Do you enjoy that pickled radish in your favorite Japanese or Korean restaurant?
I bet you will be surprised by how easy it is to make authentic Korean pickled radish at home!
With this recipe, everyone will be able to make these golden yellow, healthy, crunchy, and refreshing radish pickles within 45 minutes!
Is Danmuji GOOD for You?
Korean Pickled radish, also known as “Danmuji”, is tasty, nutrient-rich, and rich in probiotic microorganisms.
According to an article(by Chelsea Debret) on onegreenplanet.org, pickled radish has “wonderful health benefits” on improving digestive system health, managing healthy weight, reducing inflammation, boosting immune system, and fighting against depression and anxiety.
Similar to pickled radish, traditional homemade kimchi also has all these benefits to your body!
Check out my Kimchi Recipe by clicking the picture below ->
The yellow coloring of danmuji
Kimbap is one of Mr He’s favorite Korean snack. He especially loves these yellow pickled radish cubes in kimbaps.
However, I have always been hesitating to order Korean pickled radishes in restaurants, thinking that they are artificially colored.
Recently, I surprisingly learned that the bright yellow coloring of Korean pickled radish was from cape jasmine seeds, not artificial food dyes!
Omg, I should have known this information earlier! I have missed so many chances to enjoy delicious kimbaps!
But if you buy danmuji from grocery stores or order from restaurants, still, they are very likely artificially colored.
Luckily, we can easily make very natural, healthy, and authentically delicious Korean pickled radish at home within 45 minutes! And you can easily find all the ingredients you need in your local stores.
I know that cape jasmine seeds could be hard to find in US stores. Here I have a perfect substitute for you: Turmeric powder.
Turmeric powder and cape jasmine seeds both work perfectly as healthy natural food dyes. Feel free to use either of them, you won’t be able to taste the difference of the finished pickled radishes.
What can you do with Korean Pickled Radish?
Korean pickled radish, with its perfect balance of sweetness, sourness, and a hint of spice, can be a great flavor boosting to any dish.
You can add it as a refreshing and crunchy topping to your salad, slice it to garnish your ramen noodles, or simply eat it as a low-calorie healthy side dish.
If you enjoy Korean side dishes, you will also like this recipe:
Check out my – Sweet and Spicy Korean Style Potato
One of the most typical Korean food made with danmuji could be kimbap (or gimbap). You can easily make some at home with a leftover chip tube.
This picture below is a portal to my kimbap recipe ->
How to Make – Korean Pickled Radish
EQUIPMENT
- 1 Small Saucepan
- 2 food storage containers with lids
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Large Daikon radish about 600g
- 1½ tbsp Salt (1 tbsp for marinating the radish, ½ tbsp for the broth)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1½ cup Water
- 1 cup Rice vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. A large daikon radish, peel off its skin. Cut the radish crosswise into the length of your container.
2. Cut the radish lengthwise into ½-inch wide strips.
3. The radish can also be sliced into half-moon shape thin slices.
4. Put sliced radish into a large bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt over the radish. Rub the salt evenly on radish. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
5. In a medium saucepan, add turmeric powder, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat. Add rice vinegar to the saucepan. Set aside.
6. After the radish strips and slices have been marinated for 30 minutes, drain, rinse with potable water, squeeze out excess water, put radish strips and slices in clean containers.
7. Pour the turmeric vinegar mixture over the radish.
8. Let it cool down, cover the lid and keep in the fridge overnight before using.
9. Homemade picked radish can last in the fridge for up to 1 month.
My other Vegetarian Recipes you will also like:
Korean Pickled Radish (Danmuji)
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 2 food storage containers with lids
Ingredients
- 1 Large Daikon radish about 600g
- 1½ tbsp Salt (1 tbsp for marinating the radish, ½ tbsp for the broth)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1½ cup Water
- 1 cup Rice vinegar
Instructions
- A large daikon radish, peel off its skin. Cut the radish crosswise into the length of your container.
- Cut the radish lengthwise into ½-inch wide strips.
- The radish can also be sliced into half-moon shape thin slices.
- Put sliced radish into a large bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt over the radish. Rub the salt evenly on radish. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, add turmeric powder, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat. Add rice vinegar to the saucepan. Set aside.
- After the radish strips and slices have been marinated for 30 minutes, drain, rinse with potable water, squeeze out excess water, put radish strips and slices in clean containers.
- Pour the turmeric vinegar mixture over the radish.
- Let it cool down, cover the lid and keep in the fridge overnight before using.
- Homemade picked radish can last in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Video
Hi! Would you make any changes to this recipe if using a Korean radish instead of Daikon? Thanks!
Hi Susan, both of them are great for this recipe. A Korean radish could be slightly denser and harder than a daikon, so I’d probably cut a Korean radish into thinner slices.
Hi!! I tried this and it turned out amazing. Just wanted to ask you what you’d use the left over pickle liquid for? I don’t want to waste this as it tastes great and would appreciate any ideas you’d have! Can I reuse this liquid to pickle again? Thanks!
[…] Korean Pickled Radish (Danmuji) Recipe […]
[…] Danmuji recipe here~ https://msshiandmrhe.com/korean-pickled-radish-danmuji/ […]
Should seasoned or unseasoned Rice Vinegar be used? And could I use Seasoned Rice Vinegar if it’s all I have at the moment? What would need to be changed to the recipe, if anything needed changing from using already seasoned? Thanks!
[…] roots of Chicken Mu can be traced back to Danmuji, a type of Japanese pickled food known as “tsukemono,” made from radish. In the 17th […]
[…] Pickled radish is a popular snack in Korea and is often served as a side dish with meals. Kkakdugi is a type of pickled Korean radish that is made with diced radish, scallions, garlic, and spicy seasonings. Dongchimi is another type of pickled Korean radish that is made with sliced radish, pear, and ginger. […]
[…] Danmuji is a pleasant and zesty dessert that stands out in the diverse realm of Korean food. With its vivid yellow color and crisp texture, this pickled radish is not only a beloved side dish but also a crucial component of many Korean cuisines. Join us as we explore the intriguing world of dangoji and learn about its history, preparation, various forms, and more. […]
I followed the recipe to the T and it was delicious.
Will be making it from now on. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi, thank you very much for the recipe. It’s perfect. I would like to ask if I can decrease the amount of rice vinegar since the result is too vinegary for us. Thank you very much. Sanna
Can you give an alternative to the rice vinegar to something I have available at home?
I have tried a few of your recipes and I have enjoyed them all ! This one is out of this world. My grandma who doesn’t eat this kind of food loves it. She has asked me to make it for her several times. I appreciate that everything is fairly inexpensive, and the turmeric is a great substitute without using food dye. I was hoping to make another batch, but I grabbed the wrong rice vinegar. Do you think it will change the recipe too much if it’s a sweeter rice vinegar? I was thinking maybe I should add less sugar to account for the sugar in the seasoned rice vinegar. Thank you very much for the time you put into your recipes!
[…] Pickled Radishes (Danmuji): Include pickled radishes at the facet for a refreshing and slightly sweet element that balances the dish’s spiciness. […]
I made this and it turned good
Just one question though, it looks like the turmeric settles in the bottom.
Is that supposed to happen?