Korean Kohlrabi Fresh Salad (Saengchae)
Quick answer
Kolabi-saengchae is a fresh Korean salad made from julienned kohlrabi dressed in gochugaru, vinegar, and fish sauce.
What makes this special
- Matchstick kohlrabi with a pear-like crunch and mild sweetness, dressed in gochugaru, fish sauce, and vinegar.
- Matchstick kohlrabi has a pear-like crunch and mild sweetness
- Peeling thick removes the tough outer fiber layer
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Trim the firm top and bottom of 450 g kohlrabi, then peel generously until t...
- 2 Cut the kohlrabi into matchstick strips about 4 to 5 cm long.
- 3 Cut 40 g scallions into 3 cm lengths and keep them separate.
Kolabi-saengchae is a fresh Korean salad made from julienned kohlrabi dressed in gochugaru, vinegar, and fish sauce. Though it resembles mu-saengchae made with radish, the two diverge clearly in texture and flavor. Kohlrabi is a brassica, but instead of leaves or roots, the rounded swollen stem base is the edible part. Its exterior is firm and waxy, while the flesh inside is juicy, light, and gently sweet in a way that resembles a crisp pear rather than the earthy sharpness of radish. The thick outer rind must be generously peeled to strip away the fibrous layer just beneath the skin, and the kohlrabi is then cut into matchstick strips about 4 to 5 centimeters long and a few millimeters wide. Cutting too thin causes the strips to wilt quickly as they draw moisture under the dressing. Fish sauce contributes marine umami to kohlrabi's quiet sweetness, while vinegar slows moisture loss and extends the window of crispness after seasoning. Gochugaru adds heat and the brick-red color associated with most saengchae. Served beside grilled fatty meats, the tangy, crunchy salad functions as a palate cleanser between bites. Kohlrabi is at its sweetest and most firm during peak seasons in spring and fall, which is when this banchan appears most frequently at Korean tables.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Trim the firm top and bottom of 450 g kohlrabi, then peel generously until the fibrous layer under the skin is gone.
Pat the surface dry so the knife does not slip while cutting.
- 2Prep
Cut the kohlrabi into matchstick strips about 4 to 5 cm long.
Keep them a few millimeters thick, since very thin strips absorb dressing too fast and lose their crunch quickly.
- 3Prep
Cut 40 g scallions into 3 cm lengths and keep them separate.
Add them only near the end, because early mixing bruises the pieces and dulls their fresh green aroma.
- 4Season
In a large bowl, mix 1.5 tbsp gochugaru, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1.5 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp minced garlic.
Stir until the sugar dissolves and the dressing looks evenly red.
- 5Step
Add the kohlrabi to the dressing and toss gently by hand for about 2 minutes.
Lift and turn the strips instead of squeezing hard, so they stay intact while the red color spreads evenly.
- 6Season
Add the scallions and 1 tsp sesame oil, then toss lightly just until combined.
Transfer to a serving dish and rest for 10 minutes, so the seasoning settles while the kohlrabi remains crisp.
After the steps
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