Make Ahead

Musaengchae (Spicy Korean Radish Salad)

by:
October 29, 2020
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by ROCKY LUTEN. FOOD STYLIST: ANNA BILLINGSKOG. PROP STYLIST: GERRI WILLIAMS.
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 35 minutes
  • Makes 3 cups
Author Notes

While hearty, rich dishes are increasingly common as the weather turns brisk, my family’s table always had a spicy banchan (side dish) to complement the meal. Kimchi was a mainstay but, when I was lucky, my grandma would whip up musaengchae, a spicy, sweet, and savory radish strip salad. Whenever the bright red, marinated vegetable dish emerged from the kitchen, I knew the meal—whether we were having frozen pizza or soondubu jjigae (spicy soft tofu stew)—was going to receive an instant upgrade.

Musaengchae, like other Korean side dishes, is often served as a complement to rice and soups. For my family, however, it was less about pairing specific dishes, more about always having a spicy, refreshing side—or several—on hand, no matter what’s for dinner. It was a no-brainer to pull out the marinated perilla leaves to cut through the richness of creamy pasta; and for Thanksgiving, mashed potatoes shared the buffet table with a sizable dish of kimchi.

This is my attempt to recreate my grandma’s superb rendition of musaengchae, which ranks high on the banchan list for me. It’s always seemed to me a mystery of eyeballing and adjusting to taste on her part, a concept I found both freeing and challenging, as a pastry person where precision is king. This may not be my grandma’s banchan, but perhaps that’s the beauty of it—using memory (and a FaceTime call) to guide the development process, and putting the harmony of flavors, as I remember them, to pen and paper, so I can revisit this special dish again and again. —Joy Cho

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Ingredients
  • 25 to 30 ounces Korean radish (mu), peeled (about 1/2 large radish)
  • 1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean red chile pepper flakes)
  • 1/4 cup green onion, finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
  • 5 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 5 teaspoons mirin
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons gochujang (Korean red chile paste)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
  1. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, julienne the radish into thin strips (2 1/2 to 3 inches in length). You should end up with roughly 3 cups of radish strips.
  2. Place the radish strips in a large mixing bowl and toss with the gochugaru using gloved hands.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together thoroughly. The radish strips will soften and become more pliable as you toss the ingredients together.
  4. Taste and adjust the proportions as desired: If you find it too spicy, add a bit more sugar and mirin. Prefer more spice? Add a smidge more gochujang and a sprinkle of gochugaru.
  5. Store the musaengchae in an airtight container and serve chilled. It will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

6 Reviews

Whats4Dinner November 15, 2020
Just made this and it's really good, a tad sweet for us, so I'll cut down the sugar and/or mirin, but there'll def be a next time :-)
ymj101390 November 6, 2020
this on top of a slice of boiled pork belly is chef's kiss
Ramona N. November 4, 2020
Is this the correct photo?!
Joy C. November 4, 2020
Hi Ramona, yep it is! The radish strips become soft and pliable as it marinates. It's important to use Korean radish and to cut the strips very thin.
Candice November 10, 2020
This looks delicious! Is Korean radish the same as daikon?
Whats4Dinner November 12, 2020
My mom made this all the time and no, daikon is not mu. If you live near an asian market, I bet you'd find some there especially in the fall. Good luck :-)