Ingredients

• 1/2 radish (about 1 kg)
• 60 g sea salt
• 1/2 pear (about 300 g)
• 5 scallions (about 50 g)
• 2 green chilies or fermented chilies (about 30 g)
• 2 red chilies (about 30 g)
• 3 cloves garlic (about 15 g)
• 15 g ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon dry rice flour
• 1/3 cup water
• 8 cups water (2 L)
• 100 g salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice flour paste

Instructions

1. Choose a small, firm radish, remove the rootlets, and wash it well. Cut it into large pieces, about 8 wedges, and sprinkle with 60 g sea salt; let it sit overnight.
2. Wash the pear and cut it in half.
3. Gather the scallions into bundles of two or three stalks and tie them together.
4. Wash the green and red chilies and drain well.
5. Wash the garlic and ginger and slice them thinly.
6. In a pot, combine the water and dry rice flour and cook over high heat, stirring until smooth and lump-free to make rice flour paste. When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat.
7. In a large bowl, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 L of water to make the brine, then mix in 2 tablespoons of rice flour paste to make the dongchimi broth.
8. In a jar, layer the salted radish with the prepared pear, scallions, green chilies, red chilies, garlic, and ginger, then add another layer of radish. Weigh it down so it does not float.
9. Carefully pour in the dongchimi broth, cover, and ferment at room temperature (about 20°C) for two days. After fermentation, store in the refrigerator.
10. To serve, remove the radish and cut it into half-moon slices or sticks about 1 cm thick and 4 cm long. Slice the garnish briefly as well, place everything in a bowl, and pour the broth over it. If the broth tastes too strong, add water and sugar to adjust the seasoning.