Deodeok-saengchae (Spicy Lance Asiabell Root Salad)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small knife or vegetable peeler
• •Rolling pin or knife handle for pounding
• •Plastic wrap or a clean food bag
• •Medium mixing bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the roots

   Rinse the deodeok under cold water, scrubbing away soil from the grooves. Peel thinly with a small knife or vegetable peeler. The sticky sap is part of the root's character, so do not soak it for a long time trying to make it disappear. A quick rinse is enough.

2. 2

   Rub and rinse

   Sprinkle the peeled roots with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and rub them gently for 30 seconds, then rinse in 4 cups cold water and drain well. This takes away harsh surface bitterness without washing out the deodeok's own fragrance. Pat the roots dry with a clean towel so the dressing will cling.

   If your deodeok is very young and mild, skip the salt rub. Taste a thin end first. Write that down. Roots from different markets do not behave the same.
3. 3

   Split and pound

   Split thick roots lengthwise into halves or quarters, then lay them between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a clean food bag. Pound with a rolling pin or the side of a knife handle until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick and the surface looks slightly frayed. Bruise it, do not shred it. The pounding softens the fibers so the salad stays crisp instead of woody.

4. 4

   Tear by hand

   Tear the pounded deodeok into rough strips about 3 inches long and 1/3 inch wide. Do this by hand along the grain. A knife makes clean edges, but clean edges do not hold the seasoning as well. The uneven surface is useful here.

5. 5

   Mix the dressing

   In a bowl large enough for tossing, mix the gochugaru, gochujang, rice vinegar, maesil-cheong or sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil, scallion, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame seeds. Taste the dressing before the root goes in. It should be bright, lightly sweet, and only moderately salty, because the deodeok will bring bitterness and perfume of its own.

6. 6

   Season by hand

   Add the deodeok strips to the dressing and toss by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, lifting and turning until every strip is thinly coated. Do not squeeze it into a paste. The salad should look red and glossy in streaks, not buried under sauce. Let it taste like itself.

7. 7

   Rest and finish

   Let the salad rest 10 minutes at room temperature so the dressing settles into the bruised fibers. Taste one strip. If it needs brightness, add 1 teaspoon more vinegar. If the root is very bitter, add 1/2 teaspoon more maesil-cheong or a small pinch of sugar. Finish with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and serve in a small mound as banchan.

Chef Tips

• •Buy firm, pale deodeok with a clean herbal smell and no black soft spots. Thick roots are easier to pound; thin roots dry out quickly and turn stringy.
• •Fresh deodeok is best in late autumn through winter, when the root has more body. Cook the month you're standing in: if the market has only tired, woody roots, make doraji-muchim (seasoned bellflower root) instead and wait for better deodeok.
• •Use gochujang for body, not as the whole dressing. Too much paste makes the salad muddy and sweet. Gochugaru and vinegar should carry the clean edge.
• •Gloves help with the sticky sap and the chili dressing. That is a safe corner to cut. The pounding is not. Skip it and the root will eat like rope.

Advance Preparation

• •The deodeok can be peeled, salt-rubbed, rinsed, dried, and kept wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before seasoning.
• •The dressing can be mixed up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Stir before using, because the sesame oil will separate.
• •Season the salad no more than 2 hours before serving if you want the best crunch. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated, but the root softens and the garlic grows stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 90g)