Kimchi and Radish Salad

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

When we were putting together a week of fresh radish recipes, we knew two things: One, we wanted to include something from April Bloomfield’s lovely new book, and two, kimchi had to be involved somewhere, somehow. This rather amazing salad is a two-for-one deal, and it’s a good one

Ingredients

3/4 pound daikon radishes (each no thicker than 1 1/2 inches), peeled, topped, tailed, and cut into 1-inch irregularly shaped pieces
1 pound mixed small radishes (some with pert greens left on), halved lengthwise if larger than 1 inch in diameter
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Maldon or another flaky sea salt
4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed
3/4 cup roughly chopped drained kimchi (preferably homemade), plus 2 tablespoons of the kimchi liquid
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 head Little Gem lettuce, root end and floppy outer leaves discarded, leaves separated

Instructions

Put a steamer insert (or a colander, so long as the pot’s lid can still close) in a large pot with a lid. Add about 1/2 inch water to the pot, pop on the lid, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the daikon radishes to the insert, cover again, and let them steam until they’re fully tender but not mushy, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the daikon and let it cool. Put the steamed and raw radishes in the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the sesame seeds in a small skillet. Set it over medium heat and toast, stirring and tossing frequently, until they’re a few shades darker, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl to cool. Set 1 teaspoon of the seeds aside and pour the rest into a mortar, along with a pinch of salt. Thoroughly pound the seeds, add 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil, and stir until smooth.
Pulse half of the drained kimchi in a small food processor until you have a coarse puree. Transfer it to a bowl and mix in the rest of the kimchi, the kimchi liquid, the sesame oil, the remaining 3 tablespoons of the neutral oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Combine the kimchi mixture, steamed radishes, raw radishes, and Little Gem leaves in a large bowl and toss well. Season to taste with salt and transfer the vegetables to a plate in a heap. Drizzle the sesame paste mixture over the vegetables, then sprinkle on the remaining sesame seeds.