Crisp and Sweet Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)
Crisp and Sweet Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)
The Ultimate Side Dish to Awaken Your Appetite! Freshly Tossed Radish Salad Recipe
A staple side dish that simplifies your meals with just one well-prepared radish – Mu Saengchae! The combination of its crisp texture and sweet-and-sour flavor is simply exquisite. Using the greener parts of the radish can yield an even sweeter taste, making this a personal favorite. Here’s a fundamental Mu Saengchae recipe that anyone can easily make with simple ingredients, perfect for enjoying any time of the year.
Main Ingredients- 300g radish (about 1/3 of a medium radish)
- 30g green part of scallion (mostly green leaves, excluding white part)
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt (for salting radish)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (for salting radish)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1.5 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce (or anchovy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp whole sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil (optional)
- A touch of corn syrup or oligosaccharide (add if you prefer sweeter taste)
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1.5 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce (or anchovy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp whole sesame seeds
- A drizzle of sesame oil (optional)
- A touch of corn syrup or oligosaccharide (add if you prefer sweeter taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Generally, the greener part of the radish, closer to the leaves, tends to be sweeter than the root end. When making Mu Saengchae, using this sweeter part will result in a more delicious radish salad.
Step 2
Wash the 300g of radish thoroughly, peel it, and then julienne it into thin strips about 0.2 cm thick. While you can slice it with a knife, using a mandoline slicer is much faster and ensures uniform cuts, especially when preparing a larger quantity.
Step 3
Add 1/2 tsp of coarse sea salt and 1/2 tsp of sugar to the julienned radish. Gently toss and mix with your hands to lightly bruise the radish. Let it salt for about 20 minutes. After about 10 minutes, gently flip the radish to ensure even salting.
Step 4
After 20 minutes, you’ll notice that the radish has released a good amount of water. Now, squeeze out the excess water thoroughly using both hands. Removing sufficient moisture is crucial to maintain the radish’s crisp texture and prevent it from becoming mushy.
Step 5
Prepare the green parts of the scallion, and julienne them thinly to a similar length as the radish strips, using a mandoline slicer. Using only the green leaves adds color and a fresh aroma to the dish.
Step 6
Combine the squeezed radish and julienned scallion in a bowl. Add the seasoning ingredients: 1 tsp gochugaru, 1/2 tsp fish sauce, and 1.5 Tbsp vinegar. Mix everything gently. (Measurement tip: Use tablespoon (Tbsp) for vinegar and teaspoon (tsp) for the other seasonings.) If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add a little corn syrup or oligosaccharide, even though a little sugar was used for salting.
Step 7
Toss gently until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of whole sesame seeds and toss lightly one more time. While whole sesame seeds are fine, lightly crushing them with your fingers or a mortar can significantly enhance their nutty aroma. If you desire an even richer nutty flavor, a small drizzle of sesame oil at this stage is also a great addition. 🙂 This Mu Saengchae is delicious right away, but chilling it in the refrigerator for about an hour allows the flavors to meld and makes it even more refreshing and tasty!
