Pickled radish

Chicken-mu 치킨무

If you’ve ever ordered Korean fried chicken at a restaurant before, you might have been served this pickled radish, called chicken-mu. Tiny cold radish cubes, pickled in sweet, sour, and just a little salty brine is very refreshing when paired with super crispy Korean fried or roasted chicken.

The recipe is so simple and easy, which is one reason I didn’t make a video about it, until now! But I’ve been asked about it so many times I decided to make a video for my lovely readers. I remember one time in Toronto, and another time in Los Angeles, people recognized me and right after saying hello, they asked for this recipe. I told them it was easy and explained how to make it, but they preferred a video instead of my live explanation!

Ingredients

1 pound peeled Korean radish, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
1/3 cup sugar
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¾ cup water

Directions:
Combine sugar, vinegar, kosher salt, and water in a large bowl and mix well until salt and sugar are well dissolved.
Add the radish and stir a few times and transfer to an airtight container or a glass jar. Keep in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Posted on Thursday, February 1st, 2018 at 7:47 pm.
Tagged: Chickenmu, 무절임, 무피클, 치킨무, mu-pickle, pickled radish

31 Comments:

EvilGrin joined 6/15 & has 44 comments
Posted June 7th, 2020 at 10:50 am | Log in to reply.

I made another batch with extra low salt, rice wine vinegar and dried Thunder Mountain chile peppers. Stained with turmeric first like in my first picture.

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted June 15th, 2020 at 10:59 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Adding tumeric to give a little bit of yellow color is such a creative idea!
Fairlibra NZ joined 6/20 & has 1 comment
Posted June 4th, 2020 at 10:48 am | Log in to reply.

This is my second time making the chicken-mu… love it!
barriehie Las Vegas, NV - USA joined 9/19 & has 2 comments
Posted May 30th, 2020 at 3:01 pm | Log in to reply.

Hello there Maangchi! Thank you so much for your efforts and sharing. I’m quite fond of Korean foods and at this point after making these I’ve no idea why I’ve been buying them.

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Lee_Mei Russia joined 6/19 & has 2 comments
Posted June 10th, 2019 at 1:08 am | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi! I wanna try to make this recipe, but I’m kinda confused about the volume of the cups you use for making the brine. Could you please share the volume of your standard cup in millilitres or some other way so it would be easier to understand the exact volume? Thank you in advance!
- Lee_Mei Russia joined 6/19 & has 2 comments
  Posted June 10th, 2019 at 1:12 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Opps, I didn’t see the you have a special converter for this! Thank you for your work, your recipes are perfect for those who live outside korea and really miss the Korean food ^^
AlexanderKim Boston, MA, USA joined 4/18 & has 5 comments
Posted April 1st, 2019 at 4:48 pm | Log in to reply.

this recipe is also great for mu-ssam! So good with samgyupsal! For the water in the recipe, I used the leftover water after boiling beets, and got this great color!

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sanne Munich joined 8/14 & has 222 comments
Posted March 24th, 2019 at 3:08 pm | Log in to reply.

Made it again yesterday for my husband’s birthday party.

I reduced the amount of sugar to 2/3, cut the (unpeeled) radish into very thin slices via machine and also used only half the amount of water. Still a bit too sweet for my taste, but delicious nonetheless! Everybody loved it.

It goes very well with mackerel, too. Thank you for your video how to gut them. They were rather small this time, but fresh as usual (Turkish supermarket at the corner).
Three males and two females this time. Only one was left after the party…
- Linda001 Canada joined 11/19 & has 1 comment
  Posted November 22nd, 2019 at 12:51 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  You reduce the sugar to 2/3, c. that’s ok but you reduce amount of water with it ! That bring you almost back to the original recipe, that’s why it still a bit too sweet again. For make it less sweet I suggest to keep the 3/4 cup of water, that way you gona taste the difference surely.
  - sanne Munich joined 8/14 & has 222 comments
    Posted May 31st, 2020 at 1:42 am | Log in to reply.
    
    I didn’t reduce the amount of vinegar. The ratio sugar/vinegar is much more important than the less amount of water.
- alyeska907 Anchorage, Alaska joined 3/13 & has 2 comments
  Posted May 5th, 2020 at 7:32 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  2/3 cup is more sugar than a 1/3 cup. No wonder it was too sweet.
  - sanne Munich joined 8/14 & has 222 comments
    Posted May 31st, 2020 at 1:40 am | Log in to reply.
    
    Read again: 2/3 of the amount of sugar mentioned in the recipe. Not 2/3 cups.
00Marx & has 2 comments
Posted February 21st, 2019 at 3:02 pm | Log in to reply.

Mangchi, I just wanted to mention for those who can’t find Diakon or Korean radishes that you can substitute Jicama. I live in Southern Mexico and it is difficult to find radishes here and finding Diakon or Korean radishes is impossible. I was recently in Seoul for 6 weeks and ate a lot of Korean Fried Chicken and a lot of Chicken Mu with it, and realized it had the same texture and crunch as Mexican Jicama. So when I returned to Mexico I made some Korean fried chicken from one of your recipes for my friends and I pickled jicama to go with it. It worked perfectly and holds its crunch for weeks after. Anyway thanks for your recipes and you have taught me how to cook and appreciate Korean foods. :)
shelizar69 Oklahoma (but Texan born and raised) joined 9/18 & has 2 comments
Posted November 29th, 2018 at 10:44 pm | Log in to reply.

Thank you so much for this! I have never had this from the Korean restaurant we go to. (There is only one good one, and it’s over an hour to drive to get there!) Their food is delicious though and I fell in love with their kkakdugi, especially. Since discovering your videos though, I just make it at home, along with so many of your recipes.
I’m going to take some Dakgangjeong to a Christmas party and was going to take my kkakdugi until I saw this recipe! I did it just a little different, though, I hope you approve! I cut my radish into strips, then added a little carrot and some green onion for extra flavor and beautiful holiday colors! What do you think?

Thanks again for your website and videos! My husband and I have never eaten better. Home cooking is so much more delicious!

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted December 2nd, 2018 at 9:32 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Yes, home cooking is the best! I love your holiday chicken-mu, you are so creative! I hope everyone enjoys your food at the party!
Priscilla0704 Minnesota, USA joined 5/18 & has 1 comment
Posted May 6th, 2018 at 12:55 am | Log in to reply.

I used taikon, and it’s really bitter to the taste, what was wrong?
- Chef Jim Corona California joined 2/18 & has 6 comments
  Posted October 31st, 2019 at 5:24 am | Log in to reply.
  
  You need to peel Daikon deeply. All the bitterness is “skin deep”. Don’t leave the skin on.
Prettynana Hong Kong joined 3/18 & has 1 comment
Posted March 13th, 2018 at 11:47 am | Log in to reply.

Reduced salt to 1 teaspoon and used cane sugar instead. Very crunchy and delicious.

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kimchiaddict joined 4/15 & has 9 comments
Posted March 2nd, 2018 at 5:31 am | Log in to reply.

These pickles are so delicious! I’m already into my third batch, and I tried once with daikon, but Korean radishes are so much crispier I’ll stick with Mu! I ran out of white sugar for my last batch, so I made it with dark brown sugar, and the color is not too appetizing, but the taste is even more heavenly! Thanks again for all these wonderful recipes!
EvilGrin joined 6/15 & has 44 comments
Posted February 10th, 2018 at 1:39 am | Log in to reply.

I make mine a bit differently but the flavor is close.

Weep the radish in salt and sugar. Then stain it with turmeric. Give it a quick rinse and cover with the brine.

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted February 17th, 2018 at 2:01 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  It looks gorgeous yellow! I see a few whole black peppers in there, awesome!
  - EvilGrin joined 6/15 & has 44 comments
    Posted February 18th, 2018 at 9:58 am | Log in to reply.
    
    Yes, i add a few whole peppercorns and 1-2 whole dried chili peppers. Both are optional of course.
    
    I make it with nappa too.
Tikachu Pittsburgh, PA joined 2/18 & has 1 comment
Posted February 4th, 2018 at 1:56 am | Log in to reply.

I have never seen Korean radishes at our local Asian market. I was wondering if daikon woukd work as well.
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted February 17th, 2018 at 2:35 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  Yes, you can use it.
- kimchiaddict joined 4/15 & has 9 comments
  Posted March 2nd, 2018 at 5:38 am | Log in to reply.
  
  These pickles are so delicious! I’m already into my third batch, and I tried once with daikon, but Korean radishes are so much crispier I’ll stick with Mu! I ran out of white sugar for my last batch, so I made it with dark brown sugar, and the color is not too appetizing, but the taste is even more heavenly! Thanks again for all these wonderful recipes!
vivien.owl singapore joined 2/18 & has 1 comment
Posted February 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 pm | Log in to reply.

Hi,

you mention 1/3 cup sugar.. but from the video.. it is 1 cup. can you please explain?
- LuccaQ Buffalo,NY joined 6/10 & has 30 comments
  Posted February 3rd, 2018 at 9:49 am | Log in to reply.
  
  If you watch back she does say “one-third cup sugar” so 1/3 is correct.
brandycoke Jakarta joined 2/18 & has 2 comments
Posted February 2nd, 2018 at 8:45 am | Log in to reply.

Hi! Love your recipes and cookbook! I’ve always wanted learn how to make the radish kimchi that is served at Seollungtang restaurants too, love that taste! Would you also have a recipe to share for that?
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted February 4th, 2018 at 1:05 am | Log in to reply.
  
  My seolleongtang recipe is here! https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/seolleongtang
  - brandycoke Jakarta joined 2/18 & has 2 comments
    Posted February 4th, 2018 at 1:31 am | Log in to reply.
    
    Hi Maangchi! Yes!! I’ve tried this recipe previously and loved it, but i cannot recreate the type of special radish kimchi that is served in Seollungtang restaurants, it taste different from the normal radish kimchi. I can’t really describe it but but it’s a little sweeter, tangy and just goes sooo well with Seollungtang as compared to normal radish cube kimchi … Was wondering if there was a special recipe for that or does it have to do with the fermentation time …?
    - flamethr Seoul, Korea joined 2/18 & has 1 comment
      Posted February 18th, 2018 at 1:51 pm | Log in to reply.
      
      I googled with korean for special recipe. The secret recipe for Seollungtang kimchi is adding a ‘Yakult drink’. It will add that sweetness and tangy taste. I hope it helped you.