The Golden Recipe for Crispy Kkakdugi
When the weather turns cold or you simply lose your appetite, nothing brings it back quite like 'Kkakdugi' (Korean Radish Kimchi). Whether paired with a hot bowl of soup or just eaten over freshly cooked white rice, it is a staple side dish in Korean cuisine. Making Kimchi might sound intimidating, but Kkakdugi is incredibly beginner-friendly!
Today, I will share the ultimate recipe for making Kkakdugi that stays crunchy to the very last bite. Instead of refined sugar, we use natural sweeteners like apple and plum extract for a refreshing and healthy flavor.
📝 Basic Info
- Prep Time: Under 90 minutes (including salting time)
- Servings: 6+ servings
- Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
🛒 Ingredients
[Main Ingredients]
- Korean Radish: 2 large (heavy and firm)
- Coarse Sea Salt: 3.5 tbsp
[Seasoning]
- Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes): 7 tbsp
- Plum Extract (Maesil): 3 tbsp
- Apple: 1/2
- Onion: 1/2
- Chives: 5 roots
- Minced Garlic: 3 tbsp
- Minced Ginger: 0.5 tbsp
- Sand Lance Fish Sauce (Kanari Aekjeot): 2 tbsp
- Salted Shrimp (Saeujeot): 1 tbsp
- Salt: 1 tbsp (to taste)
[Flour Paste]
- Flour: 2 tbsp
- Water: 200ml (approx. 1 cup)
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👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep the Ingredients
Wash the radishes thoroughly. It's best to keep the skin on for maximum crunchiness, so just scrub them well and trim any bad spots. Peel and wash the onion, apple, garlic, ginger, and chives.
2. Cube the Radish
Cut the radishes into bite-sized cubes (about 1.5cm to 2cm). Keeping the size uniform ensures they ferment and salt evenly.
3. Salt the Radish (The Crunch Secret!)
Place the cubed radishes in a large bowl, sprinkle 3.5 tbsp of coarse sea salt, and mix well. Let it sit for about 1 hour. Toss them once at the 30-minute mark. You'll know they are ready when they bend slightly without breaking.
4. Make the Flour Paste
Adding a flour paste helps the seasoning stick to the radish and aids fermentation, giving it a deeper flavor. Mix 2 tbsp of flour into 200ml of water in a small pan. Cook over low heat while stirring constantly until it thickens and becomes translucent. Let it cool completely.
5. Prepare the Seasoning Paste
- Blend the apple (1/2), onion (1/2), garlic, and ginger until smooth.
- Chop the chives into 2-3cm pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the blended mixture, the completely cooled flour paste, Gochugaru (7 tbsp), plum extract (3 tbsp), fish sauce (2 tbsp), and salted shrimp (1 tbsp). Mix well.
6. Drain the Radish
After 1 hour, the radishes will have released a lot of water. Drain them in a colander, but do not rinse them with water. Rinsing will wash away all the natural sweetness!
7. Mix it All Together
Add the drained radishes and chopped chives into the bowl with the red seasoning paste. Mix vigorously with your hands until every piece of radish is beautifully coated in red.
8. Final Taste Test
Taste a piece. If it feels a bit bland, add about 1 tbsp of salt. Keep in mind that as the Kkakdugi ferments, it will release more water and the saltiness will mellow out.
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💡 Editor's Tips & Storage
- Sweetness Adjustments: This recipe relies on apples and plum extract for a clean, natural taste. If you prefer the sweeter, tangier taste typical of Korean restaurants, add 1-2 tbsp of sugar or a pinch of artificial sweetener (New Sugar) during the mixing stage.
- Fermentation: Pack the Kimchi tightly into an airtight container, pressing down to remove air pockets. Leave it at room temperature for 1 to 2 days until it smells slightly sour and you see tiny bubbles forming in the juice. Once fermented to your liking, move it to the refrigerator to slow down the process and enjoy!