When you go to a seolleongtang restaurant, the crunchy radish kimchi is what makes you feel like you're eating a comforting bowl of soup with rice, bursting with dopamine.

It's crunchy, just like it was just taken out of the kimchi fridge, and when you scoop a spoonful of broth and place a sweet piece of radish kimchi on top, you instantly feel a small happiness.

If you try to recreate that taste at home, it often feels like something is missing, but today I will share the secret to making radish kimchi in real restaurant style.

First, you need to choose a firm and crunchy radish. If the radish is not tasty, you've already failed 50%.

After buying a delicious radish, if you cut it too small, it will become mushy, so cut it into slightly larger than bite-sized pieces, about 3cm squares, for the perfect texture. After cutting the radish, mix it with salt and sugar in a 1:1 ratio and let it sit for an hour to draw out moisture and enhance the sweetness naturally.

If you have someone with diabetes who is concerned about sugar, you can safely use a little bit of New Sugar instead.

In the meantime, let's prepare the seasoning. The key is to use just enough gochugaru for color.

For radish kimchi, the umami flavor of sweet and salty is more important than spiciness. Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, half a tablespoon of minced ginger, 1 tablespoon of salted shrimp, 2 tablespoons of anchovy sauce, and half a cup of pre-cooked glutinous rice paste, and blend it all together.

Adding half an apple and half a pear to the mix will enrich the umami flavor and bring out that unique sweetness of restaurant-style radish kimchi.

Do not rinse the salted radish; just drain the water and mix in the prepared seasoning. Be sure to wear gloves when mixing by hand, as the radish can be slippery. When mixing, if it starts to wilt a bit, adding chopped green onions at the end will enhance the color and aroma. Now, pack it into a container and let it sit at room temperature for about a day before transferring it to the kimchi fridge.

After a day, it will start to ferment slightly, and when paired with clear broth like seolleongtang, it becomes a true rice thief.

When you pick up a piece with chopsticks, the crunch sounds delightful, and the flavors of pear juice and salted shrimp blend together, leaving a subtle sweetness. This is the secret of restaurant-style radish kimchi.

Don't overthink it; just remember radish, time, and a bit of fruity sweetness.