Radish preserved in salt is a winter side-dish from start to end.
The roots in the earth grow plumper everyday,
Harvesting after the frost, a slice cut by a knife tastes like a pear.-Yi Kyubo, Confucian scholar and poet (1168–1241)
Today’s fermentation project is dongchimi (동치미), a type of kimchi made from Korean radishes, fermented whole in a light brine. Traditionally made at the end of the harvest season and eaten throughout winter, dongchimi provided pre-modern Korean families with the refreshing taste of vegetables through the months of food scarcity. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Seasonal Customs, dongchimi “remains one of the three most popular kinds of kimchi prepared and consumed in households, along with baechu kimchi (Kor. 배추김치, cabbage kimchi) and kkakdugi (Kor. 깍두기, diced radish kimchi).” Fermented in large earthenware jars buried outside in the ground, dongchimi was eaten “ice-cold, immediately after taking the radish pieces out of the liquid that [was] covered with a thick ice sheet.”
Wait a second. Pink kimchi? After my green and black eggs, you’re probably thinking to yourself: what’s next? Blue tomatoes?
Although kimchi nowadays is strongly associated with the colour red, thanks to the finger-scorching amounts of red pepper flakes that get massaged into the filling, not all kimchis look like underwater flames, and not all kimchis burn. In fact, archaeological evidence places the invention of kimchi at roughly 4,000 years ago, while Capsicum annuum, the plant that gives us the chili pepper, likely arrived in Korea at the end of the sixteenth century, and presumably, the nationwide supply of kimchi did not blush red the moment it jumped off the boat. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that of the over 150 different varieties of kimchi described in records from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), many were not, in fact, red. Seo Geojeong’s (1420-1488) allusion to kimchi as “golden-yellow vegetable” is a case in point.
But were they pink? you probe, skepticism unabated.
Well, probably not, I admit. But, it’s not impossible!
You see, the pink colour of my kimchi derives mostly from the type of radish I used–a purple variety of the large Asian radish, known as daikon (大根) in Japan, and as mu (무) in Korea, where it is just as ubiquitous. Although Korean radishes are generally white tinged with pale green around the stem, it is not unthinkable that other varieties, such as the beautiful purple ones I used for this recipe, also grew on the peninsula. As the kimchi brine acidifies with the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria, the purple pigments become bright pink, as you can see by looking at these two photographs, one taken of the second day of fermentation, and the other, once the kimchi was ready to eat.
Fermentation Day #1
It’s ready!
Dongchimi was, and still is, traditionally eaten during the wintertime. In fact, when written in hanja (Chinese characters), it is made up of the character for winter (冬) and a character used in the past to designate kimchi (沈).
The basic requirements for making dongchimi,” write the authors of a paper on the origins of kimchi, “are as follows: it should contain a small amount of salt so that light fermentation can take place; it should be stored at a low temperature; and it should also be eaten at a low temperature” (2015). With its low salt content, dongchimi required the cold temperatures of the winter months to prevent spoilage and premature souring. It is only recently, with the advent of “kimchi fridges” (and refrigeration in general), that it has become possible to enjoy dongchimi at any time of the year. Still, Koreans still associate dongchimi with winter, as a food to be enjoyed ice-cold with a bowl of buckwheat noodles (nengmyeon) or a roasted sweet potato.
Recipe Notes
- I used purple radishes for this recipe, but you can use any type of Asian radish (white, green and white, or all green).
- The recipe calls for small radishes (roughly the size of your fist). If you only have access to larger radishes, simply cut them into fist-sized portions before salting them.
- I used horseradish as a seasoning, because I love the taste, but traditional dongchimi recipes would not have included this ingredient. It may instead have included small green or red peppers (not spicy ones).
A Note About Water
When choosing a water source for fermentation, you want to be conscious of contamination, but also of how the water may have been treated to remove those contaminants. Tap water is often treated with chlorine, chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) or fluoride, all of which can impair the quality of your ferments and should be removed before use. Check with your municipal water source to find out how your water is treated. Certain filtration systems will remove these compounds (more information here). The easiest method for removing chlorine is to boil your water for 15 minutes. As for chloramines, adding a pinch of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) powder to the water does the trick.
Equipment
- A gallon-sized jar (glass or earthenware)
- Unbleached cheesecloth
Joëlle
Hot pink kimchi? Absolutely! This water kimchi, made with purple radishes and Himalayan pink salt, fizzes on your tongues with the refreshing flavours of ginger, onion, pear and horseradish.
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Ingredients
- 5 purple daikon radishes (about 2 kg)
- 1/4 cup Himalayan salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp minced horseradish
- 4 scallions, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
- 1 small Asian pear (or 1/2 of a large one), cubed
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced into bite size pieces
- Water
Instructions
- Put the salt into a shallow dish.
- Wash the radishes and place them one by one into the shallow dish, rolling them around and using your hands to cover them with salt.
- Place the salted radishes into a clean gallon-sized jar. If your radishes came with tops, place those on top along with the remaining salt.
- Leaves the jar on your counter for 3-4 days with the lid screwed on (or, in the summertime, in the fridge for 4-5 days). During this time, the salt will draw moisture out from the radishes, and start pooling and fermenting at the bottom of the jar.
- Mince ginger, garlic and horseradish and wrap them up in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie up the bundle and place it in the jar.
- Add scallions, pear and onion.
- Pour in enough water to cover all the vegetables and mix it around with a wooden spoon to spread the salt around.
- Screw the lid on loosely, and let the jar on your counter to ferment for 3-6 days. As the vegetables ferment, the water will turn bright pink, fizzy and slightly sour and milky. Taste it every day, and when you are happy with the taste, transfer the jar to the fridge.
- To serve, slice just enough radish, arrange them in a serving bowl (or many small individual dishes) with some pear and onion pieces, and ladle some fizzy pink broth over the slices.
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References
Jang, D.-J., Chung, K. R., Yang, H. J., Kim, K.-S., & Kwon, D. Y. (2015). Discussion on the origin of kimchi, representative of Korean unique fermented vegetables. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 2(3), 126–136. doi: 10.1016/j.jef.2015.08.005
Na Kyŏng-su, & Chae, R. (2010). Encyclopedia of Korean seasonal customs. Seoul: National Folk Museum of Korea.
Pettid, M. J. (2008). Korean cuisine: an illustrated history. London: Reaktion Books.
Guidance and Inspiration
Maangchi — Radish Water Kimchi
❤ Thank you Maangchi!
