L.A. style Korean pickles

L.A. jangajji L.A. 장아찌

Today’s recipe is something I call L.A. jangajji, a Korean style pickle popular in the Korean community in Los Angeles. I first tasted it years ago when I visited my mom in L.A. She said all her friends were making pickles that way in those days. Usually Korean jangajji only pickles one vegetable and is salty, but this L.A. jangajji pickles multiple vegetables and is salty, sweet, and sour. I was instantly hooked on the crispy texture and sweet sour salty herby flavor.

When I got back home to Canada, I made this pickle and brought it to work as a side dish in my lunchbox. I shared some with my coworkers, and they loved it. I shared the recipe with them and called it L.A. Jangajji.

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I hope you enjoy this recipe and these pickles. It’s totally vegan, and you can make a nonspicy version just by skipping the chili peppers. You’ll probably get hooked on this like me, and start using L.A. jangajji everywhere. I just had them in gimbap today for lunch! Let me know where you use yours!

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 stalks of celery (about 5 to 6 ounces), washed, cut lengthwise into halves, and cut crosswise into 1½ inch pieces
  • 2 small Persian seedless cucumbers (Kirby or ½ of English cucumber: about 5 to 6 ounces), washed and cut crosswise into pieces ½ inch thick
  • 6 ounces Korean radish (or daikon), sliced into ½ inch x 1½ inch x ¼ inch pieces
  • 6 to 7 ounces sliced onion (about 1 cup), cut into ½ inch x 1½ inch x ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 green chili pepper (serano, jalapeno, or Korean green chili pepper), sliced into ½ inch pieces (optional)
  • 1 red chili pepper, sliced into ½ inch thick pieces (optional)

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You’ll need a thick glass jar. I used my 7 cup glass jar.

For the pickle brine:

  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar (white or brown)
  • 2 cups water

Directions

  1. Combine celery, cucumber, radish, onion, green chili pepper, and red chili pepper in a large bowl. Mix together with both hands.
  2. Add the mixed vegetables to a glass jar or an airtight container. Set aside.
  3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water in a pan and stir well. Cover and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. If it boils over, crack the lid open a bit.
  4. Uncover and boil for 2 minutes.
  5. Pour the hot brine into the jar, directly onto the vegetables. Let it sit until it cools down thoroughly.
  6. Close the lid and refrigerate.

Serve

Let it sit for several hours, then serve with rice as a side dish.
You can keep it in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

Posted on Saturday, April 7th, 2018 at 5:07 pm. Last updated on April 8, 2018.
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13 Comments:

  1. gatorboy6973 Seattle-ish joined 7/20 & has 1 comment
    Posted July 21st, 2020 at 11:46 pm |

    I love this site. I’ve made a dozen batches of kimchi and another half dozen of kimchi jjigae. This is the f9ist time I’ve strayed from napa cabbage kimchi, and this recipe is AWESOME! I made it four days ago, shared it with my 30yo daughter, and she came by today with fresh onions, cucumbers and green beans from her garden and we just made 5 jars of this delicious pickle. Your site is a treasure, and I have yet to find a recipe that was anythig but delightful. Thank you for your talent and hard work.

  2. MosesVandenberg Little Rock joined 5/18 & has 3 comments
    Posted May 24th, 2018 at 9:53 am |

    Look tasty! I will try to cook it definitely!

  3. Banchanbabe Hawaii joined 5/18 & has 2 comments
    Posted May 15th, 2018 at 8:16 pm |

    Absolutely addicting. Decided to make it on the spur. Had daikon, Persian cukes, and sweet Maui onions, but no celery or Serrano or Korean chilis.

    I used two home grown Hawaiian chili peppers which was enough to give it a kick.

    We really liked the Persian cukes so will add more of that the next time. I normally make Hawaiian style pickled onions which is also very good to have with meals, but this LA recipe give it a different twist which we love.

    Also the tip about adding peeled hard boiled eggs to leftover brine is a great idea.

  4. Ubu Roi Philadelphia PA joined 12/09 & has 1 comment
    Posted May 3rd, 2018 at 1:33 pm |

    Delicious! I added a little sliced ginger since I like it so much. THE BEST thing to do with the left over brine is to put peeled HARD BOILED EGGS in the brine! They are good after a couple of days but better after a week!

  5. Alli NY joined 4/18 & has 1 comment
    Posted April 19th, 2018 at 3:10 pm |

    I’m overdue on my asian grocery store run, so I had to substitute round radishes instead. But I’m sure it will still be delicious, and the brine smells amazing! I love anything pickled :D


    See full size image

  6. joyoon joined 8/10 & has 9 comments
    Posted April 8th, 2018 at 8:10 pm |

    Thank you for uploading this!! I love this banchan (side dish)!! It’s a delicious spicy pickle that works with so many dishes.

  7. Leolomom5 Greenville,Mississippi joined 4/18 & has 1 comment
    Posted April 7th, 2018 at 7:57 pm |

    Very Good recipe, I love salty and sweet things to go with my meals. I might have trouble trying to find the chinese radish in my area, but, I wil try my best to find it. I Love your video’s, I look forward to pressing that button when you have a new post♥

  8. Stsabin Ohio joined 1/18 & has 1 comment
    Posted April 7th, 2018 at 7:56 pm |

    I can’t wait to make this recipe! I’m thinking carrots or lotus root would be delicious, too.

  9. Karazuma United Kingdom joined 1/15 & has 3 comments
    Posted April 7th, 2018 at 5:41 pm |

    Can I use the brine to make korean pickled garlic? Or do you have a recipe for that? Thanks.

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,077 comments
      Posted April 14th, 2018 at 9:35 am |

      It takes months and months to pickle whole garlic cloves. If you want to use garlic, slice it thinly. Usually I’m a garlic person, but I probably wouldn’t use this brine with garlic, because the garlic will overwhelm the celery flavor.

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