''Gegeolmu'', or gegeol radish, is a variety of

white radish Daikon or mooli, ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia, daikon is harvested and consumed ...

. It is a round, pungent radish with a thick rind and firm flesh that does not get soft even after a few years of storage as

kimchi ''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including '' gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), ...

. Being a speciality crop of

Icheon Icheon () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Together with Yeoju, Icheon is known as a center of South Korean ceramic manufacturing and is a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art. Other famous local products include peaches and rice. Loc ...

and

Yeoju Yeoju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yeoju was a county but was raised to the status of a city in September 2013. Together with the neighboring city of Icheon, it is known as a major center of contemporary South Korean ceramics, ...

in Korea, gegeol radish has been included in the

Ark of Taste The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distin ...

, an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods.

Description

The gegeol radish, smaller and firmer than regular Korean radishes, weighs about , including the

taproot A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...

and the greens. This bulbous conical or napiform root vegetable is about in diameter and in circumference. Its greens tend to grow outward rather than upward. Compared to regular Korean radishes, the gegeol radish has a lower water content but more

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...

, fibre, and minerals (

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosph ...

, and

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

). It also has a higher content of a sulfur compound that is responsible for its sharper taste. With regard to enzymes, the

protease A protease (also called a peptidase, proteinase, or proteolytic enzyme) is an enzyme that catalyzes (increases reaction rate or "speeds up") proteolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids, and spurring the ...

and

myrosinase Myrosinase (, ''thioglucoside glucohydrolase'', ''sinigrinase'', and ''sinigrase'') is a family of enzymes involved in plant defense against herbivores, specifically the mustard oil bomb. The three-dimensional structure has been elucidated and is ...

activities of the Gegeol radish are higher but the α-amylose activity is lower than regular Korean radishes.

Cultivation

The gegeol radish has traditionally been grown for household consumption in

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

fields or

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...

fields in the

and

areas of South Korea, in between the rows of the main crops. More recently, it is also being cultivated as a local specialty crop for commercial purposes. Either the seeds or the roots are planted in early spring. In late spring or early summer, the seeds for the next spring can be gathered. The young leaves can be harvested throughout the spring, summer, and autumn for use as

namul Namul ( ko, 나물) refers to either a variety of edible grass or leaves or seasoned herbal dishes made of them. Wild greens are called ''san-namul'' (, "mountain namul"), and spring vegetables are called ''bom-namul'' (, "spring namul"). On t ...

vegetables. In autumn, the entire plant is harvested.

Culinary use

Because of the pungent cruciferous flavour, the roots of the gegeol radish are often consumed after having been salted and buried in the ground during the winter. The greens are used fresh or dried in namuls,

soups Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingr ...

, and other dishes. Ingredients * ''gegeolmu-jocheong'' or gegeol radish syrup – made by the usual ''

jocheong ''Cheong'' () is a name for various sweetened foods in the form of syrups, marmalades, and fruit preserves. In Korean cuisine, ''cheong'' is used as a tea base, as a honey-or-sugar-substitute in cooking, as a condiment, and also as an alternativ ...

'' (rice syrup)-making process, but substituting water with radish juice, squeezed out from boiled down gegeol radishes. * ''gegeolmu-ssi-gireum'' or gegeol radish seed oil – made by pressing gegeol radish seeds. * ''mucheong'' – radish greens, dried to make ''

siraegi ''Siraegi'' () is a Korean ingredient prepared by drying the leaves and stems of a radish or, less commonly, of a napa cabbage. ''Siraegi'' dishes * ''Siraegi-jijimi'' – a type of ''jijimi'' that is made by first cutting soaked ''siraegi'' i ...

'' or used fresh in cooking. * ''mu-mallaengi'' – dried radish, prepared by

julienning Julienne, , or french cut, is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks. Common items to be julienned are carrots for , celery for , potatoes for julienne fries, or cucumbers for . Trimmi ...

radishes and sun-drying them. * ''

'' – dried radish greens. Gegeol radish ''siraegi'' makes a good addition to dak-bokkeum-tang. Dishes * ''gegeolmu-dongchimi'' – a type of ''

dongchimi ''Dongchimi'' is a variety of kimchi consisting of Korean radish, napa cabbage, scallions, pickled green chilli, ginger, Korean pear and watery brine in Korean cuisine. As the name ''dong'' (hangul: 동; hanja: 冬; literally "winter") and '' ...

'' (radish water

), made by pouring boiled and then cooled water onto sliced and salted gegeol radishes, pickled chilli, and the ingredients that are put in a cheesecloth bag: apples,

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...

s, garlics, gingers, chili seeds,

scallions Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chi ...

, and

mustard greens ''Brassica juncea'', commonly brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard, is a species of mustard plant. Cultivar ''Brassica juncea'' cultivars can be divided into four major subgroups ...

. The ingredients in the cheesecloth bag are taken out after 20–30 days. * ''gegeolmu-kimchi'' – a type of

, made by marinating diced and salted gegeol radish with lightly salted

and seasoning. The seasoning can be made by boiling glutinous rice powder in water, cooling it, and mixing in

fish sauce Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao ...

chili powder Chili powder (also spelled chile, chilli, or, alternatively, powdered chili) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (in which case it is also sometimes known as chili p ...

, chopped

scallion Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus '' Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, c ...

s, minced garlic, grated ginger, and plum syrup. It is a salty kimchi that lasts more than three years. * ''gegeolmu-jangajji'' – a type of ''

jangajji ''Jangajji'' () or pickled vegetables is a type of ''banchan'' (side dish) made by pickling vegetables. * Unlike kimchi, ''jangajji'' is non-fermented vegetables, usually pickled in soy sauce, soybean paste, or chili paste. ''Jangajji'' dishe ...

'' (pickled dish), made by dying diced and salted gegeol radish with gardenia seed water, then soaking it in brine and letting it age. Tea and desserts * ''gegeolmu-cha'' or gegeol radish tea – made by dry-frying sliced gegeol radishes. The tea is known as a natural antioxidant and also helps with respiratory ailments or light digestive problems. * ''gegeolmu-jeonggwa'' – a type of ''

jeonggwa ''Jeonggwa'' () is a crispy, chewy ''hangwa'' (traditional Korean confection) with vivid colors and a translucent look. It can be made by boiling sliced fruits, roots, or seeds in honey, ''mullyeot'' (rice syrup), or sugar water, then drying the ...

'', made by salting thinly sliced gegeol radishes overnight and draining it, then soaking them in rice syrup for 10 minutes and drying the soaked pieces on a tray for a day. When properly dried, the pieces are made into flower shapes. File:Gegeolmu_seed_oil_(Korean_radish).jpg, Gegeol radish seed oil

References

{{reflist Asian radishes Korean vegetables Leaf vegetables Root vegetables

Description

Cultivation

Culinary use

See also

References