Kkakdugi (Cubed Radish Kimchi

• Seafood

  • 3 Shrimp (about 2 ounces, raw

• Produce

  • 3 tbsp Garlic
  • 1 tsp Ginger
  • 3 Korean radishes (about 6 pounds, medium to large
  • 3 Scallions

• Baking & Spices

  • 2/3 cup Gochugaru
  • 1 Mix it with
  • 1/3 cup Sea salt, coarse

• Tools & Equipment

  • 1 gal Airtight container or jar

• Other

  • a large bowl (7 – 8 qt
  • 1 teaspoon chapssalgaru (찹쌀가루, glutinous rice (sweet rice powder
  • a large colander
  • kitchen gloves
  • 2 tablespoons myulchiaekjeot (멸치액젓, fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup Saeujeot (새우젓, salted shrimp, finely minced - see note 2

Found on koreanbapsang.com

Description

Ingredients

• 3 medium to large Korean radishes (about 6 pounds) - see note 1
• 1/3 cup coarse sea salt (less if using finer salt)
• 3 - 4 scallions, cut into about 1-inch lengths
• 1 teaspoon chapssalgaru (찹쌀가루), glutinous rice (sweet rice) powder
• (Mix it with 1/3 cup water, simmer over low heat until
• thickens to a thin paste and cool. Yields about 3 tablespoons.)
• 2/3 cup gochugaru (고추가루), Korean red chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup saeujeot (새우젓), salted shrimp, finely minced - see note 2
• 2 tablespoons myulchiaekjeot (멸치액젓), fish sauce
• 3 - 4 raw shrimp (about 2 ounces), finely minced or ground
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• a large bowl (7 – 8 qt)
• a large colander
• kitchen gloves
• 1 gallon (or 2 half-gallon) airtight container or jar

Directions

• Clean the radishes by scrubbing with a brush and/or scratching off the stubborn impurities with a small knife. Peel the skin only if necessary. You don’t need to peel if the skin is smooth and clean. Cut into 1-inch thick discs, and then cut each disc into 1-inch cubes, placing in a large bowl. (The cubes will look big but will shrink during the salting and fermentation processes.) Sprinkle the salt over the radishes and toss well to coat evenly. Let sit for about 30 – 40 minutes until the radish cubes have softened and released some liquid. Meanwhile, make the glutinous rice paste and cool. Prepare the other seasoning ingredients. Mix everything, including the rice paste, well. Set it aside for a while for the red pepper flakes to dissolve a little and become pasty. Drain the radishes in a colander and discard the liquid. Do NOT rinse. Rinsing will wash the flavor away. (The radishes still contain sufficient water content that will be released during the fermentation process. With this method, the resulting kkakdugi will have a nice thick juice.) Place the radishes back in the bowl. Add the seasonings and scallions. Mix everything well, preferably by hand, until the radish cubes are evenly coated with the seasonings. (Make sure to wear kitchen gloves.) Taste a little bit of the seasoning off of a radish cube. It should be a little too salty to eat as is. Add more salted shrimp or fish sauce if necessary. (The radishes will be a little dry at this point, but they will release water during the fermentation process.) Store in an airtight container or jar. Before closing the lid, press the kkakdugi down hard with your hand to remove air pockets between the radish cubes. Leave it out at room temperature for a full day or two, depending on the room temperature and how fast you want your kimchi to ripe. Then, store in the fridge. Although you can start eating it any time, kkakdugi needs about two weeks in the fridge to fully develop the flavors. It maintains great flavor and texture for several weeks. To me, kkakdugi tastes best when fully fermented, making it a little sour, but that is certainly a matter of personal preference.