Daicon radish kimchee

It only takes a few minutes and a little patience to make this simple introduction to the wonderful world of kimchee. We Koreans like to make all sorts of claims about kimchee, from warding off colds and vampires, to treating tummy conditions, to raising your libido. I can personally vouch for at least three out of the four.

Step 1: What you'll need.

1 pound of daicon radish (probably should not be as green as the one you see here--try to find something that's more uniformly white);
2 heads (yes, heads) of garlic;
1 bunch of scallions;
1 Tablespoon salt (I use Diamond Crystal);
4 Tablespoons-ish dried red pepper flakes (from the Korean grocer, not the crushed red pepper flakes you see in pizza parlors);
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, but nice);
1 tablespoon salted baby prawns (also optional, but nice).

Comments

[steveastrouk]

What ARE Korean red pepper flakes ? I'm trying to source them in the UK. Can they be calld anything else.

Steve

[canida]

This looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing. I love kimchee, and there's no such thing as too much garlic. Do you have recipes for the other kimchee variants?

[ragingsquid]

There's a cucumber variation that I love to make, it's great for the summer. I will try to put that up in the next week or so.

[gumby_mac]

I would LOVE your recipe for the cucumber variation. I know it's been 5 years, but any chance you could post it??

[tstens]

Ooh, this looks good. I can smell the red pepper flakes. I spent a year in Korea and my favorite part was the food. Please keep the recipes coming!

[wasabi32746]

I prefer to let mine sour for a while before I eat it.

[canida]

How long is "a while"? Does it need circulation, or to be put into an air-tight container during the souring period?

[insxid]

You just want to cover it, but not airtight, if by "sour" you mean allowing it to ferment as traditional kimchi.

What's great about kimchi is that there can be as many recipes as there are people who love it :) This recipe is great for a quick fix, but for anyone wanting the full benefits of the enzymes, it needs to be fermented at least a week at room temp. Here's are some interesting recipes to try: Other Types, Radish&Root

[insxid]

Thanks for the recipe. It's also proven to ward off the bird flu. I remember my mother making huge batches in the bathtub on kimchi day, especially loved the cucumber version. Since going vegan, been meaning to make my own since most store versions contain seafood.

[Vertigo666]

YAY!!! ANOTHER KOREAN!!!

[ragingsquid]

But not a Red Sox fan, I'm afraid.

[Vertigo666]

awww. that's ok. though