Braised Dishes

Mu-jorim (Braised Korean Radish)

Name: Mu-jorim (Braised Korean Radish)
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Korean radish (mu) 250 g; Korean leek (daepa) or scallions 1/2 Korean leek; onion 1/2; green onion 1 stalk; soy sauce 2 Tbsp; sugar 1/2 tsp; minced garlic 1 tsp; gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1/2 Tbsp; water 200 ml; toasted sesame oil 1 tsp; toasted sesame seeds a pinch

Once the radish has soaked up the liquid and turned translucent, raise the heat a little to leave just a glossy glaze. Add the green onion at the end for aroma, and if the radish starts breaking apart, stop stirring and cover the pot.

Prep 8 min · Cook 27 min · Total 35 min · 2 servings · Easy

한국어로 보기 (Korean version)

Steps

1
Cut the radish into flat squares 2 cm thick, cut the onion and leek into thick strips, and thinly slice the green onion.
If the radish pieces vary in thickness, the thin ones break apart first.
2
Put the radish, onion, leek, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, gochugaru, and water in a pot and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Spoon the liquid over the top partway through, and pick out a piece of radish to check that it's translucent.
3
Uncover and reduce over medium-high heat for 4 more minutes, until the liquid is down to one-third.
4
Turn off the heat and top with the green onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
Cooking the green onion too long drives off its aroma, so let the residual heat do the work.

Substitutions

Instead of	Use	How
gochugaru	leave it out	If the soy sauce tastes flat, add a little more minced garlic.
sugar	1/2 tsp oligosaccharide syrup	The color darkens faster, so reduce for 1 minute less.

Storing leftovers

As it cools, the radish soaks up the liquid, so the flavor deepens and the sauce shrinks. Store it submerged in its liquid in the fridge and eat within 3 days; if the liquid is gone, add 2 Tbsp of water and reheat over medium heat for 3 minutes. Radish loses water and turns tough when frozen, so don't freeze it.

Serve with

Rice, a fried egg, and a clear soup such as miyeok-guk (seaweed soup). If the braise is salty, season the soup lightly with salt only.

Making more or less

If you double the radish, use a pot wider than a pan and add only enough water to cover, so the reducing time doesn't double.

Questions

How long do I braise mu-jorim until the radish turns translucent?

At 2 cm thick, the edges start turning translucent after about 15 minutes over medium heat. Pick out a piece: if it's translucent all the way to the center and a chopstick slides right in, it's done. If the center is still white, add 3 Tbsp of water, simmer 5 more minutes, then reduce.