Try these Korean style quick pickled radishes. They are super easy to make and will accompany your favorite Korean fried chicken really well. It’s perfectly sweet, tangy and delicious!
What is Pickled Radishes
Korean pickled radishes are a popular side dish to Korean fried chicken, so they are known as chicken mu (치킨무). Mu means radish in Korean.
Not only are they are delicious, they are crunchy, addictive and refreshing as well.
You can make pickled radishes using Korean radish or daikon radish. However, if you have trouble finding these varieties, you can use more common types like pink or red radishes instead. Although I find that Korean or daikon radish results in a crunchier texture.
To make the pickled radishes, you first cut the radish into small cubes then pickle them in sweet and tangy pickling brine. You leave it at room temperature for a few hours then refrigerate until the radish develops a nice sweet and tangy taste.
How to Serve Pickled Radishes
As I mentioned above, these pickled radishes are best served with Korean fried chicken, however it will accompany any deep fried dishes well.
In particular, the sweet and tanginess of the pickled radishes will help reduce the oily taste of deep fried dishes.
It will also go well with spicy Korean food (e.g. dakgalbi) and other Korean BBQ dishes.
More Korean Pickle Recipes
If you love pickles, you’ve got to try these Korean pickle recipes. They’re so delicious and addictive!
Ingredients for Picked Radishes
- 500g / 17 ounces Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and ends trimmed
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
* 1 Cup = 250 ml
** Above ingredients will require 2 x 490ml preserving jar or 1 x 1 L jar. Be sure to sterilize the jar beforehand.
How to Make Picked Radishes
1. Cut the radish into small cubes (about 2.5 cm / 1 inch) and put them into a sterilized glass jar.
2. Combine water, sugar, vinegar and salt in a sauce pan and bring them to boil over low to medium low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 2-3 mins). Stir often.
3. Pour the brine over the radish and close the lid. Leave at room temperature for 3-4 hours then refrigerate. It should be ready to eat in 1 – 2 days.
4. Serve with your favorite main meal. (e.g. Korean fried chicken). It can be refrigerated in an air tight container for a few weeks.
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Quick Pickled Radishes
Ingredients
- 500 g korean radish or daikon radish (17 ounces), peeled and ends trimmed
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt , coarse
Instructions
- Cut the radish into small cubes (about 2.5 cm / 1 inch) and put them into a sterilized glass jar.
- Combine water, sugar, vinegar and salt in a sauce pan and bring them to boil over low to medium low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 2-3 mins). Stir often.
- Pour the brine over the radish and close the lid. Leave at room temperature for 3-4 hours then refrigerate. It should be ready to eat in 1 – 2 days.
- Serve with your favorite main meal. (e.g. Korean fried chicken). It can be refrigerated in an air tight container for a few weeks.
Notes
- If you have trouble finding Korean or daikon radish, you can use more common types like pink or red radishes instead. Although I find that Korean or daikon radish results in a crunchier texture.
- 1 Cup = 250 ml
- Above ingredients will require 2 x 490ml preserving jar or 1 x 1 L jar. Be sure to sterilize the jar beforehand.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Could I substitute sugar with honey? I make my kimchi with honey and it turns out fine, but I wonder if it will be the same for this. I don’t have white sugar at home mostly so that’s why. Thank you!
I’m not sure if honey would work the same way. You will have to find out yourself.
You can use other types or sugar (e.g. raw sugar) if you have it, it will affect the color of pickles that’s all. 🙂
Hello! Can I use apple cider vinegar and coconut sugar in place of the white sugar and white vinegar? Thanks!
You could use apple cider vinegar, but I don’t recommend using coconut sugar. It tastes very different to a regular sugar and I didn’t like it. (It was bitter and it tasted like burnt caramel.)
The first time I used this recipe, I made it with regular white daikon, and it was delicious. Today I used one watermelon daikon and one purple daikon. The color these made is spectacular. I love the simplicity and and clarity of this recipe. It works very well, and also makes me want to get or make Korean fried chicken. Thank you.
I would love to try the recipe. Can I put it in the freezer after it’s ready or is that too cold?
I’m not too sure whether storing it in the freezer is a good idea. I think it will change the texture too much when it gets defrosted. Why do you want to freeze it?
I miss Korea, it was best time and loved korean kitchen
When I make Mu with daikon, they give off foul odor in the refrigerator. How to avoid this? Salt and rest for 30-45 minutes and rinse?
Do I need to cool down the water/sugar/vinegar before pouring over the raddish?
thank you
I didn’t cool it down. The brine is not even lukewarm. 🙂
Quite confused. You said to bring to the boil the brine mixture. So how come it’s not even lukewarm when you did not cool down?
That’s a very good question!
I was initially going to say that the brine mixture is only lukewarm. Then I decided look up the definition of lukewarm on the internet to be sure that I’m saying the right thing.
One source I read at the time said, water is lukewarm if it’s around or just slightly higher than 100F / 37.8C. The mixture I made results in 95F / 35C. (Remember that it’s only boiled at low temperature for a short time. Also, it cools down fast even though you don’t intend to cool it down.) So I said that the brine mixture is not even lukewarm.
That being said there are other references that will give slightly different temperature range for lukewarm as well. Maybe it’s worth reading this article if you want to know more. https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-hot-is-lukewarm-water-1706102
Bottomline, if you don’t feel safe, you are welcome to cool the brine down before pouring it into the jar.
Hope this helps.
Looks delicious and I’m going to try this with daikon (called mooli in UK) asap! Only question I have what is the % rate of vinegar assumed?
Interesting question. This is the vinegar I used. https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/16928/cornwell-s-white-vinegar-white But it doesn’t say! 🙂 I also tried with rice vinegar as well, but I think it tastes better with white vinegar.