Hello, hello! Welcome back to another post on my food blog. Today is all about Kkakdugi! or Cubed Radish Kimchi. This recipe is adapted from my mom’s cabbage kimchi recipe. I’ve simplified the recipe to make it easier and more practical to follow for the everyday home cook! Scroll on down to check it out.
Kkakdugi is another form or variation of kimchi that is so delicious. It is made with Korean Radish, or “mu” (무). Some people swear by making it in the summer, but I prefer to enjoy it all year round. The taste is very similar to baechu kimchi. Once it’s fully fermented, it should have a nice satisfying crunch when you bite into it and a sweet and savory taste. If the radish is too bitter, simply add a little more sugar to balance out the flavor.
This kkakdugi kimchi is very fun and easy to eat because of its unique cubed shape. It is typically served as a side dish, like baechu kimchi, in little bite-sized pieces. However, it can be incorporated into stews or other entreés as well. All in all, it’s an excellent choice to make in bulk on a rainy day for the family. Simply make a batch and store it in an airtight container out at room temperature for 2 days to ferment. Then enjoy! Note: I like to use this OXO container to store my kkakdugi. The umami flavor from the fish sauce is to die for! Enough talk, let’s get it!
Korean Radish – We’re using Korean Radish for this recipe for obvious reasons 🙂
Coarse Salt – to season the radish
Garlic & Ginger – Absolutely crucial aromatics
Saewoo (shrimp) Jeot – Provides a nice salty fermented and umami flavor for the sauce
Fish Sauce – Provides umami flavor
Sugar – added sweetness
Gochugaru – for obvious reasons (spicy kick and red color)
Scallions/Chives – for extra texture and freshness
Simple Radish Kimchi
Adapted from my mom’s recipe. This is the easiest and most delicious Kkakdugi you’ll ever try! It only takes about 15 minutes hands-on, and the rest is all a waiting game.
Ingredients
- Kimchi
- 2 1/2 – 3 lb Korean Radish, chopped into 1″ cubes
- 1-2 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 bundle of chives, chopped into 2″ pieces
- 1 bundle of scallions (4-5), chopped into 1-2″ pieces
- Sauce
- 1/2 cup gochugaru (you can more if you want it more spicy)
- 1 tsp shrimp jeot
- 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
Instructions
Peel, rinse and chop the radish into 1″ cubes and place it into a large mixing bowl.
Chop 1 bundle of chives into 2″ pieces and 1 bundle of scallions into 1″ pieces. Add these to the mixing bowl with the radish and pour in 1-2 tbsp coarse salt and rub it in well. Leave on the side uncovered for 30 minutes while you make the sauce.
In a blender, add garlic, ginger, fish sauce, shrimp jeot, and sugar and blend it up until smooth liquid is formed. In a separate mixing bowl, combine/mix this liquid with your gochugaru to form a paste-like sauce.
Once the 30 minutes is up, drain excess liquid from the radish bowl (DO NOT RINSE!). Add in your sauce and rub it in well with the wilted radish/greens mixture. Once you obtain a nice evenly dispersed mixture, go ahead and jar it up in a glass jar or air tight container.
Leave it out in room temperature to ferment for 2-3 days and enjoy!
Notes
*After fermented for 2-3 days, store it in the refrigerator. *Use old, unused kimchi to make some kimchi jjigae
Please let me know what you think in the comments section below. And don’t forget to tag me on instagram @yang.yummm when you share your finished product!
Thank you! See you next time. Yummmy!
