Crispy Radish Salad (Mu Saeng Chae) – The Ultimate Rice Thief Recipe
Crispy Radish Salad (Mu Saeng Chae) – The Ultimate Rice Thief Recipe
Spicy, Sweet, and Refreshing! The Perfect Mu Saeng Chae Recipe to Boost Your Appetite
A simple and essential Korean side dish, Mu Saeng Chae, that will have you finishing a bowl of rice in no time! This recipe is easy enough for anyone to follow.
Main Ingredients- 500g Korean radish (about 1/3 of a medium radish)
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
Seasoning Ingredients- 2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1.5 tsp fish sauce (e.g., anchovy or sand lance sauce)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1.5 tsp fish sauce (e.g., anchovy or sand lance sauce)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the Korean radish thoroughly, peel it, and then julienne it into approximately 0.3cm thick strips. If the strips are too thin, they can become mushy, and if they are too thick, they won’t absorb the seasoning well, so achieving the right thickness is important.
Step 2
Place the julienned radish in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt evenly over the radish and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes to salt-cure. Salting draws out moisture, which helps maintain the radish’s crispiness. If you feel the radish isn’t sweet enough at this stage, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of plum syrup or extract to the salting process; it will add a natural sweetness.
Step 3
After salting, the radish will become tender to the touch and will have released a considerable amount of water. Drain the water by placing the radish in a sieve and gently pressing down on it with your hands to squeeze out excess moisture. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as retaining some moisture is key to a delicious and juicy mu saeng chae.
Step 4
Return the lightly squeezed radish to a clean bowl. First, add 2 teaspoons of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes).
Step 5
Gently mix the gochugaru into the radish with your hands for the first stage of seasoning. Doing this initial toss with chili flakes ensures they don’t clump together and allows them to evenly coat the radish, resulting in a more vibrant color and deeper flavor when finished.
Step 6
Now, add the remaining seasoning ingredients: 1.5 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds. Mix everything together again by gently tossing with your hands. If you prefer a tangier flavor, feel free to add about 1 teaspoon of vinegar at this point. You can also adjust the sugar amount based on the natural sweetness of your radish.
Step 7
Your delicious Mu Saeng Chae, seasoned thoroughly and looking wonderfully moist, is ready!
Step 8
While you can enjoy the Mu Saeng Chae immediately, it tastes even better when chilled in the refrigerator for a short while before serving. It’s the perfect side dish for any meal!
