Stir-fried Beef and Radish Side Dish (Sogogi Mu Namul) – Soo-Mi’s Side Dishes

Super easy and simple Korean side dish! It perfectly balances out strongly seasoned entrees with a mellow but aromatically enhanced radish made by the famous celebrity grandma actress, Kim Soo-mi! It tastes even better the next day as the ingredients work together overnight in the fridge.

Korean radish (daikon) is consumed all year round in Korea but particularly stands out as it’s own star in the fall and winter times. It becomes sweeter in season and is perfect for making radish kimchi (kkakdugi), and variations of radish side dishes “mu namul”. Most traditional, mu namul is made just with only radish but this variation by Kim Soo-mi has a supporting character, beef, that helps to make the dish more savory while still bringing out the sweet radish flavor complemented by the nutty sesame oil. 

I was a bit skeptical about this side dish at first but the simple radish flavors really shine through. The dish is not overly strong and works really well as a side dish to really strong flavors and even really well with just rice and a fried egg. I particularly like it the next day as the sweetness and nuttiness from the sesame oil become more meshed together. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS FOR SOGOGI MU NAMUL

• 3.5 oz (100 g) ground beef
• Few pinches of black pepper
• ⅓ medium sized Korean radish (400 g)
• ½ Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil
• ½ spicy pepper thinly sliced (jalapeno or serrano peppers)
• salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Season ground beef with a few pinches of black pepper.

2. Peel the skin of the radish. Cut the radish into thin matchsticks. Use a mandolin, if available. If not, slice the radish into about ¼ inch slices. Then slice into thin matchsticks.

3. Heat a nonstick frypan (with NO oil) on medium low heat, and cook the ground beef until it is only slightly pink (about half-way cooked, about 2-3 minutes).

4. Push the meat to one side of the pan and continue to cook. Add the matchstick radish slices to the empty side of the frypan. The natural oil from the beef released while cooking with have coated the pan so nothing will burn.

5. Add the minced garlic and salt to the radish side. Mix and stir the radish sticks to incorporate the salt and garlic evenly. Continue to keep the meat and radish separated.

6. Add in the sliced peppers to the radish. Continue to stir-fry. The radish sticks will release some water as it cooks and become soft and translucent.

7. Once the meat is cooked, stir together the radish and meat. Add in the sesame oil and stir well. Continue to stir fry until the radish is fully wilted and soft.

Of course, clips from the show!

Other Recipes from Kim Soo-Mi’s Side Dish: 

• Seoul Bulgogi
• Braised soybeans – referred to as kongjang ( 콩장) or kongjaban (콩자반) 
• Spicy pork duruchigi
• Korean spicy braised chicken

Print Recipe

Stir-fried Beef and Radish Side Dish (Sogogi Mu Namul)

Servings

4 side dish servings

Ingredients

• 3.5 oz (100 g) ground beef
• Few pinches black pepper
• ⅓ medium sized Korean radish (400 g)
• ½ Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil
• ½ spicy pepper thinly sliced (jalapeno, serrano peppers)
• Salt to taste

Servings 4 side dish servings Ingredients 3.5 oz (100 g) ground beef Few pinches black pepper ⅓ medium sized Korean radish (400 g) ½ Tbsp minced garlic 1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil ½ spicy pepper thinly sliced (jalapeno, serrano peppers) Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Season ground beef with a few pinches of black pepper.
2. Peel the skin of the radish. Cut the radish into thin matchsticks. Use a mandolin, if available. If not, slice the radish into about ¼ inch slices. Then slice into thin matchsticks.
3. Heat a nonstick frypan (with NO oil) on medium low heat, and cook the ground beef until it is only slightly pink (about half-way cooked, about 2-3 minutes).
4. Push the meat to one side of the pan and continue to cook. Add the matchstick radish slices to the empty side of the frypan. The natural oil from the beef released while cooking with have coated the pan so nothing will burn.
5. Add the minced garlic and salt to the radish side. Mix and stir the radish sticks to incorporate the salt and garlic evenly. Continue to keep the meat and radish separated.
6. Add in the sliced peppers to the radish. Continue to stir-fry. The radish sticks will release some water as it cooks and become soft and translucent.
7. Once the meat is cooked, stir together the radish and meat. Add in the sesame oil and stir well. Continue to stir fry until the radish is fully wilted and soft.