropwort
The perfect choice to whet your appetite with its bright and tangy broth when you’re feeling uninspired! Make delicious water radish kimchi at home, generously filled with fragrant water dropwort.
Kimchi Ingredients- 1/2 head of baby napa cabbage
- 2 pieces of radish (approx. 300g)
- 30 stalks of water dropwort (minari)
- 10 stalks of garlic chives (jjokpa)
- 2 red chili peppers
Kimchi Seasoning- 5 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1.5L purified water (7.5 cups)
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
Making the Rice Paste- 1L water (5 cups)
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 5 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1.5L purified water (7.5 cups)
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
Making the Rice Paste- 1L water (5 cups)
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
A quick tip before we start: adding too much sugar to water radish kimchi can make the broth cloudy. I’ve used 4 tablespoons of sugar in this recipe because I don’t mind a slightly richer broth. If you prefer a clearer broth, try substituting 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of artificial sweetener (like New Sugar).
Step 2
Prepare the radish by washing it thoroughly, peeling, and then slicing it into thin, rectangular pieces about 0.5cm thick (na-bak style). Avoid slicing them too thinly, as they might break apart easily.
Step 3
Chop the baby napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces, about 3-4cm. It’s best to avoid using the very tough outer parts of the leaves or the thick white stems, as they can become mushy quickly and make the kimchi broth cloudy. Focus on the tender leaf parts, or trim away the thick core.
Step 4
Cut the garlic chives into 3-4cm lengths. Trim the water dropwort to a similar size. For the red chili peppers, halve them, remove the seeds, and then slice them into thin strips for a vibrant color.
Step 5
In a large bowl or your kimchi container, place the sliced radish and baby napa cabbage. Sprinkle 1.5 tablespoons of coarse sea salt over them and let them sit for 20-30 minutes to salt. Gently toss them once or twice during this period to ensure even salting. (Salting directly in the kimchi container saves on washing up later.)
Step 6
To make the rice paste, combine 1L (5 cups) of water and 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice flour in a pot. Whisk well to ensure there are no lumps.
Step 7
Place the pot over medium heat and stir constantly as it heats up to prevent the rice paste from clumping. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with your spatula to avoid sticking.
Step 8
Once the rice paste comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another minute. Then, remove it from the heat. Undercooked rice paste can cause the kimchi broth to spoil or become cloudy.
Step 9
Let the freshly cooked rice paste cool down slightly. It doesn’t need to be completely cold; it should be warm enough to touch comfortably (around 50-60°C or 122-140°F) before you use it.
Step 10
In a piece of cheesecloth or a fine sieve, place 5 tablespoons of fine gochugaru and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Pour in 400ml (2 cups) of purified water and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Afterward, gently squeeze the cheesecloth to help the chili powder release its color into the water, creating a beautiful, clear red broth.
Step 11
Add the strained chili water to the slightly cooled rice paste. Stir in 1.5 tablespoons of coarse sea salt and 4 tablespoons of sugar (or your adjusted amount if using artificial sweetener). Mix well to create the kimchi broth seasoning.
Step 12
Add the prepared water dropwort, garlic chives, and sliced red chili peppers to the kimchi container where you salted the radish and cabbage. (Don’t discard the salty water released from salting the vegetables; include it in the kimchi for extra flavor.)
Step 13
Pour all of the seasoned kimchi broth over the ingredients. Then, add the remaining 1.1L (approx. 5.5 cups) of purified water. (This brings the total water used for the broth to 1.5L, including the 400ml used to soak the chili powder.)
Step 14
Gently stir everything together to combine. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed. If it’s too salty, add a little more water. If it’s too bland, add a pinch more salt until it’s perfect for your palate.
Step 15
Once seasoned, don’t refrigerate the water dropwort kimchi immediately. Let it sit at room temperature for about a day to allow it to ferment naturally. After that, refrigerate it for another day to let the flavors meld beautifully. While it’s delicious eaten fresh, a little fermentation truly brings out its wonderful taste!
