1. From Our Calgary Garden to Homemade Kimchi
One of the most rewarding parts of growing Korean vegetables in Calgary is bringing a fresh harvest into our kitchen. After months of planting, watering, and watching the weather, we harvested whole radishes and Korean radishes(moo) from our backyard garden. We used them together to make a large batch of homemade kimchi.
Whole radish, often called altari radish or chonggak-moo, is a small root vegetable with leafy green tops. It is commonly used to make a traditional Korean radish kimchi with a crunchy texture and a spicy, savory flavor. Korean radishes (moo) can also be added to the same batch.
Kimchi is a Korean fermented vegetable dish seasoned with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, Korean red pepper powder, fish sauce, and salted shrimp. In this recipe, we also use homemade blueberry enzyme, a sweet syrup made from fermented fruit, and flour paste to help the seasoning coat the vegetables.
Growing our own radishes gives us control over when we harvest them and how we prepare them. It also lets us use the fresh green onions growing in our garden.
2. Pickling Vegetables vs. Salting Vegetables for Kimchi
Almost any vegetable can be used to make pickles or kimchi, although the preparation method depends on the vegetable and the texture we want.
Pickling is a method of preserving vegetables and developing their flavor. Depending on the recipe, vegetables may be placed in vinegar, salt brine, or a mixture of salt and vinegar. Some pickles rely on vinegar for acidity, while others ferment in salt brine.
Salting vegetables for kimchi serves a different purpose. We apply salt to draw moisture from the vegetables and soften their structure before adding the seasoning. This helps prepare the vegetables for mixing and fermentation.
The goal is not to make the vegetables soft or mushy. We want them to become flexible enough to coat with seasoning while keeping their natural crunch.
For this batch, we sprinkle coarse sea salt over the cleaned radishes and let them sit for about two hours. We then rinse away excess surface salt and drain the vegetables before mixing them with the seasoning.
Salting, seasoning, and fermentation are three separate stages. Salting prepares the vegetables, seasoning adds flavor, and fermentation develops the characteristic taste of kimchi.
3. Preparing Our Garden-Harvested Radishes
We harvested a combined total of 4 kg of whole radishes and Korean radishes.
First, we removed the tougher outer leaves from the radishes and set them aside to prepare as siraegi, or dried radish greens. We removed yellow, diseased, and damaged leaves from the remaining greens.
Next, we trimmed the thin side roots from the main radish roots. We inspected the surface carefully for holes, tunnels, and signs of insect damage.
Calgary's garden soil can be dense, and root vegetables can be affected by soil pests. We prefer to avoid chemical soil insecticides. We have used neem oil and water boiled with ginkgo fruit as part of our garden pest-management efforts, but these methods do not guarantee pest-free roots.
For that reason, we check each radish carefully before cooking. We remove damaged areas that are unsuitable for eating rather than relying on garden treatments alone.
We then washed the radishes thoroughly several times to remove soil and other debris. Once they were clean, we prepared them for salting.
4. Ingredients for 4 kg of Radish Kimchi
Radishes for salting
4 kg whole radishes and Korean radishes combined
3/4 cup coarse sea salt for salting the radishes
Kimchi seasoning
200 g fresh green onions from our garden
100 g peeled garlic
20 g peeled fresh ginger
150 g peeled onion
120 g apple, cored
100 g salted shrimp
3/4 cup Korean anchovy fish sauce
3/4 cup gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder)
1/4 cup homemade blueberry enzyme - 2-3 tablespoons sugar (alternative if blueberry enzyme is not available)
1 1/4 cups cooled flour paste
1 tablespoon additional salt, if needed
Flour paste
2 cups water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
A note about the salt: The 3/4 cup of coarse sea salt is used to salt the radishes before seasoning. It is not added directly to the seasoning mixture. The extra tablespoon of salt is added only if the finished mixture needs more seasoning.
Gochugaru is Korean red pepper powder that gives kimchi its red color and spicy flavor. Salted shrimp is a fermented seafood seasoning that adds a savory taste. Anchovy fish sauce adds another layer of salty, savory flavor.
Blueberry enzyme is our homemade fruit-fermented syrup. We use it as a sweet seasoning alongside the apple. Flour paste helps the seasoning cling to the vegetables.
5. Making the Flour Paste
Pour 2 cups of water into a small saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Heat over medium heat, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. As the mixture warms, it will gradually thicken.
Once it reaches a smooth, paste-like consistency, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely. Measure out 1 1/4 cups for the seasoning.
We prepare this paste before mixing the seasoning because it needs time to cool. Adding hot paste directly to the vegetables is unnecessary and can warm the mixture.
6. Salting the Radishes for Two Hours
Place a layer of cleaned radishes in a large basin. Sprinkle some of the 3/4 cup of coarse sea salt over them. Add another layer of radishes and sprinkle with more salt.
Continue layering until all the radishes and salt have been used.
Let the radishes sit for approximately two hours. Halfway through, turn them over so the radishes at the bottom move to the top. This helps distribute the salt more evenly.
As the salt draws moisture from the vegetables, liquid will collect in the basin. The leafy portions may become flexible before the thicker roots do.
After two hours, rinse the radishes two or three times with clean water. This removes excess salt from the surface and provides another opportunity to check for soil, damaged areas, and insects.
Place the radishes in a colander and allow the excess water to drain thoroughly.
The size of the roots affects how quickly the salt reaches the center. Thick roots may need more time than smaller ones, so check their condition rather than relying only on the clock. The radishes should be
somewhat flexible but should still retain their firm texture.
7. Preparing the Kimchi Seasoning
While the radishes drain, prepare the seasoning mixture.
Place the garlic, ginger, onion, apple, salted shrimp, anchovy fish sauce, blueberry enzyme, and cooled flour paste in a blender. Blend until the ingredients form a smooth mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the 3/4 cup of gochugaru and stir until the red pepper powder is evenly distributed.
The apple and blueberry enzyme provide sweetness that balances the spicy and savory flavors. The garlic and ginger add a strong, fresh aroma, while the salted shrimp and fish sauce give the seasoning its deep savory taste.
Because fish sauce and salted shrimp already contain salt, we do not add the optional salt at this stage. We wait until the radishes have been mixed with the seasoning and taste the complete batch.
8. Mixing the Radishes with the Seasoning
Add the drained radishes to the large bowl of seasoning.
If a root is particularly thick, cut it in half lengthwise so the seasoning can reach more of its surface. Mix thoroughly, coating the roots and leafy sections with the red seasoning.
We harvested young green onion from our backyard for this batch. While we typically use 100 g of green onions, we used 200 g this time because we had an abundant harvest from the garden.
Instead of cutting them into short pieces, we split the young onions lengthwise and kept them long. This allows the green onions to remain visible among the radishes and adds color to the finished kimchi.
Add the green onions and mix everything together.
Taste a small piece of radish along with some seasoning. Our batch tasted slightly under-salted, so we added one extra tablespoon of salt.
The final amount of salt can vary because the radishes, fish sauce, salted shrimp, and rinsing process all affect the overall salt level. Thick roots may also taste less seasoned in the center than the leafy sections.
We prefer to check the taste carefully rather than automatically adding the extra salt listed in the recipe.
9. Fermenting the Kimchi at Room Temperature
Transfer the seasoned radishes into a clean, food-safe container. Press them down gently to reduce large air pockets and help keep the vegetables in contact with the seasoning.
Leave some space at the top because fermentation can produce gas and additional liquid.
Let the kimchi ferment at room temperature for approximately two to three days. The exact time depends on the temperature inside your home. A warmer room generally speeds up fermentation, while a cooler room slows it down.
Check the kimchi regularly. Small bubbles, a developing sour aroma, and changes in flavor can indicate that fermentation is progressing.
We adjust the fermentation time to suit our taste. Some people prefer young kimchi with a fresher flavor, while others enjoy a more developed sour taste.
Once the kimchi reaches the level of fermentation we prefer, we move it to the refrigerator to slow further fermentation.
Use clean utensils when handling the kimchi. Keep it refrigerated after the initial fermentation period, and discard it if you notice fuzzy mold, unusual discoloration, or a rotten smell rather than the expected fermented aroma.
10. Storage and Enjoying Our Garden Harvest
We keep the finished kimchi in the refrigerator and serve it with rice, soup, grilled meat, and other everyday Korean meals.
The radish roots should retain some crunch, while the leafy portions absorb the red seasoning. As fermentation progresses, the flavors of gochugaru, garlic, ginger, salted shrimp, and anchovy fish sauce become more integrated.
If the kimchi tastes too mild after the first few days, allow more time for the flavor to develop under refrigeration. If it becomes too sour for eating as a fresh side dish, it can also be used in cooked dishes such as kimchi stew, provided it has been stored safely.
We also make use of the outer radish leaves removed during preparation. After cleaning and drying them properly, we save them for soups and other dishes. This helps us use more of the harvest instead of sending usable greens to the compost.
Growing Korean vegetables in Calgary means working with a short summer and unpredictable autumn weather. Harvesting the radishes at the right time and turning them into kimchi helps us make good use of the growing season.
For us, this recipe connects the backyard garden with the kitchen table. The radishes come from our own soil, the green onions are freshly harvested, and the seasoning brings together ingredients we keep in our kitchen.
A successful batch of homemade kimchi is not just about following the ingredient list. It also depends on checking the roots, salting them properly, draining them well, tasting the seasoning, and adjusting the fermentation time to suit our home.
These small steps help us turn our Calgary garden harvest into a flavorful Korean side dish that we can enjoy over the coming weeks.