Re: overloaded with radishes!!!!! can I freeze them?

[Guest guest]

moonbeamedin74 wrote:

>I work on a friends farm every Friday and she pulled up about 15 lbs. of

radishes that

>weren't beautiful enough to sell and so, I heard myself say, " I'll take

them! " --

>

>So, my question is: is it possible to freeze radishes, tops and all for future

fermentation?

>

>I came home last night and immediately made a gigantic salt water brine and

sliced a

>bunch up with tops and packed them in a glass jar. By midnight, it looked like

my batch

>of radishes had grown!

>

>Wondering if anyone has some more ideas?....

>

>Maybe I could steam some up and freeze for future soups?

>

>

>

My Korean mentor suggested to me to sun dry my surplus radishes. She

wasn't able to articulate to me what the sun does to them as they dry,

but felt that sunning them improved the nutrient quality of them. Slice

them into finger sized strips, lay out in the sun (up here that

translates into a three day project, taking them in at night), then

store until ready to use. She suggested rehydrating with soy sauce and

stir frying with sesame oil, garlic, and scallions.

I googled around a few sites for dried radishes and they suggested using

in things like soups and such, so it looks like the usage would be

pretty flexible.

HTH!

--s

[Guest guest]

If you soak them in brine first, I'd think you can freeze them ok.

Freezing tends to break the cell walls and make stuff mushy.

But if you brine them first, they get partially dehydrated and

should be ok. Drying them out in the sun til they get wilty

might work too.

-- Heidi

>

> Wondering if anyone has some more ideas?....

>

> Maybe I could steam some up and freeze for future soups?

>

> I love the idea of making tons of kimchi--but, I think I have tooooooo

> many to handle...

>

> Any ideas are welcome!!!!! Thanks!

>

> ~

[Guest guest]

Great idea! I wonder if the dehydrator would be another option? How do you

store them

after they are dried? Also, did you dry them with their greens on? Thanks so

much!

~

> My Korean mentor suggested to me to sun dry my surplus radishes. She

> wasn't able to articulate to me what the sun does to them as they dry,

> but felt that sunning them improved the nutrient quality of them. Slice

> them into finger sized strips, lay out in the sun (up here that

> translates into a three day project, taking them in at night), then

> store until ready to use. She suggested rehydrating with soy sauce and

> stir frying with sesame oil, garlic, and scallions.

>

> I googled around a few sites for dried radishes and they suggested using

> in things like soups and such, so it looks like the usage would be

> pretty flexible.

>

> HTH!

>

> --s

>

[Guest guest]

I have had one batch soaking in brine for 2 days--when would they be ready for

eating? I

normally ferment with whey or a culture starter--not sure how long it takes with

just salt.

Oh! And--I need one of your dunkers!

As for the freezing after brining--would you thaw and reculture? Or, thaw and

eat?

Thanks so much!

>

>

> If you soak them in brine first, I'd think you can freeze them ok.

> Freezing tends to break the cell walls and make stuff mushy.

> But if you brine them first, they get partially dehydrated and

> should be ok. Drying them out in the sun til they get wilty

> might work too.

>

> -- Heidi

> >

> > Wondering if anyone has some more ideas?....

> >

> > Maybe I could steam some up and freeze for future soups?

> >

> > I love the idea of making tons of kimchi--but, I think I have tooooooo

> > many to handle...

> >

> > Any ideas are welcome!!!!! Thanks!

> >

> > ~

>

[Guest guest]

moonbeamedin74 wrote:

>Great idea! I wonder if the dehydrator would be another option?

>

Of course, but you wouldn't get the nutrient input of sun drying. If I

couldn't sun dry them, I'd definitely dehydrate them some other way.

>How do you store them

>after they are dried?

>

Stuff them into a mason jar and seal.

>Also, did you dry them with their greens on? Thanks so much!

>~

>

>

>

The radishes I've acquired haven't had greens, so I didn't think of it.

My mentor usually encourages the use of the greens in salad or stir fry.

HTH!

--s

[Guest guest]

moonbeamedin74 wrote:

> I have had one batch soaking in brine for 2 days--when would they be

> ready for eating? I

> normally ferment with whey or a culture starter--not sure how long it

> takes with just salt.

Um, should be about the same. I compared whey to just salt once, and the

time

was identical. I never ferment without greens though: the greens do

change the

ferment.

>

> Oh! And--I need one of your dunkers!

I'll be going into production soon ... I gave away the extras mostly.

The mold maker

is going to be sending me a sample.

>

> As for the freezing after brining--would you thaw and reculture? Or,

> thaw and eat?

When I said brining, I just meant for like a few hours, then thaw and

culture.

But once they are fermented, they should freeze fine: just thaw and eat.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

moonbeamedin74,

You may want to try some of for Kakdugi,a kimchi.

Google " Daikon,kimchi " .

Half of process is already through,I assume,and all you add is some

apples,kimchi paste and dried shrimp or fish. Deaired in plastic bag,

and in 2,3 days it should be done.

Radishes have good diegestive enzymes so they would be no problem

eating as is. Do not forget to gut in proper cubic size in advance.

[Guest guest]

You can freeze daikon kimchi after well fermented.

You seal them in plastic bag and freeze.

That is how daikon kimchi is exported to Japan by sea.

There is not very much texture problem.

So try and see for yourself and should work well.