Kkakdugi 깍두기
The most important ingredient for kkakdugi is time. In my experience of eating all varieties of kimchi, I’ve found that the mu (Korean radish) needs extra space to develop its flavors or it will always taste unready, which is not necessarily the case with other main kimchi vegetables. The best explanation I’ve seen came from Seung Hee Lee, co-author of Everyday Korean and purveyor of natural wines. Just like the fermented beverage needs time to develop flavor, you wouldn’t want to consume kkakdugi during the teenager stage. Have patience. Give it time.
Because of the pent-up anticipation that comes with not knowing what the food I just made will taste like until a month later, I’ve made this recipe for radish kimchi very simple. Only the most important guests are invited to bring flavor and guide fermentation. Ginger and green onions did not make the cut. The basic method of kkakdugi is the reason Koreans say to make this version of kimchi before you attempt her big sister the Nappa cabbage. I’m going to add the note that as long as you have the discipline to walk away and leave it alone, you’ll definitely like this kimchi.
Kkakdugi 깍두기 Radish Kimchi
Ingredients
2 lbs Korean radish
2 TBSP coarse salt
2 TBSP white sugar
4 large garlic cloves, grated
2 TBSP fish sauce
6 TBSP gochugaru
Steps
1. Rinse the radish and peel off any brown parts. Cut the radish into small dices.
2. In a large bowl, mix the salt and sugar onto the radish. Set aside for 30 minutes. Grate the garlic cloves.
3. Drain all liquid without rinsing the radish. Mix in the grated garlic, fish sauce, and gochugaru. Taste for sweet and spicy levels to your liking.
4. Store in a glass or BPA free plastic container with a lid, pushing down the kkakdugi so there’s not a lot of trapped air. Set aside on a cool counter for 3-7 days, waiting to put in the fridge after you see fermentation starting with small bubbles. Put in the fridge and smell your batch each week to note the difference until it’s very ripe and fermented, most likely in four weeks.
Notes
- Warmer kitchens will speed up fermentation, but be careful that your batch doesn’t spoil (mold) before putting it into the fridge.
- As long as there isn’t mold on your batch, it’s safe to eat when stored in the fridge for months later.
- Cooler months are ideal to get the Korean radishes because they will be sweeter instead of having a bite like warmer months.
