Crispy Radish Salad (Mu Saeng Chae) Golden Recipe
Easy Mu Saeng Chae in 5 Minutes for Beginners! How to Make Delicious Radish Salad
Mu Saeng Chae, which might seem difficult, is now a breeze for beginners! With tips on how to thinly slice radishes and a golden ratio for the sweet and sour seasoning, anyone can easily make delicious radish salad. It’s perfect for mixing with freshly cooked rice or as a side dish!
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 Korean radish (approx. 500g)
- 1/2 handful of chives (approx. 30g)
Seasoning
- 1.5 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp double-strength vinegar
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1.5 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp double-strength vinegar
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare about half a handful of chives. Wash them thoroughly and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 3-4 cm long. Preparing them in advance makes seasoning easier later on.
Step 2
Now, prepare half a Korean radish. Peel the radish, wash it under running water, and get it ready.
Step 3
Cut the radish in half. Then, slice it into half-moon shapes about 0.3 cm thick – not too thin. You can make this process easier by stacking 3-4 slices at a time and then julienning them. Cutting them slightly thicker preserves the texture!
Step 4
Tip! If you slice the radish too thinly, it will become soggy quickly and lose its crispness. Slicing them slightly thicker will result in a delicious radish salad with a satisfying chew.
Step 5
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coarse salt evenly over the julienned radish. Gently mix it with your hands and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to pickle. This process draws out moisture from the radish, making it crispier.
Step 6
Do NOT rinse the pickled radish! Squeeze out the moisture released from the radish firmly with your hands. If you want to remove more water, you can drain it on a colander for another 10 minutes before mixing. This prevents the radish salad from becoming watery and ensures a clean taste.
Step 7
To the squeezed radish, add the pre-cut chives and all the seasoning ingredients (red pepper flakes, minced garlic, sugar, double-strength vinegar, toasted sesame seeds). Mix everything gently but thoroughly to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. It’s important to mix without being too rough to maintain the radish’s texture.
Step 8
Your perfectly sweet, sour, and crispy radish salad is ready! Right after making it, I like to fry an egg, add some gochujang (red pepper paste), and mix it all with a bowl of rice for an incredibly delicious meal. It’s a true rice-stealer!
