Korean Radish (Mu)
๋ฌดmu
Dense, sweet, crunchy Korean radish
Mu is a stout white radish with pale green shoulders โ shorter, heavier and denser than Japanese daikon. Its crisp, juicy flesh is sweet with a gentle peppery bite, and it is one of the most used vegetables in Korea.
- Korean name
- ๋ฌด (mu)
- What it is
- Dense, sweet, crunchy Korean radish
- Storage
- Wrap a whole radish in newspaper or paper towel and refrigerate; it keeps for two weeks or more.
- Substitute
- Daikon is the closest โ slightly milder and more watery.
- Recipes
- Used in 92 recipes on coo K food
Mu vs. daikon
Korean radish is firmer and more flavorful than daikon and holds its shape better in long-simmered dishes. Radishes harvested in late autumn and winter are the sweetest and least spicy; summer radishes are more pungent and watery.
How it is used
Mu becomes kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), dongchimi (water kimchi) and musaengchae (spicy shredded radish salad). It is simmered with beef in clear mu-guk, layered under mackerel or cutlassfish in spicy braises where it soaks up the sauce, and added to anchovy and kelp broth for natural sweetness. The leafy tops are dried to become siraegi, and young radishes (yeolmu, chonggak) have their own kimchis.
Cutting it
For soups, cut thin squares (nabak-sseolgi) so they cook quickly and release their sweetness into the broth. For braises, cut thick rounds or chunks; for salads and fillings, julienne. The green top is the sweetest part and is best for eating raw; the bottom is spicier and suits soups and braises.
๐ง How to store it
Wrap a whole radish in newspaper or paper towel and refrigerate; it keeps for two weeks or more. Wrap cut pieces tightly in plastic.
๐ Substitutes
Daikon is the closest โ slightly milder and more watery. In soups, turnip works too.
๐ Where to buy
This is a fresh ingredient, so it is best bought in person at a Korean or pan-Asian grocery store such as H Mart, or through an online Asian grocer that delivers fresh produce in your area. Look for it under its Korean name, ๋ฌด (mu).
