Kkakdugi

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the daikon cubes in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and toss well. Leave for 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the radish starts to release moisture and tastes lightly seasoned but still crisp.

2. 2

   While the radish salts, combine the gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir into a thick, bright red seasoning paste; if it seems dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of the radish liquid from the bowl rather than plain water for better flavour.

3. 3

   Lightly squeeze the salted radish once or twice with clean hands to help it absorb seasoning, but do not rinse; keeping the surface salt helps the kimchi season evenly. Add the radish to the seasoning paste and toss thoroughly until every cube is well coated.

4. 4

   Pack the seasoned radish into a clean jar or container, pressing down to remove air pockets. Leave at cool room temperature for about 30 minutes if you want fermentation to begin, then refrigerate. For a fresh, crisp beginner-friendly version, serve immediately; for deeper flavour, chill 1-2 days before eating.

5. 5

   Serve chilled or cool as a banchan. The radish should be crunchy, juicy, spicy, and lightly savoury; if making ahead, stir once before serving to redistribute the seasoning.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •This quick version fits the time limit and is delicious right away, though traditional flavour improves after fermentation.
• •Use a non-reactive bowl or glass container to keep the kimchi tasting clean and fresh.
• •If you prefer a wetter kimchi, add 10-15 ml more fish sauce after tasting.
• •Kkakdugi pairs especially well with gukbap, seolleongtang, grilled meats, or plain steamed rice.

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