Refreshing and Delicious Summer Radish Kimchi (Yeolmu Kimchi)
Refreshing and Delicious Summer Radish Kimchi (Yeolmu Kimchi)
Easy and Tasty Yeolmu Kimchi – Perfect for Summer Noodles!
This is freshly made radish kimchi using young, crisp radishes. It offers a wonderfully fresh taste right after making and develops a rich, fermented flavor over time. With this Yeolmu Kimchi, you can easily enjoy refreshing summer dishes like cold radish noodle soup (Yeolmu Guksu) and radish kimchi bibimbap. Here’s a detailed guide to making this crunchy and refreshing kimchi, perfect for when you’ve lost your appetite.
Yeolmu Kimchi Ingredients- 2 bundles of young radish (approx. 1.2kg)
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 piece of carrot (approx. 50g)
- 2 stalks of green onion (white parts mainly)
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt (for salting)
Yeolmu Kimchi Seasoning Paste- 3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, adjust to spice preference)
- 1/2 cup plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 1 cup fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt (for seasoning adjustment)
- 15 dried red chilies (or add 1/4 cup more gochugaru)
- 1 piece of ginger (thumb-sized)
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 5 cups water (3 cups for flour paste, 2 cups for seasoning)
- 3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, adjust to spice preference)
- 1/2 cup plum extract (maesilcheong)
- 1 cup fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt (for seasoning adjustment)
- 15 dried red chilies (or add 1/4 cup more gochugaru)
- 1 piece of ginger (thumb-sized)
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 5 cups water (3 cups for flour paste, 2 cups for seasoning)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Thoroughly wash the young radishes under running water to remove any dirt or debris. For tough stems, you can gently pound or scrape them with the back of a knife to soften. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves. If the radishes are too long, cut them into 2-3 pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt evenly over the prepared radishes and let them salt for about 1 hour. Flip them once or twice during this time to ensure even salting. Rinse the salted radishes 2-3 times in cold water to remove excess salt, then drain them completely in a colander. Thoroughly draining the water is crucial to prevent the kimchi from becoming mushy and to ensure it stays crisp.
Step 2
Cut the green onions into 5-6cm lengths, focusing on the white parts. Julienne the carrot into thin strips. If you have green onions (scallions), adding them will enhance the flavor and texture.
Step 3
Let’s start making the kimchi seasoning paste. First, mix 2 Tbsp of flour with 3 cups of water until smooth. Pour this mixture into a pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, to create a flour paste (pul). Once it thickens, remove from heat and let it cool completely. Soak the 15 dried chilies in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes until softened. Blend the softened dried chilies, 1 onion, 1 piece of ginger, and 2 cups of water in a blender until finely pureed to create the seasoning base.
Step 4
To the finely pureed base, add the soaked dried chilies (or additional gochugaru), the cooled flour paste, gochugaru, fish sauce, plum extract, and 1 Tbsp of coarse sea salt. Mix everything well to create the kimchi seasoning paste. Taste the paste and adjust the seasoning if needed; add more fish sauce or salt if it’s too bland. If you prefer it sweeter, you can add a little sugar or oligodang. Lightly mix the chopped green onions and julienned carrots into the seasoning paste.
Step 5
Place the well-drained radishes into a large bowl and generously top them with the prepared seasoning paste. Gently mix the seasoning into the radishes using your hands. Be careful not to mash the radishes; handle them gently for a crisp texture.
Step 6
It’s best to make Yeolmu Kimchi with a bit of extra broth, rather than packing it too tightly. This extra broth is perfect for making cold radish noodle soup later. Doesn’t the thought of enjoying a refreshing summer dish like Yeolmu Guksu make you excited? Once mixed, leave the kimchi at room temperature for half a day to a full day to ferment, then store it in the kimchi refrigerator to keep it cool. Enjoy a delicious summer with this crunchy and refreshing Yeolmu Kimchi!
