VEGAN KKAKDUGI RECIPE (KOREAN RADISH KIMCHI)

RADISH KIMCHI (MAKES ABOUT 6 QUARTS)

For Brining:

4kg Korean radish 

1 cup coarse sea salt (for kimchi brining)

1 cup sugar 

For Kimchi Paste:

1 cup water 

2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (or all-purpose flour if you don’t have sweet rice flour)

½ of a large Korean pear, peeled & roughly chopped

2 thumb size pieces ginger, peeled & roughly chopped

½ medium onion (optional), peeled & roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic (optional)

2 tablespoons sugar, to taste

1 tablespoon mushroom seasoning powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce

2 tablespoons maesil cheong (Korean plum extract)

1 – 1 ½ cup gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder), to taste  

Other mix-ins (optional): 

1 bunch radish tops (or green onions), chopped 

1. Peel and chop radishes into bite size cubes. Add radishes into a large bowl and sprinkle over coarse sea salt and sugar, and toss together. Let this mixture sit at room temperature for about 1-2 hours.
2. In a small pot, whisk together water and sweet rice flour. Stir over low heat and cook until this mixture turns into a paste. Set aside and let it cool down.
3. Cut radish tops (or green onions) into 1-1½ inch pieces.
4. Add pear, ginger, onion & garlic (optional), sugar, mushroom seasoning powder, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, maesil cheong into a blender. Blend until smooth
5. Into a bowl, add blender mixture, rice paste, and gochugaru. Mix together. 
6. After the radishes are done brining, drain off excess liquid and give it a quick rinse.
7. In a large bowl, mix together radishes, kimchi paste, and radish tops (or green onions). Transfer into a large airtight container. Put a lid on, and keep at room temperature to ferment for 1-5 days. 
8. Fermentation time varies depending on what your room temperature is and how well fermented you like the kimchi. Give your kimchi a taste once per day to check for doneness. Transfer it into the fridge once it has reached a 60-70% sourness you like, because the kimchi will continue to ferment in the fridge, but at a much slower rate. The kimchi will taste best after about 2-3 weeks of additional fermentation in the fridge.