Kkakdugi simply means “cubed.” When you look for recipes, they are inevitably cubed Korean radishes (perhaps allowing to substitute with daikon). However, I wanted to show how any root vegetable could be fermented in this way. Turnip kkakdugi is absolutely delicious.
Here are some of my homegrown turnips.
This batch also had a very hot, crushed red serrano pepper added as well. The green onions grow in my garden on repeat, forever, since you can just take the bottom (inch or so) and replant it in the ground indefinitely.
If you like your kimchi even saucier to where you can hardly see the cubes, just add more chili powder (gochugaru) and brine as desired. This ferment does not need to be fully submerged in brine like in typical lacto-fermentations, as long as the paste is coating everything.
In place of radishes, simply substitute turnips. Just click here and use the same recipe as my fermented cubed radish kimchi.
The only difference would be in terms of ferment time. Turnips are slightly more dense than radishes, meaning they may need more time sitting in salt to produce sufficient brine. Also because of their greater density, as well as sharper flavor, a longer ferment time is suggested. I would recommend around three months at comfortable room temperatures, and longer in cold temps.
Here are a few photos of my turnip kimchi-making with added minced serrano pepper.
