Bright yellow, sweet, and crunchy! This danmuji recipe (or Korean yellow pickled radish) is the one you need for gimbap night, but also doubles as a fun straight-out-of-the-jar snack. It's ready to eat within a day, but the longer it sits, the better the flavor gets. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and you'll have your gimbap pickle, your jjajangmyeon side, and your 2 a.m. fridge snack all from one jar!
Cut these radishes two ways so you can use them for gimbap and as a side dish for jjajangmyeon! If you're looking for a faster, tangy snack, try my Vietnamese vinegar onions with hoisin sauce that take 5 minutes.
What is danmuji?
Danmuji is Korean yellow pickled radish, made from daikon that's been pickled in a sweet, tangy, bright yellow brine. It's the bright yellow pickle you've seen in every gimbap you've ever eaten - it's that thin yellow strip running through the middle. It's similar to Japanese takuan and is served as a side with dishes like jjajangmyeon and ramyeon.
If you've seen my chicken mu recipe, it's very similar but slightly different. Both recipes use radish, although danmuji is commonly made with daikon radish versus Korean radish in chicken mu. Chicken mu also stays white, is cubed and served with Korean fried chicken. If you're looking for that recipe, be sure to check it out here!
That signature yellow traditionally comes from dried gardenia fruit, called chija in Korean (also known as cape jasmine). The fruit gets steeped to pull out a natural yellow dye, similar to how you'd make tea. However, it's not easily as accessible for many people and I don't want you to have to wait a day for a delivery of it in order to make this, so for this recipe, I'm using turmeric instead. It gives you that same bright, yellow with a fraction of the effort, and it's something you probably already have in your pantry.
Why you'll love this yellow pickled radish
- Better than the grocery store yellow pickled radish that's full of preservatives!
- It's a pickle for multiple occasions! It goes with gimbap, black bean noodles or Korean BBQ!
- Easy and quick to make - Only takes 10 active minutes and a homemade brine.
- Uses pantry staples you already have available!
How to serve danmuji
Danmuji is commonly found as a filling in gimbap but is also served as a Korean side dish (banchan) with Korean black bean noodles (jjajangmyeon), Korean BBQ and even some Japanese dishes!
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Ingredients
- Daikon radish
- Salt
- Water
- Sugar
- Turmeric
- Rice vinegar
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Yellow Pickled Radish (Danmuji)
- Step 1: To make yellow pickled radish for gimbap, slice half of the radish longways into ½ inch strips.
- Step 2: To make yellow pickled radish as a side, slice the remaining radish in half longways and then into ¼ inch half moon slices.
- Step 3: Add the radish to a sieve and salt it with 1 tablespoon of salt. Leave it to sit for 20-30 minutes until it softens and can bend without snapping.
- Step 4: To a pot, add water, turmeric powder, salt, rice vinegar, and sugar. Stir until the sugar and salt have combined.
- Step 5: To a sanitized container, add the sliced radish. Pour the brine mixture on top and refrigerate it for at least 1 day until it reaches your desired pickle taste.
Substitutions and Variations
- Classic coloring - Instead of turmeric, you can use gardenia fruit (chija) for a more authentic taste and color.
- Make it sweeter - Grocery store yellow pickled radishes are much sweeter than this recipe, so feel free to add a little more if you prefer it sweeter!
How to store Yellow Pickled Radish
Store the yellow pickled radish in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
FAQ
Daikon radish is commonly used but Korean radish works great too! Try to find long ones so you can get the right sized cuts.
Danmuji is great in gimbap and as a side dish for Korean BBQ, ramen, and Korean black bean noodles.
This yellow pickled radish is good for up to 1 month in an air tight container in the fridge.
Other recipes to try:
Yellow Pickled Radish (Danmuji)
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb daikon radish
- 2 tablespoon salt for salting radish
Brine
- 1 ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
- To make yellow pickled radish for gimbap, slice half of the radish longways into ½ inch strips.1 ¼ lb daikon radish
- To make yellow pickled radish as a side, slice the remaining radish in half longways and then into ¼ inch half moon slices.
- Add the radish to a sieve and salt it with 2 tablespoons of salt. Leave it to sit for 20-30 minutes until it softens and can bend without snapping.2 tbsp salt
- To a pot, add water, turmeric powder, salt, rice vinegar, and sugar. Stir until the sugar and salt have combined.1 ½ cup water, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 cup rice vinegar, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ cup sugar
- To a sanitized container, add the sliced radish. Pour the brine mixture on top and refrigerate it for at least 1 day until it reaches your desired pickle taste.
Notes
- Classic coloring - Instead of turmeric, you can use gardenia fruit (chija) for a more authentic taste and color.
- Make it sweeter - Grocery store yellow pickled radishes are much sweeter than this recipe, so feel free to add a little more if you prefer it sweeter!
- Store the yellow pickled radish in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
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