Crisp and Sweet-Tangy Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)
Crisp and Sweet-Tangy Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)
Super Easy Way to Make Delicious Radish Salad: Perfect for Bibimbap!
The radishes available these days are so flavorful that they taste great no matter how you cook them. Thanks to that, anyone can make a delicious Mu Saengchae! If it doesn’t taste good, well, I’m not sure why that would be! This recipe is all about finely julienning the radish, even without a mandoline slicer, and then vigorously mixing it with a punch of seasoning, ensuring the flavors are fully absorbed. When you add this flavorful radish salad to warm rice, drizzle in a bit of sesame oil, and mix, you’ll have a wonderfully satisfying Mu Saengchae Bibimbap in no time. It’s especially perfect as a refreshing palate cleanser after rich, greasy foods like fried chicken.
Radish Salad Ingredients- 1 small radish (approx. 500g)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 6 Tbsp clear anchovy sauce (or sand lance fish sauce)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (or syrup; adjust sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp vinegar (adjust sourness)
- 1/2 stalk of green onion (both white and green parts)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (crushed is optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The radish I’m using today is a small one from my garden. We primarily grow them for their greens, so the radishes themselves are small, but they’re perfect for making Mu Saengchae. First, wash the radish thoroughly without peeling its skin. If there are any deep grooves or dirty spots on the surface, gently scrape them away with a knife.
Step 2
Now, slice the prepared radish into thin rounds, about 0.2-0.3cm thick. Then, julienne them into very thin, fine strips. If you have good knife skills, you can achieve this finely without a mandoline slicer.
Step 3
When you gather the julienned radish in one handful, it amounts to about one ‘jum’ (a Korean measure). This recipe uses a total of 6 ‘jum’ of julienned radish.
Step 4
Place all 6 ‘jum’ of the julienned radish into a large bowl. First, add 3 Tbsp of gochugaru and gently mix with your hands until the radish is evenly coated with the chili flakes. Marinating with the chili flakes first helps the other seasonings penetrate better later.
Step 5
Now it’s time to add the remaining seasonings to the radish that has been pre-seasoned with gochugaru. Add 6 Tbsp of clear anchovy sauce, 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of plum extract, 1 Tbsp of sugar, and 3 Tbsp of vinegar. Finally, add 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds and half a stalk of green onion, finely chopped. Using both the white and green parts of the green onion will add a lovely aroma.
Step 6
Now, it’s time to mix everything together until well combined! Use your wrists to vigorously mix the radish strips, ensuring the seasoning is evenly and thoroughly absorbed into every strand. Be careful not to mash the radish by mixing too aggressively; it’s best to mix with a motion of lightly grasping and releasing. Once the seasoning is well-infused, you’ll have a delicious, crisp, sweet, and tangy radish salad!
