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Photo by Jisu Song, design by Alexis Lira

This recipe comes courtesy of Ju Myungji for “This Is Not the Kimchi You Know — It’s Better,” written by Grace Moon. Read Mrs. Ju’s story here.

After sharing kimchi with her church, Ju Myungji was dubbed “kimchi queen.” Here is her recipe for Andong-style seasoned, dried radish kimchi. Mrs. Ju’s recipe doesn’t come with measurements, since she goes by feel and taste. Beginners may want to make a small batch, write down the ingredients, and scale mathematically.

Ingredients

  • Radishes 
  • Dried squid 
  • Dried red pepper leaves or raw perilla leaves 
  • Red chili flakes
  • Minced garlic 
  • Rice syrup or corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Fish sauce
  • Soy sauce 

Directions

  1. Cut radishes thinly like matchsticks. You should still be able to bite them and tell they are crisp. Wrap cut radishes in a cloth and leave them outside in a cool area that is still exposed to sunlight. Let sit for about 2 weeks.*
  2. Once radishes have dried outside, soak them in warm water until soft.
  3. Cut dried squid into small strips, about the same size as the radishes.
  4. Soak dried squid strips and dried red pepper leaves in warm water for about 30 minutes.
  5. Afterward, give everything a firm squeeze to the point where there is no moisture left. This will ensure that the sauce absorbs well.
  6. Your sauce will consist of red chili flakes, minced garlic, rice syrup, a drizzle of honey, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Combine your sauce with dried squid and red pepper.
  7. Pour the sauce over radishes and massage them firmly for 30 minutes.
  8. Leave everything in a container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days to ferment. Then refrigerate it and enjoy throughout the winter season. 

*It may be better to do this in the fall, so your radishes don’t dehydrate completely. If it rains, bring the radishes inside!

Original recipe by Ju Myungji. Translated by Grace Moon.