Korean Chamnamul Jangajji (Pimpinella Pickles)

Name: Korean Chamnamul Jangajji (Pimpinella Pickles)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: chamnamul greens 180 g; brewed soy sauce 90 ml; water 90 ml; apple vinegar 60 ml; brown sugar 2 tbsp; lemon 0.25 piece; whole black pepper 0.5 tsp

Quick answer

Active time: 23 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Hot brine would drive off chamnamul's fresh, herbal fragrance, so the soy and apple-vinegar mixture cools for about 5 minutes and goes on lukewarm.

Apple vinegar has a rounder acidity than plain vinegar and lets the greens stay grassy, while a squeeze of lemon added after boiling sharpens the finish. The stems are packed loosely and kept fully under the brine in the fridge so aroma and seasoning spread evenly. Stirred into rice or tucked into a lettuce wrap with pork belly, the greens cut through the fat. It is ready after a day, and the scent lasts about five days.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

lemon¼ piece

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Carefully pick out yellowed leaves from 180g of chamnamul, wash the stems two or three times in cold water to remove soil, then spread on a rack to air-dry completely.
2

Cut the dried greens into uniform 7 to 8 cm lengths suitable for chopsticks, then place them into a sterilized glass jar with stems aligned neatly and packed loosely.
3

Combine 90 ml soy sauce, 90 ml water, 60 ml apple vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and peppercorns in a pot, then heat over medium until the sugar dissolves and it boils.
4

Once the brine reaches a full boil, immediately turn off the heat and stir in the juice of a quarter lemon to add a sharp, refreshing finish to the soy mixture.
5

Let the brine cool for about 5 minutes until lukewarm, then pour it over the herbs.

Ensure the liquid covers them completely to preserve the delicate fragrance from high heat.
6

Seal the jar and refrigerate for 24 hours to develop the flavors.

For the best herbal character, serve the pickles cold and consume everything within five days of making.