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1
Julienne the fresh doraji into fine strips, keeping the strands even so they wilt and release liquid at the same rate. Toss with the coarse salt in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, so the salt draws liquid from within the root, not just its surface.
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2
This is where the dish lives or dies. Gather the salted doraji in both fists and squeeze firmly — release, toss, and squeeze again, repeating for a minimum of three firm squeezes — so that the bitter white juice is forced out of the fibres and the root's sharpness softens to its characteristic mild, pleasant bitterness. Continue until the expressed juice runs pale and the volume released is minimal; insufficient squeezing cannot be corrected later.
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3
Rinse the squeezed doraji thoroughly under cold running water, so none of the coarse salt lingers in the fibres, which absorb it aggressively. Taste a strand: it should carry mild, residual bitterness with no pronounced saltiness — if it still tastes sharp with salt, rinse again.
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4
Squeeze out as much rinse water as possible by hand, so the sesame oil coats the strands cleanly rather than sliding off wet surfaces. The strands should feel silky and pliable, not waterlogged.
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5
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil, then the doraji, stir-frying briskly for 2–3 minutes and seasoning with fine salt — for the spiced version, add the gochugaru with the sesame oil and stir through before adding the doraji, so the flakes bloom in the oil and colour the strands evenly. Pull the pan from the heat the moment the strands are tender but still hold their form, as long cooking turns the root stringy; the pan will smell of toasted sesame and warm root vegetable.
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6
Transfer to a serving dish. The finished namul should be white and silky (흰 도라지나물) or evenly coated in red (고추 도라지나물), with a texture that yields to the teeth while retaining a faint resistance, and a mild bitterness on the back of the palate — this is the intended character of the dish.