Quick & Easy Radish Kimchi (Seokbakji)
Quick & Easy Radish Kimchi (Seokbakji)
Delicious Seokbakji Radish Kimchi: The Golden Recipe in 30 Minutes!
In a rush but craving homemade kimchi? This recipe shows you how to make delicious Seokbakji (a type of radish kimchi) in just 30 minutes! Perfect for beginners, this quick and easy golden recipe delivers a satisfying crunch and deep, savory flavor that will make your taste buds sing. Make a delightful side dish that pairs perfectly with rice.
Main Ingredients- 1 kg Korean radish (or 1 kg Napa cabbage, often referred to as ‘Al Baechu’)
Brining Ingredients- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (heaping)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (20g)
- 2 tablespoons brewed vinegar (16g)
Seasoning Paste Ingredients- 6 tablespoons kimchi-style red pepper flakes (gochugaru) (42g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (10g)
- 1/10 tablespoon ginger powder (0.5g) (or 3-4g fresh ginger, minced)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (ganjang) (8g)
- 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot) (16g)
- 2 tablespoons mirin (rice wine) (16g) (or soju)
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup or rice syrup (mulyeot) (10g)
- 1 tablespoon plum extract (maesil aek) (10g)
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (10g)
- 1/3 tablespoon fermented shrimp (saeujeot) (minced solids only) (7g)
- 2 tablespoons cider or soda water (16g) (optional)
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (heaping)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (20g)
- 2 tablespoons brewed vinegar (16g)
Seasoning Paste Ingredients- 6 tablespoons kimchi-style red pepper flakes (gochugaru) (42g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (10g)
- 1/10 tablespoon ginger powder (0.5g) (or 3-4g fresh ginger, minced)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (ganjang) (8g)
- 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce (myeolchi aekjeot) (16g)
- 2 tablespoons mirin (rice wine) (16g) (or soju)
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup or rice syrup (mulyeot) (10g)
- 1 tablespoon plum extract (maesil aek) (10g)
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (10g)
- 1/3 tablespoon fermented shrimp (saeujeot) (minced solids only) (7g)
- 2 tablespoons cider or soda water (16g) (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare 1 kg of Korean radish. Ensure it’s cleaned. Alternatively, you can use 1 kg of Napa cabbage (‘Al Baechu’).
Step 2
This recipe works wonderfully with Napa cabbage instead of radish.
Step 3
Cut the radish into thick, bite-sized pieces, slicing diagonally (seokbakji style). For a quicker kimchi, aim for pieces where the thickest part is no more than 1cm. Don’t worry if they’re a bit thicker; there’s a solution later!
Step 4
If using Napa cabbage, cut it into rough, manageable pieces.
Step 5
Place the radish or cabbage in a large bowl. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of coarse sea salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Step 6
Add 2 tablespoons of brewed vinegar.
Step 7
Mix everything well and let it brine for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice in between. Since this method uses a higher salt concentration for faster brining, avoid over-salting or brining for too long. If your radish pieces are thicker than recommended, extend the brining time by 10-20 minutes.
Step 8
Now, let’s make the seasoning paste! Combine 6 tablespoons of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/10 tablespoon of ginger powder. If you don’t have ginger powder, use about 3-4g of fresh minced ginger.
Step 9
Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for a subtle depth of flavor, perfect for a quick kimchi. Then, add 2 tablespoons of anchovy sauce (fish sauce like Kkanari aekjeot also works!) and 2 tablespoons of mirin (or soju if you don’t have mirin). For sweetness and gloss, add 1 tablespoon of corn syrup or rice syrup.
Step 10
Add 1 tablespoon of plum extract and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic.
Step 11
Finally, add 1/3 tablespoon of fermented shrimp solids. Usually, ingredients like mirin, fish sauce, and cider are blended together. However, with such a small amount, it’s difficult to blend smoothly in a mixer, and it tends to stick to the blades and container. Here’s a better way!
Step 12
Put the fermented shrimp solids in a small cup. Use scissors to mince them as finely as possible, then scrape them into the seasoning paste with a spoon. Chopping finely will help break them down into a paste-like consistency.
Step 13
Optionally, add 2 tablespoons of cider or soda water. This adds a hint of effervescence and subtle sweetness, but it’s perfectly fine to skip if you don’t have it.
Step 14
Mix all the seasoning paste ingredients thoroughly. Let it rest in the refrigerator while the radish/cabbage is brining; this helps the flavors meld.
Step 15
After 30 minutes of brining, rinse the radish 2-3 times under cold running water to remove excess salt.
Step 16
Instead of a long draining period, squeeze out as much water as possible by hand. This is why we cut the radish thinly! If using cabbage, be gentler when squeezing to avoid making the leaves tough.
Step 17
Add all the prepared seasoning paste to the squeezed radish or cabbage.
Step 18
Gently mix and rub the seasoning into the radish/cabbage, ensuring each piece is evenly coated with the vibrant red paste.
Step 19
You can enjoy it immediately, but for a deeper, more developed flavor, refrigerate and let it ferment for 2-3 days.
Step 20
Enjoy this delicious homemade Seokbakji kimchi, especially with a hearty bowl of Korean soup or stew (gukbap)!
