If you love crisp, refreshing Korean side dishes, this musaengchae (spicy radish salad) is a must-make. This recipe is inspired by Korean actor Ryu Soo Young, who shared the recipe on the show Pyun-staurant. Musaengchae is a classic Korean side dish that is simple, and bright with a balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors. It’s the perfect for your weeknight table. It also goes well with grilled meats, especially crispy BBQ-style bossam, which was featured on Pyun-staurant alongside this musaengchae. It pairs nicely with stews, as a topping for bibimbapor a cozy bowl of rice.
What exactly is musaengchae?
Mu 무 = “radish”
Saeng (생) = “raw”
Chae (채) = “shredded vegetables”
So saengchae (생채) means a dish made of raw, shredded vegetables which is exactly what this recipe is!
There are different variations to musaengchae but this one is spicy and tangy with Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru) and vinegar.
How to enjoy it?
You can enjoy musaengchae as a side dish to any meal, especially if you don’t have any kimchi! It’s also the perfect side for grilled bbq, and most often served with bossam, boiled pork. Wrap a bit of mu saengchae with grilled meat in a lettuce leaf for a refreshing crunch. The acidity from vinegar and spice from gochugaru cut through the richness of the meat. You can also add it to bibimbap or spicy cold noodles! Hope you enjoy!
Musaengchae (Spicy Radish Salad)
Ingredients
- ½ medium Korean radish about 500 g / a little over 1 lb
- 4 Tbsp sugar I prefer 3 Tbsp—adjust to your taste
- ½ Tbsp salt
- 5 Tbsp Korean coarse red pepper powder gochugaru
- 3 Tbsp vinegar use a clear vinegar such as Korean rice vinegar, brown rice vinegar, apple vinegar, or even white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce anchovy
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds Optional
Instructions
- Prep the radish. Wash and scrub the radish well. If needed, use a potato peeler and peel the radish skin. Slice the radish into ¼-inch matchsticks. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle in the sugar and salt. Toss with your hand to coat the pieces evenly. the radish will start to soften and release liquid. Set aside for about 5 minutes. then drain the liquid (but don’t rinse)!
- Add the gochugaru into the radish.Toss for about 30 seconds. This ensures the red pepper powder is well mixed into the radish.
- Add in the vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and mix until everything is well combined. Add in the scallions and mix well. If you’d like, finish with roasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- Tip: Ryu Soo Young recommends cutting by hand rather than using a mandoline for the best crunchy texture.
- The recipe originally uses 4Tbsp but it was a bit sweet for me. I prefer 3 Tbsp which still tastes balanced while less sweet.
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