In Korean cuisine, banchan is the name for a small side dish served along with cooked rice. We adapted techniques for this kkakdugi radish banchan recipe from one of Maangchi’s videos. She’s a YouTube star who famously cooks Korean dishes. Instead of cutting the Korean radish into cubes, I decided to make radish noodles, since I love zucchini noodles during summertime.

The kkakdugi radish banchan is great for rice or noodles. If you’re looking for a Korean noodle recipe, don’t miss our ram-don noodle recipe—a dish inspired by the award-winning Korean movie Parasite.

Kkakdugi Korean Radish Banchan

Name: Kkakdugi Korean Radish Banchan
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: Kkakdugi Radish Banchan Adapted from Maangchi; 4 lb Korean radish (or daikon); 2 teaspoons salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; ¼ cup fish sauce; ¼ cup gochugaru (aka hot pepper flakes); 4 stalks scallions; 5 ~6 cloves minced garlic; 1 1 ” ginger (minced)

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Servings4

AuthorMelissa

Equipment

Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Measuring cups and spoons
One big bowls
Hand tools/Gadgets
Microplane grater
Spiralizer
4 Big jars

Ingredients

Kkakdugi Radish Banchan Adapted from Maangchi
4 lb Korean radish or daikon
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup gochugaru aka hot pepper flakes
4 stalks scallions
5 ~6 cloves minced garlic
1 1 ” ginger minced

Instructions

Peel 4 lbs of Korean radishes. Make radish noodles using a spiralizer.
Add 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar and combine well. If you prefer your kkakdugi sweeter, add 1 more tablespoon of sugar.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
Drain the juice from the radish into a small bowl. Reserve ⅓ cup of the juice.
Add minced garlic, minced ginger, chopped green onions, fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, and ⅓ cup of the juice from the radish.
Combine well until the seasonings coat the radish noodle evenly.
Enjoy the kkakdugi right away, or place the kkakdugi in a glass jar and press down on the top of it to remove any air from between the radish noodles.

Notes

Storage Tips

You can store the leftover kkakdugi in the refrigerator. Or you can leave it to ferment at room temperature for a few days. When it starts fermenting, little bubbles may appear on top of the kkakdugi, and it’ll smell strong & sour. When it does, put it in the refrigerator.

Chef’s Tips

If you have difficulty finding a Korean radish, a Japanese daikon will work as well.

The amount of hot pepper flakes you use depends on your taste; use ¼ cup hot pepper flakes for a mild version. If you can handle the heat and want some kick, ⅓ cup hot pepper will do the trick. For a vegetarian version, replace fish sauce with soy sauce.

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Here are the Amazon affiliate links for you to order the ingredients and tools to create this delicious dish.

Cutlery

Epicurean Gourmet Series Cutting Board, 17.5-Inch by 13-Inch, Natural/Slate

Miyabi 34313-213 Fusion Morimoto Edition Chef’s Knife, 8-inch, Black w/Red Accent/Stainless Steel

Hand Tools/Gadgets

Kyocera Advanced Ceramic 3-1/2-inch Ceramic Grater

OXO Good Grips 3-Blade Tabletop Spiralizer with StrongHold Suction

Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, 16-Ounces (4-Pack)

Food

Domino Pure Cane Organic Sugar – 24 oz

Tae-kyung Korean Red Chili Pepper Flakes Powder Gochugaru, 1 Lb

Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce, 24-Ounce Bottle

Melissa Lee

Chief Entertainment Officer

Melissa is 100% MIT (Made in Taiwan), where she worked as a food writer. She’s also worked alongside renowned chefs like Ming Tsai and Joanne Chang, honing her craft and gathering stories along the way. Part story-teller, part educator, and part food lover, Melissa brings a special blend of experience, skill, and enthusiasm to her work. She blends her Asian background, her new home of New England, and love of food and culture to bring joy, optimism, and inspiration to food lovers and fun-seekers everywhere.

What sparked your passion for the industry?
The desire to make things by hand. The joy of sharing delicious, hearty food with students. The opportunity for people to get connected via cooking and baking. When a child smiled broadly and told me it’s the best scone he has ever made and eaten, it really made my day!

In your opinion, what’s the most important course?
Well, I usually take a peek at the wine list first. I like tapas style, so the course doesn’t really matter. Cheese and charcuterie are always a good place to start. And since I’m a pastry chef, there is always room for dessert!

Bill Gates is picking up your tab, where would you go?
Noma, Copenhagen.