Danmuji (Korean Pickled Radish)

I love gimbap. I've only had it once before, but it really made an impression on me.

I know that, to look at photos of it, you might just think it looks like sushi. But it really does have its own unique flavour. The rice is seasoned with sesame oil and the danmuji gives it a very distinctive sweet and sour kick. You can put all sorts of other things in it. Occasionally homemade gimbap may even forgo the danmuji (and just use egg and/or kimchi), but the radish really makes it special -- at least for me.

One of the main reasons I've never made gimbap before is because I've never been able to find the danmuji for it. Maybe I've just overlooked it at the Asian grocery store, but I've never seen it there. But I finally decided that if I couldn't buy it, maybe I could try making it. I've been told that proper danmuji takes more than a month to make. This isn't that. This is a quick pickle that I just tossed together last night. So I'm sure it's not super authentic. But I'm hoping that it'll still give me some of that characteristic danmuji flavour.

A note on vinegars: The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 c. of unseasoned rice vinegar to which you add water, sugar, and salt (among other things). I only had seasoned rice vinegar. And only about a cup at that. So I did some substitutions. I think you could probably make this entirely with seasoned rice vinegar and just omit the sugar and salt called for. I made it with a 1:1 mix of seasoned rice vinegar and cane vinegar, so I put half the sugar and a little less than half the salt called for. To be absolutely sure you get the right proportions and flavour, it's best to use unseasoned rice vinegar as suggested. But, in a pinch, you can swap things around a bit and adjust the other ingredients as needed.

Danmuji

From Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 1/2 c. unseasoned rice vinegar (see note above)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
• 2 bay leaves
• 15 black peppercorns
• 450g daikon radish, cut into long strips or discs as preferred

Directions

1. Combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, turmeric, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and add daikon.
3. Press a paper towel into the surface of the brine to ensure the diakon is completely submerged and not in contact with the air. Set aside for 1-2 hours.
4. Transfer daikon and its brine to a clean jar. Store in fridge until ready to use.