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Chinese radishes are broadly classified into three groups: the North China type, the South China type, and the North China small radish group. The North China small radish group is distributed from North China (north of the Huai River) to the Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, and the highland areas of western China, and is a group of varieties related to European radishes. A representative variety of this North China small radish group is the Altari radish.
Altari radishes are characterized by their short roots, small size, and dense flesh. Generally, they have a unique shape with a root diameter of about 5 cm, a length of about 10 cm, and a bulbous base. There are also improved varieties, with the Daruma radish and medium-sized Altari radish being particularly well-known.
In Korea, altari kimchi-made by marinating whole altari radishes or radishes split lengthwise in a special sauce (yangnyeom)-is the most representative type of radish kimchi. It is longer and slimmer than kkakdugi, retains its leaves, and is characterized by a crisp texture and a refreshing spiciness.
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