Yeolmu Jangajji (Young Radish Root Pickles)
Young radish root pickles that pair well with both pasta and Korean dishes.
📝 Editor's Notes
This Yeolmu Mul-kimchi (열무 물김치) recipe offers a cleaner, refreshing taste as it doesn't use any starch paste.
You can enjoy it in two versions, spicy and mild, making it suitable for the whole family.
Especially the mild version, which uses a beef bone broth ring for a deeper umami flavor, will be a special treat that even children can enjoy without hesitation.
The crispy texture of the young radish and the clear, refreshing broth make it a hearty side dish that revitalizes your appetite when you're not feeling hungry.
It's also an excellent dish to enjoy chilled during hot summer days.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
It's important to choose young radishes (열무) with stems that are not too thick, are vibrant green, and have fresh, unwilted leaves.
The root part should be tender, not too fibrous.
For salt, either refined salt or sea salt (천일염) commonly used at home is fine, but sea salt can yield a cleaner taste.
Onions are key to the refreshing and subtly sweet flavor of this water kimchi, so use fresh ones that are firm and have tight skins.
For garlic, directly mincing whole garlic cloves rather than using pre-peeled ones will provide a much better aroma.
🔄 Substitution Guide
Instead of young radish (열무), the main ingredient in this recipe, you can also use tender napa cabbage (얼갈이배추).
Tender napa cabbage has a softer texture than young radish, so you might need to reduce the pickling time slightly.
The taste will be slightly sweeter and the texture softer than young radish.
If you don't have Haetongnyeong broth ring (savory beef bone broth flavor) (해통령 육수링 구수한 사골맛) for the mild version, you can use commercial Sagol Gomtang (사골곰탕) (beef bone broth) or make a rich Myeolchi Dasima Yuksu (멸치 다시마 육수) (anchovy and kelp broth).
In this case, adjust the salt amount by tasting.
For the spicy version, you can substitute red chili pepper (홍고추) with Cheongyang gochu (청양고추) (Cheongyang chili pepper) for a spicier kick, or use chili seeds instead of Gochugaru (고춧가루) (Korean chili powder) for a cleaner spicy taste.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most important cooking points are the pickling time and rinsing of the young radishes (열무).
It's appropriate to pickle 1.1 lb (500g) of young radishes with 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
If pickled too long, the radishes will become soggy, and if not long enough, they will be stiff.
The second key point is to lightly rinse the pickled young radishes and drain them.
Rinsing too much can wash away all the salt, resulting in a bland taste, so it's important to quickly rinse them under cold water and shake off excess moisture.
Lastly, finely grate the onion in a blender and add it, as it's crucial for the water kimchi's flavor.
If you follow these three points, you can make delicious water kimchi without fail.
👨🍳 Directions
Cut about 3.5 oz (100g) of young radish roots in half.
Place the cut young radish roots in a glass container. Add 1/2 cup (100ml) water, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup sugar to make the pickling liquid.
Microwave the pickling liquid for 2 minutes to bring it to a boil.
Add the young radish roots to the boiled pickling liquid and mix. Sprinkle with a pinch of pink peppercorns to finish (pink peppercorns are optional).
💡 Tips
Boiling the pickling liquid in the microwave is convenient, as you don't have to worry about it boiling over.
While large radishes can be difficult to cut, young radish roots are small and easy to handle.
I once had this jangajji (Korean pickle) instead of regular pickles at an Italian restaurant, and the combination was surprisingly good. You can also pickle the young radish greens along with the roots.
📦 Storage & Reuse
It's best to let the finished Yeolmu Mul-kimchi (열무 물김치) ferment at room temperature for about a day, then store it in the refrigerator to keep it cool.
When refrigerating, place it in an airtight container, ensuring it's submerged in the kimchi broth.
This way, you can enjoy it fresh for about 1-2 weeks.
It's recommended to consume it as soon as possible, as the broth can become too sour if stored for too long.
Leftover Yeolmu Mul-kimchi can be enjoyed as Yeolmu Guksu (young radish noodles) by mixing it with somyeon (소면) in the cool broth, or by mixing it with sesame oil to make Yeolmu Bibimbap (young radish mixed rice).
🥢 Who This Is For
This Yeolmu Mul-kimchi (열무 물김치) is perfect for stimulating your appetite with its cool and refreshing taste during the hot summer when you sweat a lot.
Especially for children or the elderly who can't handle spicy food, we recommend the mild version using a beef bone broth ring (사골 육수링).
It's delicious served with warm rice or as Yeolmu Mul-kimchi Guksu (열무 물김치 국수) by adding it over cold noodles or somyeon (소면).
It also plays a significant role in cleansing the palate when eaten with greasy foods like Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) (pork belly) or Bossam (보쌈) (boiled pork wraps).
🔥 Nutrition Info
This Yeolmu Mul-kimchi (열무 물김치), primarily made with young radish (열무), is rich in various vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, calcium, and potassium.
With approximately 30-50 kcal per serving, it's low in calories and can be enjoyed without burden.
Carbohydrates are estimated at about 5-8g, protein at 1-2g, and fat at less than 1g.
Young radish is particularly rich in dietary fiber, which can aid gut health, while onions and garlic contribute to strengthening immunity.
Lactic acid bacteria are produced during fermentation, which is beneficial for improving digestive function, so be sure to include it in your healthy summer diet.
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