Chonggak Muchim
Quick answer
- Total time
- 20 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Chonggak muchim seasons 400 g of young ponytail radish with gochugaru, fish sauce, garlic, sugar, scallion, and vinegar.
Read more
Wash away all grit and retain any tender green tops that are attached. Slice the radish diagonally to about 0.5 cm so each piece has a broad surface for the seasoning. Sprinkle the slices evenly with 1 tablespoon coarse salt and let them stand for 15 minutes, turning them once halfway through. Rinse the salted radish only once in cold water, drain it in a colander, and press out the remaining moisture so the seasoning is not diluted. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir until no dry pepper flakes remain. Add the drained radish and 2 tablespoons chopped scallion, then use your fingertips to coat both sides of every slice without crushing them. Mix in 1 teaspoon vinegar only after the red seasoning is evenly distributed. Let the finished muchim stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. The method separates salting, rinsing, draining, and seasoning into clear stages, which makes it easier to control the amount of surface moisture and spread the thick pepper mixture evenly over the radish.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Wash 400 g of chonggak radish well to remove grit, and keep any tender green tops if they are attached.
Slice the radish diagonally about 0.5 cm thick so the seasoning can cling to broad cut surfaces.
- 2Season
Place the sliced radish in a bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coarse salt evenly over it.
Toss once halfway through the 15 minute salting time; the slices should bend slightly and a little liquid should collect in the bowl.
- 3Control
Rinse the salted radish once briefly in cold water to reduce excess salt without washing away all its bite.
Drain in a colander, then press firmly by hand so leftover water does not thin the seasoning.
- 4Season
In a separate bowl, first mix 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Stir until the pepper flakes look evenly moistened, with no dry pockets left in the paste.
- 5Season
Add the drained radish and 2 tablespoons chopped scallion to the seasoning.
Toss with your fingertips until every slice is stained red and coated on both sides; avoid crushing the radish so it stays crisp.
- 6Finish
Add 1 teaspoon vinegar at the end and adjust the sharpness while the radish is already coated.
Let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then serve right away while the texture is still crisp.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Ponytail radish is sliced 0.5 cm thick and salted for 15 minutes
- Finish cue
- Wash 400 g of chonggak radish well to remove grit, and keep any tender green tops if they are attached.
- Avoid this
- Toss with your fingertips until every slice is stained red and coated on both sides; avoid crushing the radish so it stays crisp.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
20min, 8 ingredients
Category median
17min, 7 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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