A Traditional & Refreshing Side Dish: Gut-Friendly White Radish Water Kimchi

The color is much darker than it should be in this photo because I added too much anchovy fish sauce, which I’m in the process of fixing right now!

This Kimchi Is Perfect For A Summer Day…

… especially when you want an iced coffee to cool you down, try this more gut-friendly option! My mom recently made it for me when she visited and it fermented so well, I needed to learn how to make it myself. If you can’t handle spice, this doesn’t have any gochugaru (red pepper flakes), which is what makes kimchi spicy.

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a medium-sized Korean Radish — try to pick one that has the most green on it. The green part is what gives the radish a more sweet flavor that will make the water kimchi tasty

• 1 tablespoon of anchovy fish sauce (optional)

• 1/3 cup or 1 handful of thick, coarse salt

• 3 scallions, cut into 1 inch long pieces

• 1/2 of a medium onion, sliced into small pieces

• 1/4 of a medium Korean pear, cut into cubes

• Three 4mm slices of ginger, cut into small pieces

• 4-5 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly

• 10 cups of water or until the gallon jar is full

• Optional: 1/3 cup of blended sticky rice (glutinous rice or mixed-grain rice)

• Optional: A dash of sprite added each time you have this – this will make it less salty and more refreshing.

Materials:

• 1 gallon glass jar (or a big container)

Directions:

• Peel the radish and cut only the green part off. Then, cut the radish into small cubes and wash thoroughly. Place the radish into the jar.

• Add 1/3 cup of coarse salt into the jar and cover with the lid. Wait 30 minutes for it to salt.

• While waiting for the radish to salt, cut the scallions into 1-inch long pieces, half of an onion into smaller squares, the ginger into small pieces, and slice 4-5 cloves of garlic thinly.

• After 30 minutes, add anchovy fish sauce, scallions, onion, ginger, garlic, and Korean pear. Then, add water until the gallon jar is filled to the top.

  • Optional: Add 1/3 cup of blended sticky rice (glutinous rice or mixed-grain rice) to the jar. This helps with fermentation and the creation of more probiotics.

• Add a plastic wrap over the top of the jar, then screw on the lid to ensure it is air-tight.

• Wait 1-2 days for it to ferment depending on how hot it is. If hotter, leave out for a shorter amount of time. After 1-2 days, store in fridge.

  • It should have a sweet, yet sour and tart taste. Enjoy as a side dish, or use the broth for some cold noodles!

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