Recipe

Kkakdugi Cubed Radish Kimchi

Written by Joe Wabe

In Korea, there are more than 180 varieties of kimchi that are officially recognized, and kkakdugi (깍두기) stands firm as a top favorite of Koreans. Super easy to make, sweet, spicy, and crunchy in texture, this form of radish kimchi has remained for centuries one of the people’s choice.

According to history, this form of kimchi was created by a princess, the daughter of King Jeongjo (r. 1776–1800). During a celebratory gathering of the royal court, the princess, who was also the wife of a high-raking government officer, brought by mistake the dish that she had made and presented it to the king. It is said that he was very impressed with such a creative course and decided to name it kkakdugi (깍두기), a short form for kkakduk-sseolgi (깍둑썰기), which translates as “cutting food into cubes,” since the dish had no name originally.

Kkakdugi (깍두기) is also known as a perfect companion for some of the most traditional Korean stews such as galbi-tang (갈비탕) and samgye-tang (삼계탕) because its taste can balance these stews’ overwhelming bite. Since we are just around the corner from samgye-tang season, this is a fun and easy way to get you started into the kimchi-making spirit.

Kimchi has been cataloged as one of the healthiest foods in the world for its high concentration of dietary fiber, vitamins, low calories, and healthy bacteria. Radish kimchi can be made in a variety of ways, here is but one easy way to make your own kkakdugi.

Ingredients

1 big Korean radish (or any variety of daikon radish) 4 stalks of green onion (or garlic) 4 tablespoons of rock salt 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar 4 tablespoons of red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon of minced garlic 1 tablespoon of salty fermented shrimp (saeu-jeot) 1 tablespoon of anchovy fish sauce 1 tablespoon of plum syrup

Preparation

Cut the radish into small or medium-sized cubes, depending on your choice of texture, and put them into a container. Add the rock salt and mix it well, letting it sit at room temperature for one hour.

In a different container, chop the green onion (or garlic) and mix it with the rest of the ingredients to make it into a thick paste. After an hour has passed, rinse the radish well to remove all the salt, then add it to the container with the paste, and mix it all very well until everything becomes very wet and well mixed (both the radish and paste). Let it sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours and then refrigerate.

The Author

Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat, who has been contributing to the GIC and the Gwangju News for more than 10 years with his work in photography and writing.