Delicious and Spicy Korean Salad Recipe

Moo saengchae is a Korean salad featuring moo. It is delicious, nutritious and spicy and an amazing treat for your taste buds.

If you love Korean food like moo saengchae but are under the impression that Korean cuisine is too complicated to make on your own, then you’re going to love this scrumptious and easy-to-make moo saengchae recipe.

You may have noticed Japanese radish (“daikon”) at your local grocery store – an elongated, mainly white, mild radish. You can use “daikon” in this salad… But for the real deal, strive to unearth “moo:” it is smaller, rounder, tinted green on top, tastes a bit stronger and is a bit more on the dense side than “daikon.” These types of radishes are especially enjoyable if you process them just a bit (vs eating them raw). Here we propose quick pickling… You can enjoy this salad as an appetizer “banchan…” Or as a condiment alongside grilled meats such as LA-style “kalbi” (see section “Flavorful Entrees”).

1 1/2 lbs “moo” radish
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon “gochugaru” or powdered chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon sugar (preferably dehydrated cane sugar)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 scallion (or green onion), halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices

Remove the tops and any annoying endings from the radishes… Slice them in quarters, lengthwise. Then with your tool of choice (chef’s knife, mandoline, or even a food processor), slice these crosswise thinly (less than 1/4 inch). Transfer the slices to a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle with the salt. Toss with your hands to ensure you coat all the pieces. Let sit for 15 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, combine and mix the garlic, “gochugaru” or chili, sugar, rice wine vinegar, and scallions. Now that the radish is ready, drain in a colander, squeezing the water out with your hands. Wipe the inside of the radish mixing bowl. Return the radish to the bowl, add the tasty mixture. Again, work with your hands to ensure all the pieces get coated. (Use disposable gloves if you are weary of the red tint from the hot spice). Let sit for an hour. Serve at room temperature. Can last up to a week in the refrigerator.

NOTE: “moo” is the generic term for radish, in Korean… But it usually refers to the specific type of radish known as “joseon.”

Click here if you would like to get your hands on the entire volume of “The Cooking Primer: A Taste of Korea.”