Kim Dae-seok's Spring Water Kimchi

• winter radish 1 piece (1.5kg)
• baby bok choy 2 heads (1.2kg)
• fresh water 2.5L
• new sugar 1/3 teaspoon
• sea salt 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons
• onion 1/2 piece
• pear 1 piece (small)
• red chili pepper 1 piece
• green chili pepper 3 pieces
• ginger 1 piece
• garlic 10 cloves
• pepper seeds 2 teaspoons
• glutinous rice flour 1/2 cup
• soju 1/2 cup
• plum syrup 2 teaspoons
• scallion 1 bunch

Recipe 🍳

Cooking tips 💡

• Winter radishes used in dongchimi or regular water kimchi should be peeled before use—though it’s tedious, removing the outer skin with a peeler ensures a much crisper texture when eaten.
• Using ground chili powder directly in the broth causes it to become thick and greasy over time. Grinding red pepper seeds and fruit, then straining through a cloth, results in a transparent, clean, and refreshing broth.
• Add 1/2 cup of soju at the broth preparation stage, as specified in the original recipe.
• Rinse the salted baby bok choy lightly under water to remove surface salt, but do not wash the radish—use all the naturally sweet and salty brine from the radish to give the broth authentic, natural depth without artificial flavors.

Recommended for 🙋

• ⭐Those looking to make a clear, non-greasy, refreshing water kimchi that aids digestion after rich holiday meals or heavy dinners.
• ⭐Home cooks seeking a simple, foolproof method to make water kimchi with balanced salinity—using fruit and pepper seed juice instead of traditional complex kimchi techniques.