Korean Crown Daisy Kimchi
Quick answer
Ssukgat kimchi is a fragrant seasonal kimchi that highlights crown daisy's herbal bitterness alongside chili flakes and sand lance fish sauce.
What makes this special
- Brief salting maintains the delicate leaves of ssukgat kimchi while highlighting herbal bitterness.
- Only 7-minute salting keeps leaves soft while stems stay just-crisp
- Glutinous rice paste coating anchors seasoning to the delicate leaf surface
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Trim any wilted leaves from 200 g crown daisy, neaten the tough stem ends, a...
- 2 Sprinkle 1 tablespoon coarse salt mostly over the stem sections and salt for just 7 minutes.
- 3 Rinse the salted crown daisy once in cold water, then set it in a sieve to drain.
Ssukgat kimchi is a fragrant seasonal kimchi that highlights crown daisy's herbal bitterness alongside chili flakes and sand lance fish sauce. The greens are salted for only seven minutes to preserve their delicate, tender texture, then dressed with a paste enriched by sweet rice flour for better adhesion. Plum extract balances the bitterness with gentle sweetness and acidity during fermentation. After two hours at room temperature followed by overnight refrigeration, the kimchi reaches its aromatic peak within a single day. Because the leaves bruise easily, gentle tossing during seasoning is essential to maintain their shape.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Trim any wilted leaves from 200 g crown daisy, neaten the tough stem ends, and cut everything into 5 cm lengths.
Shake the greens gently so the leaves stay loose instead of getting pressed or bruised.
- 2Season
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon coarse salt mostly over the stem sections and salt for just 7 minutes.
Turn the greens once midway with a light hand, because the tender leaves collapse if they sit too long.
- 3Season
Rinse the salted crown daisy once in cold water, then set it in a sieve to drain.
Do not squeeze it by hand; let it stand about 10 minutes so it stays moist but not watery.
- 4Season
Mix 2 tablespoons Korean chili flakes, 1.5 tablespoons sand lance fish sauce, 1 tablespoon plum extract, garlic, green onion, and 2 tablespoons sweet rice paste. Let the paste sit 3 minutes so the chili flakes hydrate and cling better.
- 5Control
Add the seasoning to the drained crown daisy and coat the stems first, where the surface is firmer.
Fold the leaves in last by lifting with your fingertips, stopping as soon as they are lightly covered.
- 6Finish
Pack the kimchi loosely in a container instead of pressing it down, then leave it at room temperature for 2 hours.
Refrigerate for one day and serve chilled when the herbal aroma is clear and bright.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
More Kimchi →Based on shared ingredients and meal pairing
Korean Pepper Leaf Kimchi
Gochuip kimchi is a seasonal Korean kimchi made from pepper leaves, prepared during late spring to summer when the leaves are available. Blanching is the essential first step. Fresh pepper leaves contain compounds that produce a raw bitterness, and simply seasoning them without pre-cooking leaves an unpleasant edge. A brief blanch of about 30 seconds collapses the cell structure, removing bitterness while dramatically reducing the volume of the leaves. The softened leaves also accept the seasoning more evenly across their surfaces. Glutinous rice paste added to the gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, and garlic mixture thickens the coating so it adheres uniformly to each leaf and supports lactic acid fermentation even within the short one-day curing window. The herbaceous quality in pepper leaves survives fermentation, remaining as an undercurrent beneath the spicy coating and producing a green, herb-like character that distinguishes this kimchi from napa cabbage or young radish varieties.
Korean Seasoned Crown Daisy Namul
Crown daisy greens are blanched for no more than ten seconds, just long enough to wilt the stems while preserving the leaves' intense herbal fragrance. This chrysanthemum-family herb carries a distinctive aroma that can overwhelm if overcooked but captivates when handled briefly. The dressing is straightforward: soy sauce provides the salty base, sesame oil contributes richness, and toasted sesame seeds burst with a nutty flavor when bitten. Through this simple seasoning, the crown daisy's slightly bitter, almost medicinal character cuts clearly, making the dish taste more vivid than its ingredient list suggests. Minced garlic and chopped green onion layer additional aromatics without competing with the main ingredient. Shocking the greens in ice water immediately after blanching locks in their bright green color, and squeezing out excess moisture before dressing prevents the sauce from diluting. The result is a namul with a clean, sharp personality that pairs well with milder dishes on a Korean table.
Korean Braised Eggplant and Tofu
Gaji dubu jorim combines eggplant and firm tofu braised together in a soy sauce and gochugaru seasoning. The eggplant soaks up the sauce and turns silky soft, while the pan-seared tofu holds its shape with a slight firmness on the outside. Garlic and green onion round out the flavor, creating a lightly spicy, umami-rich side dish. Salting the eggplant briefly before cooking draws out excess moisture so the pieces absorb the seasoning more deeply without falling apart during braising. Draining the tofu and pan-frying it on both sides before adding it to the sauce keeps the blocks intact and gives the surface a slightly chewy resistance against the tender eggplant. A practical vegetarian-friendly banchan that delivers both protein and vegetables without any meat.
Korean Zucchini Kimchi (Summer Fresh Gochugaru Quick)
Hobak kimchi represents a seasonal Korean vegetable preparation specifically associated with the summer months. This timing is chosen because domestic aehobak reach their peak levels of natural sweetness and maintain a particularly tender internal structure during this time of year. To prepare the zucchini for seasoning, the vegetable is typically sliced into thin half-moon shapes or uniform rectangular pieces. The salting stage for these slices is kept intentionally brief. This limited salting time serves a specific functional purpose in the recipe by preventing the extraction of excessive moisture from the vegetable cells. If the zucchini remains in salt for an extended period, the individual slices tend to lose their structural integrity and collapse, which eliminates the characteristic crispness that defines the quality of the finished dish. Once the brief salting process is complete, the zucchini pieces are rinsed in cold water and squeezed firmly by hand to remove as much residual liquid as possible. The seasoning phase involves thoroughly tossing the prepared slices with a combination of red chili flakes known as gochugaru, fish sauce, and finely minced garlic. Rather than utilizing refined sugar for seasoning, this recipe relies on the addition of plum extract. The extract provides a balanced and rounded natural sweetness to the profile of the dish without the need for processed additives. Fresh garlic chives are integrated into the mixture to contribute an aromatic and grassy quality that connects the different flavor elements together. Thinly sliced onions are also added to provide a subtle savory depth in the background. This particular variety is a no-fermentation kimchi, meaning it is designed to be consumed on the same day it is made or within two days at the most. Beyond this forty-eight hour window, the texture of the zucchini softens significantly and the initial freshness of the ingredients begins to dissipate. To maintain the best possible quality during this short period, the kimchi should be kept in a tightly sealed container and stored in the refrigerator.
Serve with this
Korean Seasoned Tofu Pouch Sushi (Yubu Chobap)
Yubu chobap consists of seasoned tofu pouches filled with sushi rice. The preparation begins by mixing rice vinegar, sugar, and salt into hot rice, using a cutting motion to preserve the grains. Sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds are added for aroma, along with finely diced carrot and cucumber to bring color and a crisp texture. The tofu pouches are lightly pressed and filled to about 80 percent of their capacity, preventing the skin from tearing during shaping. With each bite, the pouch releases a sweet and savory sauce absorbed by the tofu, which goes well with the seasoned rice. Since they are convenient to carry and eat by hand, they are popular for lunchboxes, quick snacks, and picnics.
Korean Grilled Yellow Corvina (Gulbi)
Gulbi-gui is a Korean grilled dried yellow corvina, a traditional side dish made by soaking salt-preserved corvina in rice-rinse water for ten minutes to temper its salinity, patting it dry, scoring the skin, then pan-frying each side for four to five minutes until crisp. The drying process concentrates the fish's protein and umami so intensely that it needs almost no additional seasoning-just the residual salt in the flesh provides enough flavor to carry a full bowl of rice. A drizzle of sesame oil at the end coats the surface with a toasted nutty fragrance, and a scattering of chopped scallion and sesame seeds adds visual contrast along with a mild herbal note. Its compact, chewy texture and bold saltiness make it one of the most efficient banchan dishes, where a single small fish can anchor an entire meal.
Korean Burdock Perilla Seed Stew
Ueong-deulkkae-jjigae is a Korean stew built on burdock root, potatoes, and oyster mushrooms simmered in an anchovy-kelp broth and thickened with perilla seed powder. The burdock root holds a firm, earthy crunch through the cooking while the potatoes soften and begin to break at the edges, and the oyster mushrooms add a pulling, fibrous chew that makes the stew feel substantial without any meat. Anchovy-kelp broth forms a clean, savory base, and a generous measure of perilla seed powder stirred in at the end creates a creamy, nutty consistency that coats every piece of vegetable and makes each spoonful feel round and warming. Soaking the burdock in cold water before cooking draws out bitterness and prevents the cut surfaces from darkening, which keeps the broth clear. Adding the potatoes after the burdock has partly cooked prevents them from collapsing entirely. Perilla seed powder should go in just before the heat is turned off so the toasted, nutty fragrance stays sharp rather than cooking away.
Similar recipes
Korean Cabbage Kimchi (Crunchy Green Cabbage Kimchi)
Yangbaechu kimchi is a Korean cabbage kimchi made by salting green cabbage and tossing it with chili flakes, fish sauce, and minced garlic. The thicker leaves and lower moisture content of green cabbage compared to napa cabbage result in a noticeably crunchier texture that persists through fermentation. The natural sweetness of cabbage softens the heat from the chili seasoning, while carrot and scallion pieces add color and freshness. Six hours of fermentation at room temperature followed by refrigeration lets the tanginess develop gradually. It serves as a lighter alternative when traditional napa kimchi feels too heavy.
Korean Crown Daisy Pancake
Fragrant crown daisy leaves are coated in a light pancake batter and pan-fried until the edges crisp and the herb's aroma intensifies. Heat amplifies the crown daisy's grassy, slightly bitter character, and the scent rises through the thin layer of batter as the jeon cooks. Egg in the batter provides structure, helping the exterior hold its crunch, while a small addition of potato starch keeps the texture light and prevents sogginess as the pancake cools. Sliced onion mixed into the batter introduces a gentle sweetness that offsets the herb's bitterness. Cooking over medium-low heat with ample oil ensures the interior sets evenly before the surface browns too deeply, and waiting until one side has fully firmed before flipping prevents the pancake from falling apart. The finished jeon is served with a dipping sauce of soy sauce and vinegar, whose acidity lifts the richness of the fried exterior and highlights the crown daisy's herbal notes.
Korean Crown Daisy Soy Pickle
Ssukgat jangajji is a soy-brined pickle made with crown daisy greens, capturing the herb's distinctively bitter, aromatic character in a quick-cured form. A boiling mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar is poured directly over the trimmed greens, which wilts them just enough to expel raw grassiness while locking in the clean, herbal fragrance underneath. Thin slices of lemon layered between the greens as they steep introduce a citrus brightness that cuts through the saltiness of the soy and keeps the brine from tasting flat. Whole black peppercorns contribute a gentle background heat that tidies up the finish. The jar goes into the refrigerator once cooled, and the pickle is ready to eat after just twenty-four hours, making it one of the most practical options when a side dish is needed on short notice. The herbal fragrance is at its sharpest within the first week of refrigeration, after which the aroma gradually fades. It pairs well as a rice topping or served alongside grilled pork or beef.