Vegetable · root

Lacto-fermenting daikon radish: 3.00% salt, 10.0days at 68 °F

Long white East Asian radish. Core of kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and Japanese takuan (rice-bran pickled radish). Sweeter and milder than red radish. Brines quickly due to high water content.

Salt calculator

Enter your vegetable weight and a salt percentage. We return the exact salt mass in grams, plus teaspoons for each common grain.

grams
%

Grain matters: one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal weighs half as much as one teaspoon of fine sea salt. Weigh in grams when you can.

30g salt
5.27 tsp 1.76 tbsp 1.06 oz

Based on Fine sea salt at 5.69 g/tsp.

Safe range for lacto-fermentation. 2% is the most common default for cabbage, kimchi and pepper mash.

All salt grains
GrainGramsTeaspoonsTablespoons
Diamond Crystal kosher30 g10.563.52
Morton kosher30 g6.252.08
Fine sea salt30 g5.271.76
Pickling / canning30 g5.451.82
Default salt
3.00 %
Salt range
2.50% – 4.00%
Time @ 68 °F
10.0 days
Target pH
3.80
Water content
~94%
Preferred styles
kimchi kkakdugi, takuan style

Technique

For kkakdugi: peel, cube 1.5cm, salt 3%, rest 30 min to draw water, drain, toss with kimchi paste. Ferment 5-7 days at room temp then fridge. For half-brine style: cube, cover with 4% brine, 7-10 days.

Source: Maangchi — kkakdugi recipe. Last verified 2026-05-17.

Frequently asked questions

What percent salt for fermenting daikon radish?

3.00% by weight is the default for daikon radish (workable range 2.50%–4.00%). For 1000g daikon radish, that's 30.0g salt. Use non-iodised salt and weigh in grams — teaspoon equivalences vary by salt grain. Source: Maangchi — kkakdugi recipe.

How long to ferment daikon radish?

10.0 days at 68°F (20°C). Cooler kitchens (60-65°F) slow fermentation; warmer kitchens (75-80°F) roughly halve the time per 10°F increase. Start tasting from day 5; target pH 3.80 or below indicates complete primary fermentation.

What's the best technique for fermenting daikon radish?

For kkakdugi: peel, cube 1.5cm, salt 3%, rest 30 min to draw water, drain, toss with kimchi paste. Ferment 5-7 days at room temp then fridge. For half-brine style: cube, cover with 4% brine, 7-10 days.

What category is daikon radish for fermentation?

Daikon Radish is a root vegetable. Long white East Asian radish. Core of kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and Japanese takuan (rice-bran pickled radish). Sweeter and milder than red radish. Brines quickly due to high water content. Preferred fermentation style: kimchi-kkakdugi, takuan-style.