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radish kimchi

Radish Kimchi (Kkakdugi)

Ms Shi and Mr He
Radish kimchi, also known as "kkakdugi" in Korean, is a type of kimchi made with Korean radishes (mu) or daikon radishes. The preparation process is not very difficult. You just cube the radishes, season them, and allow them to ferment to achieve a crunchy, spicy, and tangy dish.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Fermentation Time 16 days
Total Time 16 days 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Korean
Servings 3 lb
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • blender
  • Large mixing bowl
  • food handling gloves
  • Measuring cups
  • Kimchi container

Ingredients
  

Radish

  • 3 lb Korean radish cubes (Peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt

Glutinous Rice Flour Paste

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tbsp glutinous rice flour
  • 3 tsbp granulated sugar

Seasoning Paste

  • 1 apple (Peeled and cut into chunks)
  • 1 Asian pear (Peeled and cut into chunks; Can also use regular pear or apple pear instead)
  • ½ sweet onion (Peeled and chopped)
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 5 garlic cloves (Peeled)
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ¼ tsp shrimp paste (I was only able to find this Thai shrimp paste on Amazon. This shrimp paste is very concentrated and salty. So make sure you don't use more than ¼ tsp. Alternatively, if you can find Korean fermented shrimp at your local grocery store, you can use 2 tablespoons of that instead.)
  • 1 cup Korean chili pepper flakes
  • 4 green onions (Washed and cut into 3-inch pieces)

Instructions
 

Prepare the Radish

  • Peel the radishes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place the radish cubes in a large mixing bowl.
  • Sprinkle the kosher salt over the radish cubes, use your hands to mix well to ensure the salt is evenly distributed. Let it sit for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour, rinse the salted radish cubes thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well.

Prepare the Glutinous Rice Flour Paste

  • Combine glutinous rice flour, sugar, and cold water in a small saucepan. Keep stirring over medium heat, boil for approximately 5 minutes until the mixture thickens to a consistency resembling school glue. Remove from heat and let it cool. (You can prepare this step while the radish cubes are marinating to save time.)

Prepare the Seasoning Paste

  • Add the apple, pear, sweet onion, ginger, garlics, fish sauce, and shrimp paste to a blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Transfer the blended mixture to a different large bowl. Add the cooled glutinous rice flour paste, chili pepper flakes, and green onions. Use a spatula to stir and combine the ingredients thoroughly.

Mix Radish with Seasoning Paste

  • Add the drained radish cubes to the seasoning paste. Wear gloves and use your hands to thoroughly mix the radish cubes with the seasoning paste.
  • Transfer the seasoned radish cubes into a clean kimchi container, pressing down to remove air bubbles. (For the container, you can use glass jars with screw-on lids or plastic containers specifically designed for fermenting foods. Make sure the container has a tight-sealing lid to prevent air from entering. It must be clean and dry before transferring the kimchi radish into it.)

Ferment the Kimchi Radish

  • Loosely cover the jar with its lid and let it ferment at room temperature (around 65℉, but no higher than 70℉) for 2 days - initial fermentation stage (See note below).
  • After fermenting for 2 days, check the fermentation progress by gently tapping the jar's wall. If you notice bubbles rising from the bottom, the initial fermentation stage is done. Seal the lid tightly and refrigerate the kimchi radish for 2 weeks for the secondary/slow fermentation stage (See note below).
  • Two weeks later, enjoy your homemade kimchi radish raw as a side dish with rice or cook with it. Always use clean chopsticks or tongs to get the kimchi radish from the jar. Keep the jar sealed, it can last in fridge for up to 6 months.

Video

Notes

Initial fermentation stage:

During the first 2 days of fermentation, the kimchi radish undergoes an initial stage of fermentation where the natural sugars in the vegetables are converted into lactic acid by beneficial bacteria.
As the bacteria consume the sugars, carbon dioxide gas is produced, leading to the formation of bubbles. These bubbles rising from the bottom of the jar indicate that the fermentation process is active and progressing.
As these bacteria consume the natural sugars present in the radish and other ingredients, they produce lactic acid, which not only preserves the kimchi but also brings out the tangy and sour flavor to the dish.

Secondary/slow fermentation stage:

After the first 2 days, the kimchi radish is transferred to the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process.
The primary purpose of secondary fermentation is to lower nitrite levels. In the initial fermentation, nitrate-reducing bacteria convert nitrate (NO3-) to nitrite (NO2-), which can be harmful to our body. However, during secondary fermentation, additional beneficial bacteria appear in the kimchi, transforming nitrites into safe nitrogen compounds.
Therefore, after you making the kimchi radish, make sure you wait patiently for at least 2 weeks until you enjoy it.
 
Keyword kimchi, Kimchi radish, Kkakdugi, pickled radish, radish