Korean Soy Pickles (Jangajji)
Jangajji or Korean soy pickles is a classic Korean banchan that's easy to make, sweet and salty, and packed with veggies you probably already have on hand! There's no fermenting required and the brine is quick and easy and only uses a few pantry staples. The hardest part is waiting for it to pickle! Make a large batch and eat it throughout the week with some grilled meats, rice bowls, or any of your favorite high-protein meals.
Servings: 12
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb Korean or daikon radish
- 1 medium onion
- 1-2 jalapeño
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cup water
- 1 ½ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1 ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Peel and slice the Korean or daikon radish into thin ¼ inch rounds.1 ¼ lb Korean or daikon radish
- Slice the rounds in half and turn and slice them in half again to quarter them.
- Slice your jalapeños to ¼ inch thickness. Remove seeds as desired for less spice.1-2 jalapeño
- Slice your onion in half through the root. Slice each half horizontally and then slice vertically into 1 inch chunks.1 medium onion
- Using a mandolin, thinly slice your garlic on the thinnest setting.6-8 garlic cloves
- To a pot over medium low heat, add water, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Bring to a gentle boil until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.1 ½ cup water, 1 ½ cup soy sauce, 1 cup sugar, 1 ½ cup white vinegar
- To a heat safe jar, add the radish, onion, jalapeño and garlic. Pour the brine over the vegetables and allow to cool before sealing with a lid. Store in the fridge for at least 1 day before eating.
Notes
- Store Korean soy pickles in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.
- When serving, always use a clean utensil to keep the brine from getting contaminated. Note that the vegetables will continue to soften slightly the longer they sit, so if you like extra crunch, eat them within the first week.
- Cut everything a similar size. This helps the vegetables pickle at the same rate.
- Don't skip the cooling step before sealing. Sealing a hot jar traps steam and can mess with texture. Let it cool fully first.
- Use a mandolin for the garlic. Thin, even slices pickle faster and taste way better than thick chunks, but feel free to keep thicker chunks if you like it harsher. Just note that it will take longer for the brine to penetrate the thicker garlic.
- Taste-test on day 1 or 2. This pickle gets better the longer it sits in the brine.
