Grape Tomato ‘Quick Kimchi’

By Eric Kim

Published July 8, 2020

Grape Tomato ‘Quick Kimchi’
Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(527)
Comments
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This is not a traditional kimchi, but it approximates the flavor profile, bypassing a lengthier fermentation and instead relying on vinegar. In Korea, this dish would be considered a muchim, which can refer to any number of “seasoned” or “dressed” salads or other preparations. Here, thick-skinned grape tomatoes maintain their snappy crunch, even draped in a fire-bright tangle of gochugaru, sesame oil and fish sauce. Though tomato’s natural umami flavor multiplies the longer it sits, this dish is best eaten within 24 hours. When you’re done, don’t throw out the leftover dressing at the bottom of the bowl: Tossed in that tomatoey brine, bouncy rice noodles are a dream. For a vegetarian option, swap out the fish sauce for soy sauce.

Featured in: Think of Kimchi as a Verb

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 2½ cups
  • 1pound grape tomatoes (about 2 to 3 cups), halved lengthwise
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2tablespoons white distilled vinegar
  • ½teaspoon finely grated garlic
  • 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1tablespoon gochugaru
  • 2teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Thinly sliced scallions, chopped chives, or cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the salt, transfer to a colander, and let sit in the sink to drain, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in the same bowl, add the vinegar and garlic and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    After 30 minutes, add the sesame oil, gochugaru, fish sauce and sugar to the bowl with the vinegar and garlic and whisk to combine. Use a paper or cloth kitchen towel to pat the tomatoes dry, then add the tomatoes to the dressing and toss until well coated.

  3. Step 3

    Garnish with the optional herbs before serving. This is best eaten right away, but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Ratings

5 out of 5
527 user ratings
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Comments

Kate

Absolutely delicious! This is so good I've already made it twice. Instead of fish sauce I subbed a veg-based umami sauce called Yondu (it has a more delicate/round taste while also providing savory depth). The second time I tried Perilla oil instead of sesame oil and both were equally scrumptious.

E

Aleppo pepper and guntur sannam are close approximates, but I highly recommend just investing in a bag of gochugaru. After the vegetable itself, it is the main ingredient of this recipe. (And if you're worried about it going bad, just leave it in the freezer as most Korean home cooks do.)

Lisa

these are so delicious! I only had apple cider vinegar so used that instead of the distilled vinegar. Was planned as a side dish, but it was so good that my husband and I called this dinner.

Renee

Eric Kim says in his book that you can use this dressing over all fruits, and he’s not wrong. We threw chunks of watermelon in the leftover dressed tomato juice and it was fantastic.

MDG

The first time I made this I misread the recipe and used gochujang instead of gochugaru and it was delicious, so that is how I always make it now.

Audrey Friedman

So delicious. I fried mung bean threads and put them on top. It was a big hit.

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