Cozy Radish Rice (무밥) – One-Pot Korean Comfort
Looking for a simple, wholesome meal that feels like home? Radish rice (Mu-bap, 무밥) is a humble yet incredibly satisfying Korean dish where thinly sliced Korean radish is cooked together with rice, absorbing all the sweetness and subtle earthiness of the root. It’s soft, savory, and comforting—perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or when you want something nourishing without fuss.
Traditionally made in a regular pot or rice cooker, radish rice becomes extra flavorful when cooked in a Donabe pot, the Japanese-style earthenware or stone pot (ttukbaegi). The donabe’s heat retention allows the flavors to concentrate, and it gives the rice that irresistible, lightly crisp bottom layer (nurungji). It’s a small upgrade that brings a lot of depth.
Paired with a bold, umami-rich soy sauce seasoning drizzled on top, this dish is minimalist Korean cooking at its best.
Equipment
Ingredients
- Main
- short-grain white rice
- water
- daikon radish
- Sauce
- soy sauce
- soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang; or use more regular soy sauce)
- chopped green onion
- gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- sesame oil
- salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Soak it in water for about 30 minutes to ensure fluffy and evenly cooked grains.
- Wash and peel the radish. Slice it into thin matchsticks or half-moons (around 2–3mm thick). Chop up the green onion.
- Drain the soaked rice and place it in a pot.
- Add 1½ cups fresh water, then layer the sliced radish on top. Cover with a lid and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Open the lid 2–3 times during cooking to gently stir and help the flavors mix.
- While the rice cooks, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Adjust saltiness or spice level to taste.
- Once the rice is cooked and the radish is tender, fluff everything together with a rice paddle. Plate the radish rice in bowls and serve with the soy sauce mix on the side. Drizzle or spoon it over just before eating.
Tips
- Use Korean radish (mu): It’s firmer, sweeter, and more aromatic than Western daikon.
- Stirring mid-cook helps prevent sticking and ensures even radish flavor throughout.
- Rice cooker option: You can cook this in a rice cooker using the same method—just layer the radish on top before starting the cook cycle.
Radish rice
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup short-grain white rice
- 1 cup water
- 150 g daikon radish
Sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp soup soy sauce guk-ganjang; or use more regular soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chopped green onion
- ½ tsp gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Soak it in water for about 30 minutes to ensure fluffy and evenly cooked grains.
- Wash and peel the radish. Slice it into thin matchsticks or half-moons (around 2–3mm thick). Chop up the green onion.
- Drain the soaked rice and place it in a pot. Add 1½ cups fresh water, then layer the sliced radish on top. Cover with a lid and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Open the lid 2–3 times during cooking to gently stir and help the flavors mix.
- While the rice cooks, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Adjust saltiness or spice level to taste.
- Once the rice is cooked and the radish is tender, fluff everything together with a rice paddle. Plate the radish rice in bowls and serve with the soy sauce mix on the side. Drizzle or spoon it over just before eating.
