Watermelon Radish Kimchi

I love that within the boundaries of fermentation, there are rules. But inside the parameters of those rules, there are no rules. And I’ve never seen anyone make kimchi with watermelon radish and ground cherries before but I’m here to tell you: it’s possible and it’s absolutely delicious.

Sometimes I find kimchi recipes unnecessarily fussy but this one is super straightforward, no fuss. Plus we’re using in-season radish which is perfect this time of year. And there’s nothing better than this cubed radish kimchi aka “kkakdugi” paired with piping hot soup like seollongtang (ox bone soup) or kalguksu (Korean knife cut noodle soup).

Another fun part of this recipe is the ground cherries. Ground cherries are small, sweet fruits that grow in papery husks and are related to tomatoes. They’re also known as cape gooseberries, husk tomatoes, or winter cherries. And I guess the last nickname means that they’re in season right now because I remember decorating my birthday cake with these ground cherries last year (and my birthday is coming up soon!). They taste like a pineapple and a tomato had a delicious baby :’) if you find these at your local farmers market or grocery store, I highly recommend getting a little carton! They’re so delicious and fun to eat. If you can’t find them, feel free to use any kind of fruit like apple, pear, persimmon, etc. as a substitute.

Hope you give this recipe a try and if you do, give me a shout or tag me in your photos on Instagram! Happy kimchi making.

Watermelon Radish Kimchi with Ground Cherries (1 medium jar):

• 2-3 lbs watermelon radish, peeled and cubed into 1-1.5” chunks
• 2 1/2 TBSP course sea salt
• 2 TBSP salted shrimp
• 1 TBSP fish sauce
• 1 1/2 TBSP garlic
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 TBSP sugar plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup ground cherries (if you don’t have, you can use any other fruit like persimmon, apple, pear, etc.)
• 1/4 cup Korean red pepper flakes (gochurgaru)

Step 1. Salt the radish cubes in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to sweat for 45 mins to an hour.

Step 2. In a food processor or blender, combine the rest of the ingredients except the gochugaru red pepper flakes until it’s completely puréed. Taste to adjust, adding more sugar as necessary depending on the sweetness of your fruit. Finally, add in red pepper flakes and mix by hand until well combined.

Step 3. Place a large colander in the sink and drain the radish cubes. Do not rinse. Put drained radish into a large, clean bowl and mix in kimchi paste. Mix, store in an airtight container, and let ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. After that, refrigerate and enjoy! Will keep for 2-3 weeks.