This dongchimi recipe keeps things unfussy: Korean radish, a clean brine, and time. The result is a chilled, vegan water kimchi with a crisp bite that cuts through BBQ, spicy dishes, or even works as a short cold noodle broth. Hands-on prep is minimal.

Winter break at our grandparents’ house always came with two things: fire-roasted sweet potatoes and a chilled bowl of dongchimi (동치미). This unfussy radish water kimchi showed up only in winter, but its clean, tangy brine cut through the cold in a way we didn’t appreciate until we were older.

Our grandma even used the brine to make cold noodle soup — unusual for winter, but surprisingly refreshing. As a kid, the pale radish in clear brine didn’t look exciting, yet we still reached for it like a snack. The crunch was bright and almost sweet, the kind of flavor only kitchen-made food seems to have.

Sliced Korean radish arranged in a bowl of clear dongchimi brine

Our mother made a large batch every winter, right next to her Kimjang cabbage kimchi. She followed our grandmother’s old-fashioned style: no fish sauce and no salted shrimp. “Let nature do the work,” she’d say. When we made our first batch the same way, it worked — clean, crisp, quietly steady.

The Way we Make Dongchimi

Dongchimi changes from region to region, and every family has its own habits. It’s different from Nabak kimchi, which uses thinly sliced radish and a more seasoned brine, but they share the same clean, water-based style.

Our method stays close to what we learned at home — unfussy, old-style, and built for long winter storage.

We avoid using whole radishes because the brine takes too long to penetrate. In Korea, you’d choose cheonsu-mu (천수무), the classic winter radish, but it’s hard to find abroad. Using a good Korean radish cut in half lengthwise brines faster yet keeps its crunch for months.
We never cut the radish into small cubes; they soften quickly and lose that winter-dongchimi snap.
And we skip the fish sauce and salted shrimp entirely. With the right salt, a touch of maesil-cheong, and natural fermentation, the broth develops a sharp, refreshing taste — naturally vegan-friendly.

What You Need for Radish Water Kimchi

Korean Radish (mu, 무): Choose small, slender Korean radishes that feel firm and heavy. Look for green tops and smooth skin without cracks. Other radishes don’t hold their crunch or develop the same subtle sweetness. If you want a heartier radish dish, try our Kkakdugi (radish kimchi) recipe.

Korean Solar Sea Salt (Cheonil-yeom, 천일염): Use naturally aged, de-bittered Korean solar sea salt. It’s gentler and helps the brine ferment with a clean finish.

Water: Since dongchimi is a water-based kimchi, good water matters. Use artisan mineral water for the cleanest fermentation.

Korean Plum Extract (Maesil-cheong): Adds light sweetness to balance fermentation. Kitchen-made or store-bought both work. Add 1–2 tablespoons of sugar if you prefer a rounder flavor.

Chili Peppers: Salted pickled chilies are old-style, but fresh green chilies are an unfussy substitute.

Add-Ins: Korean pear, mustard greens, green onion, radish stems, garlic, and ginger add depth and help cover the radish during fermentation.

How the dish comes together

Prep the radish. If your radish has greens attached, trim the greens and set aside only the tender leaves in the center. Scrub the radish well and do not peel — the skin helps it stay crisp through long fermentation.

Salt and brine. Cut the radish in half lengthwise. While still wet, coat with salt generously and stack in a bowl or kimchi container and let them sit for about 3 hours.

Salt the greens during the last 30 minutes and weigh everything down with a heavy plate so the salt draws out moisture evenly.

Build the flavor base. Transfer the radish and greens to a clean container without rinsing. Add pear, chilies, and aromatics. Place minced ginger in a small tea bag if you want a clearer broth.

Make the brine. Mix 1 liter of water with maesil-cheong and 2 tablespoons of salt, then pour over the radish. Add the remaining water to fully cover. We place the minced ginger in a tea bag so it infuses the flavor without clouding the brine.

Top with greens and press down so everything stays submerged. The brine should taste slightly saltier at this stage than you want in the final kimchi (Add more salt if needed). It naturally dilutes as the radish releases water.

Ferment at room temperature. Leave at room temperature for 4–5 days. Gentle bubbles indicate lighter fermentation. Foam is normal; skim if you prefer.

Move to cold storage. Once the brine tastes lightly tangy, transfer the container to the refrigerator. The flavor sharpens over the next several days and should be ready to eat.

Keeping Dongchimi Fresh in the Fridge

Refrigerator Storage: Once the dongchimi moves into fridge, it keeps well for several weeks to months. The radish stays crisp the longest during the first 3–4 weeks, and the flavor deepens slowly as it continues to ferment.

Keeping the Radish Crisp: Make sure all radish stays fully submerged in the brine to prevent softening.

When the Brine Tastes Flat: As the radish releases more liquid, the flavor can mellow — normal for long-stored dongchimi. A small pinch of salt or a splash of maesil-cheong can brighten it.

Refreshing the Brine: If the brine level drops, add cold water mixed with a tiny bit of salt. Avoid adding fresh raw ingredients at this stage. It can disrupt the fermentation.

Serving Ideas

When you’re ready to eat it, lift out a radish half, slice it, and ladle the chilled brine over the top with a few greens — unfussy and refreshing.

We grew up enjoying dongchimi with roasted Korean sweet potatoes, and we still like setting a small bowl on the table with Korean BBQ. The clean, icy broth resets your palate between rich or spicy bites.

It also makes a direct base for cold noodles. A handful of thin noodles, a few radish slices, and a ladle of brine turn into a light, cooling meal.

If you’re building out your winter kimchi collection, explore more in our Korean kimchi recipes category.

Yield: 40 people
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Radish & Greens

8½ lb (4 kg) korean radish, green part optional
5 oz (150 g) mustard green
3½ oz (100 g) green onion

Salt & Aromatics

1 cup (230 g) Korean coarse sea salt
10 salted pickled chilies, or 10 fresh green chilies (see note below)
1 about 1 ⅛ lb (500 g) Korean pear, seeded and cut into 8 wedges
20 cloves garlic
2 tbsp (12 g) minced ginger

Dongchimi Brine

4 liter (4 qt) artisan mineral water
4 tbsp (60 ml) korean plum extract (maeshil-cheong)
2 tbsp (28 g) Korean coarse sea salt

Method

If the radish comes with its greens, trim the greens discarding the tough outer leaves and keeping the tender center leaves. Scrub the radish well and do not peel.
Cut each radish in half lengthwise. While the surface is still wet, rub with Korean solar sea salt to coat evenly. Place the radish halves in a large bowl or kimchi container and sprinkle additional salt on top.
Let the radish brine for 3 hours. During the last 30 minutes, add the reserved radish greens and lightly salt them. Place a heavy plate or bowl on top to press everything down.
Transfer the salted radish and greens to a clean kimchi container without rinsing. Sprinkle a little more salt over the radish.
Add Korean pear wedges, garlic cloves, chilies, and ginger (place grated ginger in a tea bag for a clearer brine).
To make dongchimi brine: In a large bowl, mix 1 liter of mineral water with plum extract and 2 tablespoon of salt. Pour this over the radish, then add enough additional water to fully submerge everything.
Top the radish with mustard greens, radish tops, and green onion. Sprinkle a little more salt, then weigh everything down with a plate or bowl to keep the radish submerged. Taste the brine. It should be slightly saltier than you want in the finished kimchi. It will naturally dilute as it ferments. Add more salt if needed.
Leave the container at room temperature for 4–5 days, until the brine tastes lightly tangy and small bubbles appear on the surface.
Once fermented, transfer the container to the refrigerator. Dongchimi will continue to develop flavor as it chills and is best after another week in cold storage. To serve, slice a radish half and ladle the chilled brine over the top with a few greens. When stored in an air-tight container and kept fully submerged in the brine, dongchimi will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

Notes

Korean salted pickled peppers (gochuji) are different from vinegar-based pickled chilies. They’re preserved mainly with salt and are traditionally used for making kimchi and other fermented dishes. If you’re using fresh chilies instead, poke a few holes with a fork so they absorb the brine more easily.