Kkaennip Sun Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Perilla Sprout Greens)
A savory side dish made by briefly blanching baby perilla leaves and stir-frying them quickly with perilla oil and basic seasonings.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Baby perilla leaves are briefly blanched in boiling water and stir-fried quickly over high heat in perilla oil to preserve their vibrant green color and tender texture. Thanks to the naturally rich aroma of baby perilla leaves, they turn out nutty and savory with just basic seasonings like soy sauce and garlic. With a short cooking time of around 20 minutes, it is perfect to prepare as an everyday side dish.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 1 plate
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Baby perilla leaves200 g
- Large green onion (daepa)2 tbsp (finely chopped)
- Red chili pepper1 (thinly sliced)
- Perilla oil2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Pluck only the leaves from the thick stems, soak them in water, wash several times, and drain.
- If you like spicy food, you can slice and add 1 Cheongyang chili pepper instead of the red chili pepper.
Steps
1. Pluck only the leaves from the thick stems of the baby perilla leaves.
2. Soak them in water, wash several times, and drain.
3. Drop the baby perilla leaves into rolling boiling water, take them out immediately, and rinse several times in cold water.
4. Gently squeeze out the moisture, then shake apart any leaves that are clumped together with your hands.
5. Finely chop large green onion (daepa) to get 2 tbsp and cut 1 red chili pepper into thin strips. If you like spicy food, you can slice and add 1 Cheongyang chili pepper.
6. Add the large green onion, red chili pepper, regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), and mirin (cooking rice wine) to the baby perilla leaves and toss gently.
7. Heat a pan, add 2 tbsp of perilla oil, and add minced garlic to release its aroma.
Today, I stir-fried with perilla oil to enhance the nutty flavor of the perilla leaves.
8. Add the seasoned baby perilla leaves and stir-fry quickly over high heat. Adjust any missing seasoning with salt.
Stir-frying quickly over high heat keeps the perilla leaves' green color intact and prevents them from becoming tough.
Depending on your preference, you can also stir-fry them with a little rich anchovy broth or anchovy powder.
Thanks to the deep, nutty flavor of baby perilla leaves themselves, they are delicious with minimal seasoning.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying quickly over high heat preserves the green color of the perilla leaves and keeps them tender rather than tough.
- Depending on your preference, you can also stir-fry them with a bit of rich anchovy broth or anchovy powder.
FAQ
How can I add some spiciness?
Depending on your taste, you can slice and add 1 Cheongyang chili pepper instead of the red chili pepper for a spicy kick.
Is there a way to stir-fry perilla leaves so they do not become tough?
Stir-frying them quickly over high heat prevents them from becoming tough and helps maintain their vibrant green color.
What ingredients can I add if I want more umami?
Depending on your preference, adding a little rich anchovy broth or anchovy powder while stir-frying pairs very well.
