How to Make Summer Radish Kkakdugi (Golden Recipe with No Bitterness) The Seolleongtang Restaurant Auntie's Secret Recipe!

Hello, my dear neighbors! 😋

When enjoying a steaming hot bowl of Gukbap or Seolleongtang, it would really feel incomplete without this friend, wouldn't it?

It is none other than crunchy, refreshing summer radish kimchi!

But I'm sure many of you hesitated to make kkakdugi because of the prejudice that "summer radishes are bitter and mushy, so they don't taste good." I felt the same way! However, today, I’m going to properly shatter that stereotype for you.

Now, I am going to reveal the golden recipe for making summer radish kkakdugi that completely eliminates the bitterness and explodes with umami!

The ingredients have to be different! The golden recipe for making kkakdugi

Just like with all kimchi, the golden ratio determines the taste of kkakdugi. If you prepare it exactly according to the measurements I provide, the chance of failure is zero! I guarantee a taste that rivals the kkakdugi found in seolleongtang restaurants.

✅ Please prepare just this much! (Based on a paper cup)

[Main Ingredients & Cider Pickling]

2 summer radishes (firm and heavy ones, about 4kg)

1/2 cup coarse salt

1/2 tablespoon New Sugar (A stroke of genius to get rid of the bitterness!)

4 cups of soda (the key secret to crispness!)

[Seolleongtang Restaurant Secret Seasoning]

2 cups of red pepper powder

4 tablespoons of leftover rice (the secret to the deep flavor!)

1 cup of ground pear

1 onion

1/2 cup minced garlic

4 tablespoons anchovy fish sauce

3 tablespoons of salted shrimp

3 tablespoons of plum extract

7 red chili peppers (Color and spiciness at the same time!)

Fail-proof 'How to Make Delicious Kkakdugi' (feat. Cider)

Now, just trust me and follow along step by step. Let's begin the secret recipe for summer radish cubed kimchi that even cooking beginners are guaranteed to succeed at!

1. Pickling Radish with Cider (★Most Important!)

First, wash the radish thoroughly and cut it into large cubes about 2–3 cm thick. Place the chopped radish in a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of coarse salt and 1/2 tablespoon of artificial sweetener, and mix well by hand. Then, pour in today's star ingredient: 4 cups of soda. The soda eliminates the bitterness of the radish and keeps it crisp until the very end! Let it marinate in this state for about 1 to 1.5 hours. (Don't forget to flip it over once in the middle!)

🚨 Wait a minute! You must never rinse pickled radishes with water! All the delicious ingredients are draining out!

2. Making the Secret Sauce

While the radish is pickling, put the leftover cooked rice, 1 cup of blended pear juice, onion, minced garlic, anchovy sauce, salted shrimp paste, and red chili pepper into a blender and blend until smooth. Adding the leftover cooked rice here helps the broth cling to the ingredients, and as it cooks, a savory and deep flavor emerges!

3. Coloring and Mixing

Drain the fully pickled radishes in a sieve to remove all the excess water. (Do not discard the liquid that comes out!) First, add the drained radishes and red chili powder to a large bowl and mix well to coat them beautifully in red. Once the color is evenly infused, add the prepared seasoning sauce and mix thoroughly once more. If it becomes too thick at this point, adjust the consistency by adding 2 to 3 ladles of the radish liquid you set aside earlier. Finally, taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.

4. Aging for a Delicious Taste

Pack the mixed cubed radish kimchi tightly into a container and let it ferment at room temperature for half a day to a full day in this summer weather. Once bubbles start rising and a sour aroma wafts out, put it in the refrigerator and let it ripen for another 2 to 3 days before eating... Wow, guaranteed to be delicious!

So, how was it, neighbors?

Now you can confidently make summer radish kimchi, right?

Just remember these two things: New Sugar to neutralize the bitterness and leftover rice for a deep flavor, and you will be happy every time you eat gukbap or ramen this summer. Make sure to save this kkakdugi recipe and give it a try. Once you taste it, you'll never be able to buy store-bought kkakdugi again! 😉

Well then, have a delicious meal today!