Crispy Radish Salad (Musaengchae)
Tangy and Sweet! Chef Baek’s Golden Recipe for Delicious Radish Salad (feat. Radish Bibimbap)
A magical side dish that can be made in a snap with just one radish! It’s not only a rice-thief side dish but also the best when generously piled on for a delicious radish bibimbap. Enjoy the harmony of fresh radish’s crunch and savory seasoning.
Main Ingredients- 700g Radish (approx. 1/2 medium radish)
- 2 Tbsp Coarse Sea Salt (for salting radish)
- 1/2 Scallion (mainly the white part)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the fresh radish. Wash it thoroughly under running water, then peel off the firm outer skin using a peeler or a knife. It’s best to trim the skin so it’s not too thick, depending on the radish.
Step 2
Slice the peeled radish into thin pieces, about 0.3cm thick. If they’re too thick, they will take a long time to cook and won’t absorb the seasoning well, so slicing them to a consistent thickness is important.
Step 3
Stack the sliced radish pieces and julienne them. If you’re not comfortable with a knife, using a mandoline slicer is also a good option. Julienne them finely to a similar thickness to prevent them from breaking apart when mixed and to maintain a crispy texture.
Step 4
Place the julienned radish in a large bowl. First, add 2 tablespoons of fine gochugaru to color the radish. Coating the radish with gochugaru helps the seasoning absorb better and gives it a beautiful color.
Step 5
Now, add 2 tablespoons of sugar for sweetness. You can adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Step 6
Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic for a pungent flavor. Using freshly minced garlic will enhance the aroma.
Step 7
The key to the tangy flavor! Add 6 tablespoons of vinegar. This is about 1/4 cup measured by a paper cup. Adjust the level of sourness according to your taste.
Step 8
Add 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt to season. Two leveled tablespoons are usually good, but adjust according to the radish’s moisture content or your preference. (Optional: Sprinkle a little salt on the radish and let it sit for about 10 minutes before adding other seasonings to draw out moisture and make it crispier.)
Step 9
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty flavor. Rubbing whole sesame seeds between your palms before adding will release a richer aroma.
Step 10
There, all the seasoning ingredients for the radish salad are ready. Now, all that’s left is to mix them well with the radish.
Step 11
Add the prepared seasoning to the julienned radish and gently mix with your hands. It’s important to mix softly so that the seasoning evenly coats the radish without breaking it. Be careful not to mash the radish by mixing too vigorously. You can also add the julienned scallion at this stage for added fragrance.
Step 12
Ta-da! Your delicious radish salad is complete. With its tangy, sweet, and crispy texture, it’s the perfect side dish to stimulate your appetite.
Step 13
If you’ve prepared plenty of radish salad, pile it generously on top of rice, add a bit of gochujang, a fried egg with a runny yolk, and a drizzle of sesame oil for a fantastic radish bibimbap. It’s incredibly delicious when mixed!
Step 14
Even without many other ingredients, you can enjoy such a wonderful bibimbap just with radish salad! It’s simple but never compromises on taste.
Step 15
While eating radish salad with warm rice is delicious, wrapping it in lightly toasted, savory gim (seaweed) doubles the flavor. The seaweed’s aroma and the radish’s crunch create a fantastic harmony. When you don’t have many side dishes or feel lazy, or when your appetite is low, this is the best, quickest, and most delicious special side dish. Be sure to try making it!
