Yi Kyubo, a Korean writer of the mid-Goryeo period, once published some of his works he wrote about different types of vegetables on a compilation book called <Donggukisanggukjip>. One of the poems was about mu or Korean radish, and it goes like this. ‘Pickle it in soy sauce and it’s perfect for summer. Pickle it in salt and you’re all set for winter, When the roots underground become bulky, That’s the perfect time to cut them with a sharp knife as if they were pears.’
As you can see from the fact that a poem like this was written during the Goryeo period, mu radish was an indispensable vegetable on a Korean dining table for a very long time. The reason for that is probably because mu radish was an ingredient that could be easily found at any time of the year, along with cabbage, chili pepper, and garlic. Mu radish is a vegetable that has sweetness, refreshing taste, and spiciness, you can use it for many different recipes like saengchae (raw salad), kimchi, jorim, namul, jeongol, and guk. In fact, according to one statistic, there are over 100 different types of Korean food that use mu.
Jeju Woldong mu radish that’s eaten in the springtime after being grown in fertile volcanic soil in the winter’s frost is loved by many for its higher sugar content and refreshingly crunchy texture. Jeju Woldong mu is sowed between late August and mid-September and harvested between mid-November and mid-April of the year after. It’s a healthy food that’s rich in various beneficial nutrients like moisture, vitamin C, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, and protocatechuic acid.
Woldong mu helps accelerate digestion and improve the conditions of cardiovascular diseases and even has detoxifying properties. It’s also written in <Donguibogam: Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine> that mu’s cooling and spicy properties help strengthen the lungs’ functions.
Woldong mu radish, a proud specialty of Jeju Island, is experiencing a recession with the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affecting the market in restaurants and school meals. Despite the pandemic, Woldong mu’s sweet flavors and its nutrients and benefits aren’t going anywhere, so why don’t you try enjoying them through different recipes? Enjoy Woldong mu’s true flavors perfect for spring with today’s Korean soup recipe, Mu Doenjang Jjigae, and get your healthy meals in check as well!
