Crisp-Chewy Mu Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Radish)
A clean-tasting side dish of salted, squeezed radish stir-fried until pleasantly crisp and chewy.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This side dish features Korean radish finely julienned, salted, and squeezed firmly dry before stir-frying to bring out a pleasant crisp-chewy bite. Seasoned simply with tuna extract sauce and perilla oil, it turns out clean, light, and tender. Made with everyday ingredients, it is a gentle dish that is wonderful for children and elderly family members alike.
- Servings
- about 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Korean radish (mu)500 g
- Minced large green onion (daepa)4 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or 1/2 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Perilla oil (or toasted sesame oil)1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Mix 1 tsp of salt into the radish and let it pickle for about 20 minutes.
- You must squeeze out the water firmly by hand to give the radish its crisp-chewy texture.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
This is 1/3 of a medium Korean radish. It weighs 500g.
Finely mince the large green onion to make about 4 tbsp.
Salt the radish
Thinly slice the radish and cut it into fine matchsticks.
Julienne it much more finely than you would for regular radish salad, add 1 tsp of salt, and toss thoroughly.
After about 20 minutes, the radish will soften and release moisture.
You must squeeze out the liquid firmly with your hands to give the radish its crisp-chewy texture.
Stir-fry
In a pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil, 1 tbsp perilla oil, and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then stir-fry without burning until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the julienned radish and stir-fry briskly over medium heat.
Once the radish feels tender, add 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce (or 1/2 tbsp soup soy sauce) and toss well to season.
Add the minced large green onion, stir-fry briefly so its aroma infuses evenly, and turn off the heat.
Finish by tossing in 1 tbsp perilla oil or toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
Because it is finely julienned and stir-fried, it almost looks like noodles at first glance.
With its clean, mild flavor and easy digestibility, it makes a great side dish for seniors, too.
It is tender without being mushy, and that crisp-chewy texture keeps your chopsticks coming back for more.
It is not salty even when eaten by the mouthful like noodles, so mixing a small amount of rice with a generous heap of stir-fried radish gives a pleasantly satisfying meal.
It is just finely shredded radish, but this side dish is truly amazing.
Be sure to give it a try. I highly recommend it.
Ppunwife's tips
- You must squeeze out the water firmly by hand to give the radish its crisp-chewy texture.
FAQ
What is the key to achieving the crisp-chewy texture?
The secret is to julienne the radish much more finely than usual, salt it for 20 minutes, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand before stir-frying.
Can I use another seasoning instead of tuna extract sauce?
You can season it with 1/2 tbsp of soup soy sauce instead of 1 tbsp of tuna extract sauce.
What dishes pair well with finished stir-fried radish?
Beyond serving it as an everyday side dish, it works wonderfully as a topping for bibimbap or seasoned with spicy sauce as a filling for gimbap.
