How to make Korean style radish pickles using pink radish. It’s simple, easy and moreish!
Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles (한국식 분홍무 절임)
Do you like radish pickles? I love them! It’s such a gem dish. I particularly love pairing them with Samgyeopsal (Korean pork belly) BBQ meat and also with Bibim Naengmyeon (Korean spicy cold noodles). I have also tried these with Bibimbap, and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) too!
I don’t know much about wine or cheese, but I think it’s equivalent to pairing chardonnay with camembert cheese. It adds delicately pleasant sweet and sourness and crunchy texture to my favorite Korean dishes above and I simply can’t have enough of them each time!
What is Korean Style Radish Pickles?
Typically a daikon (white) radish is used for Korean radish pickles; however, it’s often hard to find daikon radish where I live. So I decided to make some pink radish pickles, since they are easier to find.
By now, you might be wondering, what’s “Korean style” about these radish pickles? Truth be told, there’s nothing particularly Korean about my radish pickles regarding the ingredients used (there’s no gochujang or gochugaru involved!) or the method of cooking.
However, it does have the same sweet and sour taste that I’m familiar with, and it also goes well with other Korean dishes I mentioned above.
Though, I’m also going to present to you a daikon (white) radish pickles recipe in the near future. So stay tuned!
Essentially though, I would use the same vinegar mixture as with my pink radish pickles and they should give the same taste as with the pink radish pickles, except that each pickle slice is bigger.
I hope you get to try this recipe soon!
Ingredients
- 500g (1.1 pounds) pink radishes
- Vinegar mixture
- 1 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 cup sugar, raw or white
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of fine sea salt
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
** You will need a sterile 1L glass jar.
How to Make Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles
1. Rinse the radishes in cold water and clean/ trim the root and stems.
2. Thinly slice the radish bulb and set aside.
3. Make the vinegar mixture in a small sauce pan by mixing them all and bring it to boil on low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 3- 4 mins). Whisk it occasionally to promote the dissolving process.
4. Put the sliced radishes in a sterile glass jar and pour in the vinegar mixture. Let the jar cool down and close the lid. (Though it’s only lukewarm, so you won’t have to wait long.) Leave at room temperature for a few hours then refrigerate.
5. Serve with your choice of main dishes (e.g. Korean BBQ, Korean Fried Chicken etc). (Tips. I found that the pickles taste better after 48 hours. While they will keep well in the fridge for several weeks, it tastes best in the first 7 days, with still a good taste and the crunchy texture.)
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Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles
Ingredients
- 500 g pink radishes (1.1 pounds)
Vinegar mixture
- 1 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 cup sugar raw or white
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the radishes in cold water and clean / trim the root and stems.
- Thinly slice the radish bulb and set aside.
- Make the vinegar mixture in a small sauce pan by mixing them all and bring it to boil on low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 3- 4 mins). Whisk it occasionally to promote the dissolving process.
- Put the sliced radish in a sterile glass jar and pour in the vinegar mixture. Let the jar cool down and close the lid. (Though it’s only lukewarm, so you won’t have to wait long.) Leave at room temperature for a few hours then refrigerate.
- Serve with your choice of main dishes (e.g. Korean BBQ, Korean Fried Chicken etc). (Tips. I found that the pickles taste better after 48 hours. While they will keep well in the fridge for several weeks, it tastes best in the first 7 days, with still a good taste and the crunchy texture.)
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
