Moo Malengi (Dried Radish Side Dish)
무말랭이
This side dish has a wonderful chewy texture, which it gets from using dried radish, or moo 무. You can buy dried moo at a Korean grocery store - look in the dried food aisle for a package marked "무말랭이". Or, you can make your own: using 1 large fresh white radish, peel and cut into small rectangular strips (about 1/8"-1/4" thick). Lay outside on a clean cloth in the sun if it's a bright sunny day - it will dry and curl up. Make sure to put it out on a sunny day, as if it doesn't dry fast, it will mildew. I usually dry it on top of the heat vent in the fall or winter, and then put it out in the sun to get some sun exposure.
Recipe Ingredients:
- 4 oz dried radish (moo 무) - you can buy this at Korean grocer stores or you can make some
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water (boiled, then cooled)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fine red pepper powder (goun gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp regular red pepper powder
- 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyut)
- 1 tsp whole roasted sesame seed (tongkae)
- strips of dried young hot pepper plant leaves (gochunip) - optional
Recipe Steps:
- Rinse dried radish quickly once or twice.
- Mix the soy sauce, water and brown sugar. Pour onto the dried radish and mix thoroughly. Leave it on the countertop for 3-4 hours, mixing occasionally.
- If it looks all the soy sauce mixture is absorbed, then add the fine hot pepper powder, stirring well. Then add the regular hot pepper powder - again mix it well. (If you are using dried hot pepper leaves, cut them up and add them in now)
- Add corn syrup, coating well - garnish with sesame seeds and slivers of green onion (optional).
Serving Size: 3-4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
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