Spicy & Sweet Dried Radish Salad (Mumalengi Muchim)
Baek Jong Won’s Style Dried Radish Salad Recipe: Perfect for Lunchboxes & Side Dishes
This dried radish salad is a perfect match for any meat dish and makes an excellent side dish for your meals. Let’s make it!
Ingredients
- Dried radish (Mumalengi) 2 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 4 Tbsp
- Oligosaccharide (or corn syrup) 5 Tbsp
- Sugar 3 Tbsp
- Salt 1.5 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 1.5 Tbsp
- Fish sauce 2 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s learn how to make Baek Jong Won’s famous dried radish salad, a dish that’s impossible to dislike! This recipe is also great for making bossam kimchi (boiled pork wrap kimchi).
Step 2
First, prepare your thoroughly dried radish. If it’s very hard, soak it in lukewarm water for about 1 hour to rehydrate. After soaking, rinse it thoroughly under running water. Then, squeeze out as much water as possible using your hands or a sieve until it’s as dry as you can get it. Excess moisture can make the salad mushy, so this step is crucial for the right texture.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the delicious seasoning! In a bowl, combine the rehydrated and squeezed dried radish with 4 Tbsp gochugaru, 5 Tbsp oligosaccharide (or corn syrup), 3 Tbsp sugar, 1.5 Tbsp salt, 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic, and 2 Tbsp fish sauce. You can use either anchovy or sand lance fish sauce. While salt alone can season it well, adding fish sauce enhances the umami and overall flavor significantly.
Step 4
Once all the seasoning ingredients are added, use your hands to gently mix and toss everything together. The key is to ensure the seasoning coats every piece of the dried radish evenly. For a final touch, sprinkle a pinch of toasted sesame seeds for nutty aroma and mix once more. Your flavorful dried radish salad is now ready!
Step 5
Ta-da! Your delicious dried radish salad is complete. The chewy texture combined with the spicy and sweet flavors makes it an absolute winner as a side dish, perfect for everyday meals or packed lunches. It’s also a fantastic accompaniment to meat dishes, so be sure to give this recipe a try!
