Daikon Radish Kimchi (Kkakdugi) 🌶 🇰🇷

Kimchi, a tangy, spicy and savoury mix of fermented vegetables, makes an exquisite side dish that pairs beautifully with steamed rice (and apparently with hotdogs as well among all things!)  Ask a Korean person and they'll tell you  there are hundreds of variety.  If you have enjoyed my     cabbage kimchi try this recipe with daikon radish.  It is very easy to make, delightfully crunchy and refreshing.  Use either stocky Korean daikon radish with sharp, spicy flavour, or long and slender Chinese daikon radish which has a sweeter, milder taste.  Adjust the amount of Korean red pepper flakes used to your taste.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg / 2lb 4oz Korean or Chinese daikon radish
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3-4 stalks spring onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• ¼ cup Korean (or ordinary) fish sauce
• ½ cup Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

METHOD

1. Peel daikon and cut into thick (2.5cm / 1") rounds, then into large cubes.  (If your daikon is the long and slender type, simply cut into rounds.)
2. Place daikon in a large bowl.  Add salt and sugar and mix well.  Set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Drain the juice from the daikon into a small bowl.
4. Add spring onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, red pepper flakes and half of the juice from the radish.
5. Mix it up well with a clean or gloved hand, massaging the radish cubes until well coated with the seasonings and the radish looks juicy.
6. Transfer the daikon radish into a large clean glass jar, pressing down on the top to remove pockets of air from between the cubes.  Cover with a lid.
7. The radish can be eaten right away.  Alternatively, allow the jar of radish to sit in room temperature for a few days to kick start the fermentation, then store it in the fridge for up to 6 months.