Kkakdugi, a type of radish kimchi, was named after the diced shape of Korean radishes cut using the method called kkakguk-slicing method. Although it’s a common side dish nowadays, it was an haute dish served at the royal court during Joseon Dynasty. Radish kimchi lasts longer in storage than baechu kimchi, or kimchi made with nappa cabbage, so other varieties of radish kimchi including dongchimi and chong-gak-kimchi were enjoyed in the Joseon era.

Main Ingredients :
2 medium-size Korean radishes, 2 cups water, 6 tbsp sun-dried salt, 2 tbsp sugar, 50 g small green onion

Spices :
Seasoning spices: 100 cc vegetable-pear juice (1/3 Korean pear, 1/3 onion, 100 g radish, 70 g cooked cold rice), 200 g red pepper powder, 4 tbsp crushed garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 3 tbsp fermented sand lance sauce, 3 tbsp chopped salted shrimps, 1.5 tbsp undiluted green apricot juice, 1 tbsp sugar



☑ Salt the radish dices with sun-dried salt rich with nutrients.
☑ Salted radish cubes will become crunchier because the unnecessary moisture will ooze out.
☑ Korean pears used in the vegetable-fruit juice can be replaced with pineapples or apples.
☑ Kkakdugi made with the seasoning paste mixed with the vegetable-fruit mix can easily turn sour. For a light, simple taste with a longer storage period, leave the special mixture out of the seasoning paste.
☑ When kkanariaekjeot, or sand lance sauce, is difficult to find it can be substituted with fish sauce.


Seon Dong-ju: Head Chef of the Menu Development & Consulting Division of CJ Freshway

Head Chef of the Menu Development & Consulting Division of CJ Freshway
Head Instructor of CJ Cooks / Host of Hansik Cooking Class