How to make: Korean Radish Kimchi – 깍두기 – kkak ttugi / ggak du gi

Korean radish kimchi, in my opinion, is the perfect starter kimchi for those not used to eating spicy or fermented foods. Not only is this widely adaptable, but its super fast and easy to make. Kimchi, in general, is a very budget friendly dish. This whole serving probably cost less than $4.00 American. Assuming you get 10 servings out of this, that’s 40¢ a serving for a healthy and fulfilling side dish! This recipe also makes quiet a bit of kimchi so feel free to divide the recipe in half if need be, I got 2 quarts of kmichi.

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Ingredients:
2lbs of peeled, chopped (1/4inch cubes) Korean Green Radish
2 – 8 tbsp Korean red pepper powder
3 tbsp fine ground salt, non-iodized
2 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce
1/2 tbsp honey + 1/2 tbsp sugar OR 1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger including the juice
spring onion to taste & chopped, I used 6 small stalks

Directions:
Start by preparing your radish. Peel the green skin off until you only see the white part, it may take a couple passes so don’t worry. Cut the radish into 1/4 inch cubes and wash them quickly in cold water. Add 3 tbsp fine ground non-iodized salt, mix well so that every piece has salt on it. Put into a large sized bowl and add enough water to slightly cover. Let sit out 3-4 hours at room temp.
Once your radish has salted, rinse in cold water 2-3 times until all the salt is removed. Shake dry or spin in a salad spinner to remove all excess water. This step is important so that your kimchi doesn’t end up too liquidy.

Mix your ingredients in a bowl, minus your green onions. Make sure the radish is evenly coated with the garlic, ginger, and most importantly soy sauce & pepper powder. If you don’t coat the radish all the way, your kimchi might go sour, and not in the good way, so no skipping this step! Once every piece is coated evenly, quickly mix in your spring onion or any other topping/sauce. Carrots, onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and much more can be added to this basic kimchi to make it your own, just experiment!

And you’re done! See how easy that way? Now just place your kimchi in a container, preferrable glass, and put into the fridge. This kimchi does not neeed to be left out overnight. It can be eaten right away but for best flavor let it sit in the fridge a couple days before eating.
Enjoy!

Makes: approx. 2 quarts prepared, Preparation: 3 minutes + 3-4 hours salting time

*******Before you comment about the authenticity of this dish. No this isn’t a super traditional Korean radish kimchi, however its adapted to fit a veg/vegan diet. To make it more traditional use 1/2 tbsp sugar, no honey and use fish sauce instead of soy sauce.***********