In Korean cuisine there are many different kinds of kimchi. One of the types or styles of kimchi is called water kimchi (MulGimChi). One of the most common types of water kimchi is called DongChiMi (동치미). This is usually made with winter radishes, and it doesn’t need any red pepper powder or fish sauce, which are common ingredients in other kimchi. So this can be good kimchi for vegetarians or people who cannot eat spicy food. Try this cool and delicious kimchi someday.
Yield: 2 Gallons
Short Korean Lesson: *^^*
- Mul (물) = Water
- Bul (불) = Fire
Main Ingredients
- 8½ lb Korean Radish (About 10 Small Radishes)
- 5 Quarts Water
- ¾ Cup Sea Salt
- 2 Asian Pears
- 2 Onions
- 1 Cup Garlic Cloves
- 12 Green Onions
- ¼ Cup Ginger
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 4 Red Hot Pepper
- 4 Green Hot Pepper
Directions
Obtain about 10 small sized Korean Radishes, or about 8½ pounds.
Peel the radish and remove any bad parts.
Cut the radish into sticks 1½ inches in length and half an inch in thickness.
Place the radish in a bowl and sprinkle ¾ cup of salt on top. I recommend using sea salt. Mix the salt with the radish, and then set it aside for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the other vegetables. Cut 2 Asian pears and 2 onions into quarters. Prepare 1 cup of peeled garlic cloves (about 35 cloves). Wash 4 red hot peppers and 4 green hot peppers. These peppers impart good flavor to the kimchi, but they do not make the kimchi spicy at all. However, if you are afraid to use them, you can skip them. Chop 12 green onions into 2 inch lengths. Slice ¼ cup of ginger into ¼ inch slices.
After 35 minutes, drain the salted water from the radish. You will get about 1 cup of liquid from it.
In a big bowl, add the salted radish and the vegetables you prepared.
Pour 5 quarts of water in the bowl.
Add ¼ cup of sugar and mix everything together.
Leave it at room temperature for a day and then place it in the refrigerator. It will take about 15-20 days to properly ferment. After it has finished fermenting, the radish will not have the bitter flavor anymore like it did when it was raw, and the kimchi broth will have a slightly sour and salty flavor combined with all of the other flavors from the onion, green onion, garlic, ginger, pear, and peppers.
In the cold winter, this cool water kimchi tastes awesome with hot steamed sweet potatoes or baked chestnuts. You can also use this kimchi broth for cold noodles. I don’t eat any of the other ingredients except for the radish after the kimchi has fermented. Those other things were just used for flavoring the broth and once it has fermented they will not taste very good. Of course, you can try the other vegetables if you want, or just use them for decoration as I did. Anyway, oh my! The kimchi tastes great once it has fermented. Enjoy~ 
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Aeri: Thank you very much! I will try to make this water kimchi tomorrow, can’t wait to have a taste of it.
LOVE THIS at my favorite Korean restaurant in town! I was so happy to try this out last month for the last time and it came out fabulous! Very yummy and sour like the restaurant does only better- I made it, I know the ingredients, and it is at my house!
I am making my second batch now. I left both batches out 2 days then added to fridge for 20 plus days.
THANK YOU for the wonderful recipe.
Bridget
Hi Aeri. The recipes here look great. I was wondering is it possible to leave out the sugar or substitute it with pureed pear or pear juice? Does the sugar aid in fermentation process or is it purely for flavor?
hi Julie,
yes.. sugar helps for the fermenting process and used for good flavor too.. pear has natural sugar too.. but just natural sugar has less sugar compare with the white sugar… so you have to consider that..and sugar helps to cover the bitter flavor from the radish too. ^^
Hey Aeri
I hv been a silent follower of yr blog for sometime but I only tried making this water radish kimchi recipe of yours recently. I followed yr instructions accordingly and I check the contents every few days. In the first 10days or so, everything seemed normal but since then, i noticed that the water has turned to be abit glue-y, not watery as it was in the beginning. It doesn’t taste or smell like it has turned bad but I am just concerned and wonder if everything is OK. It is almost 2 weeks since I made it. Can u pls advise? Tks for yr time.
hi VB,
No worries… because it is because of fermenting process… mine was like that too.. the broth becomes a little glue-y…. but later.. the broth will be clear and like normal again.. not glue-y..and taste great.. so wait a little longer… ^^ please let me know how it turned out later… Enjoy !!!
Tks so much for yr reply. I feel so relieved now! I just tasted it after rinsing the radish in drinking water (coz I wasn’t sure then), it is tangy and crispy and very refreshing! Tks for the recipe
Hi Aeri,
Your website is awesome! I usually make so much napa kimchi & radish kimchi. How long is the shelf life of these dishes? I would like to can some to give away to friends & family and to store a little for ourselves. I’ve seen kimchi in jars in the grocery, but they are usually refrigerated. Even after canning, it should only need refrigeration after opening, no? Please enlighten me as I do not want to poison any of my beloved friends & family. Thanks.
hi Carla,
If the kimchi is fermented properly, it will not be poisoned.. so don’t worry.. we don’t do canning for kimchi.. just you ferment the kimchi in the refrigerator. This water kimchi will last over month… or 2 months.. when it becomes too sour.. maybe you don’t want to eat anymore… It is delicious..try it someday.
Hi Aeri,
The donchimi came out perfect! (According to my husband) The water has a really nice flavor. Do you use it for only nengmyun or can you use it for other noodles? Thank you for a great recipe!
hi csyama,
thumbs up for you. 
somepeople just boil thin noodles..and eat with the water kimchi broth and sliced dongchimi … or you can eat the broth with boiled potato or sweet potato.. they are good match. 
thanks
haha.. i’m happy to hear that.. good job !!!!
hi Aeri,
I think I know why my Dongchimi was salty–I put the drained salted liquid in with the vegetables. lol! Not to worry, added more water. Keeping my fingers crossed!
hi csyama,
Oh.. that would be really salty.. -_-;; good thing you added more water.. hehe…
Hi Aeri,
I made this recipe about 1 week ago. At first, I thought it was too salty, and put in a little more water. But at one week’s fermentation, it is tangy and not too salty. Wish me luck–I’m hoping it will turn out right! Kamsamhamnida and have a Happy New Year.
hi csyama,
thanks
Happy new year too.
hi aeri!!
im just finished this recipe lol:D it turned out that i poured one or two more quart of water in it because the amount was too big. is that okay??
THANKSS!!
hi tiffany,
) but just try a little to see if you poured water too much. It should be salty enough.. feel slightly salty than your taste will be right. So if it’s not salty enough.. yes you poured more water… then add a little more salt until you feel like.. it is a little saltier than your taste..once it’s fermented.. the saltiness will be just right. if your broth is too salty for you.. add a little more water.. that’s how you fix it. thanks.. when you eat your kimchi later.. please let me know how it turned out.. enjoy..^^
No prbolems tiffany… just taste your kimchi broth a little… (since it’s not fermented yet..it will just taste like salt water..which is not good…
So happy you posted this! One of my favorites, but I never knew how to make it and the ones made by the Asian market I shop at put lemons inside theirs, which I don’t like. So excited to try.
hi Sandy,
I hope you like my recipe.. ^^ thanks
Hi Aeri, I love dongchimi and all mul kimchis, thanks for providing another recipe for it! I adore trying out all of the variations. I’ll make some to try whne we return home from the holidays, it will be such a treat!
hi Katharine in Brussels,
Yep.. try it.. you will love it. Don’t forget to take some pictures for us.. hehe.. Merry Christmas.
HaHaHa, You give us this recipe that I like it as it’s not spicy. You look very busy recently, is it because it near to Christmas’ time. I think you and your family should have a happy Chritmas’ time this year!!!
hi stephaniebobo,
Yes, I always feel busy… especially after I had my son.. ^^ happy screaming.. hehe Have a great holiday.. thanks
wow Aeri! i recently learn this from my mom and grandmother. we were doing kim jang and she made this also~ how did u learn all this? amazing!!!! Bryson will have very happy stomach because you cook every korean dish and his grandma can make him american dish + cookies. hehe
hi Angie,
Thanks for your compliment. So far bryson loves mommy’s food..hehe I’m sure that he will love his grandma’s American food also. 
lol.. I learned some from experience… I’m still learning though ^^ hehe.. for cooking.. as a Korean.. I know what the food should taste like.. that’s big help to get good recipes.
Hi Aeri! OMG! I have been waiting for this recipe! My husband loves water kimchi and I have tried to make it but it never comes out right. You can bet I will try this one! Mahalo and happy holidays
hi csyama,
Try it..and let me know the result. Thanks Happy holidays too. 
Haha… Now your husband will be happy with your water kimchi.