Korean Soy Pickled Radish Cubes

Name: Korean Soy Pickled Radish Cubes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Korean radish 700 g; soy sauce 180 ml; vinegar 150 ml; water 150 ml; sugar 4 tbsp; dried chili 1 ea

Cut 700 g firm Korean radish into even 1.5 cm cubes and pack them, uncrushed, into a dry sterilized jar with 1 dried chili in the middle. Bring 180 ml soy sauce, 150 ml vinegar, 150 ml water, and 4 tbsp sugar to a vigorous boil, hold it for only 30 seconds because long boiling dulls the vinegar and concentrates the salt, and pour it straight into the jar until the cubes are submerged. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate about 3 days, until the radish looks slightly translucent.

Quick answer

Active time: 30 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Cubes cut to an even 1.5 cm take in the hot soy brine at the same pace, and after three days in the fridge they turn slightly translucent and salty-sweet to the center.

The brine goes into the jar right after it comes to a full boil, because longer boiling drives off the sharpness of the vinegar. A single dried chile tucked among the cubes adds a gentle warmth. It sits comfortably beside gimbap, bibimbap or a bowl of gukbap.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

dried chili1 ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Wash and peel 700 g firm Korean radish, then cut it into even 1.5 cm cubes.

Trim any oversized pieces again so the hot soy brine seasons each cube at a similar speed.
2

Dry the sterilized glass jar well, then pack in the radish without crushing it.

Place 1 dried chili around the middle of the jar so its aroma spreads through the brine rather than staying only on top.
3

Combine 180 ml soy sauce, 150 ml vinegar, 150 ml water, and 4 tbsp sugar in a pot.

Heat over high heat, stirring until no sugar grains remain on the bottom or sides.
4

Once the brine boils vigorously across the whole surface, keep it boiling for only 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.

Use it right away, because long boiling dulls the vinegar and concentrates the saltiness.
5

Pour the hot brine straight into the jar until the radish cubes are fully submerged.

Gently tap or swirl the jar to release trapped air pockets, then close the lid while keeping the pieces under liquid.
6

Let the jar cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate it for about 3 days.

Serve chilled when the radish looks slightly translucent and tastes sweet, salty, and seasoned through to the center.