Mild Radish Kimchi (Dongchimi)
I had an abundance of root vegetables from my CSA this late fall. Here is my local midwestern version of a Korean Dongchimi. Daikon radish is usually used, but I used kohlrabi, rutabaga, and turnips. My family enjoys this milder kimchi with noodles, rice and as a condiment with dinner.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sea salt (about)
- 3 Tbs sugar (about)
- 10 cups filtered water
- 5 lbs root vegetables (daikon, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips)
- 8 cloves garlic (cut in half)
- 2 inches ginger root (sliced thinly)
- 3 green onions with greens (sliced into fourths)
- 1 small onion (sliced)
- 2-3 whole red chili peppers
- 2-3 whole green chili peppers
- 1 carrot (diced)
You can also add
Instructions
- 1 Make brine with sea salt, sugar and filtered water. Taste to make sure it is not too salty or too sweet. It is better for the brine to be slightly saltier than sweet. Add extra salt, sugar or water to adjust to taste.
- 2
Wash root vegetables and cut into 1 inch cubes.- 3
Place root vegetables, garlic, ginger, onions and optional peppers in a clean glass jar with a lid. You may need to divide ingredients among a few jars.- 4
Pour brine into the jar to cover the veggies. Leave about half an inch of air space at the top. Tighten lid loosely.- 5
Place jars on a tray and leave out at room temperature for about 3 days. As dongchimi ferments you will see little bubbles and some liquid may escape from the jar.- 6
After 3 days, taste to see if it is fizzy, slightly sour, and sweet. If not, leave out on the counter another day.- 7
Store in the refrigerator and enjoy with rice, noodles, meats. You can dilute the brine with water and enjoy it as a refreshing, probiotic rich beverage.Note- You will need clean glass jars with lids, such as quart sized mason jars; possibly several, depending on their size.
- Whole fresh chili peppers will spice up the kimchi a little.
Thank you and if you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to share it with your friends!
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