Korea · 45 min · Fish · Side dish · For beginners
Musaengchae
In German: Süß-sauer eingelegter Rettichsalat · In English: Musaengchae (sweet and sour radish salad)
For 4 servings · US units
Korean radish salad: crisp matchsticks, sweet-sour and bright red with gochugaru
Musaengchae is one of those Korean side dishes you make once and then want in the fridge at all times: crunchy radish cut into fine matchsticks, seasoned sweet and sour, and tinted red with gochugaru. It's traditionally made with Korean radish (mu), though daikon stands in nicely. It's served cold alongside rice, and since it keeps for several days chilled, it's worth making a decent batch.
Ingredients
- 15¾ ozpeeled, cut into fine matchsticks about 6 cm longKorean radish, shorter and stouter than Japanese daikon, with a greenish shoulder — firm, juicy, mildly peppery and slightly sweet.Substitute: Daikon or ordinary white radish work well; they are more watery and softer, cook faster and release more liquid in kimchi, so shorten cooking times and drain more thoroughly after salting.Read more
- 2⅛ ozCarrotalso cut into matchsticks, for colour (optional)
- 2 tbspVinegarfor the sour note
- 1 tbspSugarrub in until fully dissolved
- 1 tspSaltfine; draws water from the radish
- 2 tspfor colour and heat, amount to tasteKorean chili flakes made from sun-dried red chilies, ground coarse or fine. Bright red, fruity, mild to medium hot and slightly smoky.Substitute: The closest match is Aleppo pepper (pul biber) from a Turkish grocery, which is similarly fruity and mild but oilier, often salted and slightly tangier. In a pinch, mix sweet paprika with a little cayenne; this roughly matches colour and heat but not the fruitiness or texture. Ordinary crushed red pepper flakes are too hot to use in the usual quantities.Read more
- 1 tbspKorean fish sauce for savoury depthA clear, amber seasoning sauce made from salted, fermented fish, in Korea usually anchovies; very salty and deeply savoury.Substitute: Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce can be used one for one; it tastes slightly different but works well. There is no true fish-free substitute: light soy sauce with a pinch of salt provides salt and some savouriness, but not the fermented fish note.Read more
- 1 clovesGarlicfinely minced
- 1Spring onionfinely chopped, mixed in or sprinkled over
Method
- Prep and peel the vegetablesClean and peel the Korean radish thoroughly, and peel the carrot too if you're using it.
- Cut into matchsticksCut the radish into thin slices first, then into even matchsticks about six centimetres long. Do the same with the carrot. A mandoline with a coarse blade makes quick work of it.
- Salt and drainPut the matchsticks in a large bowl, sprinkle with the fine salt and let them sit briefly until they release water. Drain off the liquid — this keeps the salad from turning watery later.
- Add the seasoningsAdd the gochugaru, sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce and the finely minced garlic to the radish.
- Mix by handMix everything with your hands until the sugar has fully dissolved and the strands are evenly coated in red.
- Taste and adjustTaste and adjust with vinegar, sugar and salt until the balance of sweet, sour and salty is right for you.
- Add the green onionStir the chopped green onion through, or scatter it over at the end.
- Chill and serveCover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours settle, then serve.
Tips and variations
For a fully plant-based version, leave out the fish sauce and garlic, add the carrot and use just a pinch of gochugaru — the salad stays pale and clearly sweet-sour. Go the other way, with fish sauce, garlic and green onion but no vinegar, and it turns savoury and punchy. You can eat it straight away, but it's rounder and more settled the next day; it keeps five to seven days in the fridge. It's especially good as a rice bowl: pile the salad on warm rice, top with a fried egg and mix everything together before eating.
Allergens
Contains: Fish
These notes follow from this recipe's ingredient list. Ready-made products and brands may contain further allergens — please check the packaging yourself.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
