Musaengchae (Spicy Radish Salad)
Crisp, spicy, and tangy, this musaengchae (Korean spicy radish salad) is a refreshing banchan that pairs perfectly with grilled meats, stews, or rice.
Servings: 4 servings
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.