Kkakdugi – 깍두기 (Radish Kimchi)
Restaurant quality kkakdugi kimchi with all of the restaurant secrets!
Servings: 3 lbs
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs Korean radish washed and cubed
- 4 tsp Korean sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Sweet & Low use less if you don't like it sweet at all
Seasoning Sauce
- 1/4 cup gochugaru korean red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 tsp salted shrimp
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp plum extract
- 1 tbsp chopped red chili optional, extra spicy
Sauce Binder
- 1/4 cup ox bone broth
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tsp glutinous rice flour
Other Ingredients
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
- Wash the radish thoroughly to remove any dirt. You can peel all of the skin if you want to, but I only peel off dark blemish areas and keep the skin on the rest.
- Cut the radish into 1 inch discs, then into square inch cubes. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- QUICKLY rinse the Korean sea salt under cold water. This is to remove the bitter mineral taste.
- Add the salt to the radishes, along with the Sweet & Low. Toss to coat evenly and set it aside for 20 minutes to draw out the water.
- Meanwhile, make the rice porridge (our sauce binder). First mix the water, bone broth, and glutinous rice flour together until there are no more clumps. Then turn on the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until it thickens.
- Let it cool completely, then add the seasoning sauce ingredients and mix well.
- Drain the water from the radish after the 20 minutes are up, then taste a piece to make sure it is not too salty. If it seems too salty to you, give them a very quick rinse under cold water.
- Add the seasoning sauce and chopped green onions to the radishes and mix until coated evenly.
- Store in a clean glass jar, pushing down on the kkakdugi to reduce the amount of air pockets.
- Keep the jar on your kitchen counter (room temperature) for 36-48 hours depending on how sour you like your kimchi. I keep mine out for 48 hours. Smell the kimchi to determine when it has fermented enough for you.
- After 1 day, check on your kimchi to make sure it is fermenting. Look for bubbles on the sides, or on top. Push down to make sure the radish is submerged in the juices as much as possible.
- After fermenting at room temperature, store in the fridge for up to 2 months.
