Korean Mu-namul, Stir-Fried Radish

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Jeonju Hanok Village

📍 Where this dish comes from: Jeonju · Jeonju Hanok Village
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Korean Mu-namul, plated and ready to serve

Mu-namul is tender strips of Korean radish gently stir-fried with garlic and sesame oil until sweet and translucent. It is a comforting, mild side dish that is often part of holiday namul platters. Korean radish is naturally low in carbs and very satisfying.

Per serving: 90 calories · 3.6 g net carbs · 1 g protein · 7 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Korean Mu-namul

Korean Mu-namul, plated and ready to serve

Korean Mu-namul, Stir-Fried Radish

Mu-namul is tender strips of Korean radish gently stir-fried with garlic and sesame oil until sweet and translucent. It is a comforting, mild side dish that is often part of holiday namul platters. Korean radish is naturally low in carbs and very satisfying.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 90kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Korean radish or daikon cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup water or anchovy broth
  • 1 scallion chopped
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Heat the avocado oil and half the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the radish and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
  • Add the salt and water, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the radish is soft and translucent.
  • Uncover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to evaporate any remaining liquid.
  • Stir in the remaining sesame oil, scallion and sesame seeds.

Notes

Cut the radish into even matchsticks so it cooks uniformly. Korean radish (mu) is denser and sweeter than daikon, but both work well.
Chef's Tip: Add a pinch of perilla seed powder (deulkkae garu) at the end for a nutty, traditional finish.
Keto Swap: Mu-namul is naturally keto. Radish is a great low-carb stand-in for potatoes throughout this book.
Success Tip: Because it is mild and slightly sweet, this is often a favorite vegetable side dish for young children.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 90kcal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 2g
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Cooking Korean Mu-namul in the kitchen

About This Dish

Mu, the Korean radish, is shorter, rounder and denser than the long Japanese daikon, with a pale green top. It is one of the most important vegetables in Korea, used in kimchi, soups, braises and namul. Radish was traditionally stored in pits dug in the ground to keep it fresh through winter. Mu-namul is a standard part of the three-color namul platter served for ancestral rites. Korean radishes are at their sweetest in late autumn.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 8: Vegetables (Jeonju Hanok Village). See all Korean recipes

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