Crisp Maneuljjong Muchim (Seasoned Garlic Scapes) in 20 Minutes
A springtime vegetable side dish blanched briefly in boiling water and tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang seasoning.
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 →
Garlic scapes, a seasonal spring vegetable, are lightly blanched in salted water to preserve their crisp texture, then tossed in a gochujang seasoning. With a simple cooking time of under 20 minutes, anyone can make it easily. Its pungent, sweet, and spicy flavor stimulates the appetite and makes it great as a lunchbox side dish.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes2 handfuls, 200 g (heaping)
- Garlic scapes2 handfuls, 200 g (heaping)
Seasoning
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Salta little
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- 200 g is about half a bundle.
Steps
1. Cut the garlic scapes into 3 to 4 cm lengths.
200 g is about half a bundle.
2. Add a little salt (1/2 tbsp) to rolling boiling water and blanch briefly, about 1 minute.
3. Rinse in cold water and drain...
4. Add all the seasoning ingredients and mix together...
5. Add the blanched garlic scapes and seasoning to a bowl...
6. Toss everything evenly to finish.
1. Heat oil in a preheated pan and stir-fry the blanched and drained garlic scapes (from step 3 above).
Once they become glossy...
2. Add 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp corn syrup, 1 tbsp gochugaru, and 1/2 tbsp minced garlic,
then stir-fry so the garlic scapes and seasonings blend together...
If it needs more seasoning, adjust with a little salt, then finish by adding toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you like raw garlic scapes, you can toss them in the seasoning directly without blanching.
- If you stir-fry garlic scapes raw, they take longer to cook, causing the skins to wrinkle and lose their crispness; blanching them briefly and stir-frying quickly keeps them much crisper.
- For a kids' side dish, just leave out the gochugaru from the seasoning when stir-frying.
- Depending on your preference, adding a little vinegar for a tangy kick is also great.
FAQ
Do I have to blanch the garlic scapes before cooking?
If you prefer the natural pungent aroma and kick of raw garlic scapes, you can skip blanching and toss them directly in the seasoning.
What is the advantage of blanching the garlic scapes before stir-frying?
Stir-frying them raw takes longer to cook through, leaving the surface wrinkled and less crunchy, but blanching them briefly beforehand and stir-frying quickly keeps their crisp texture intact.
How should I make this if serving it to children?
Stir-fry them while leaving out the gochugaru from the seasoning ingredients, making it non-spicy and perfect for kids.
Can I add vinegar to the seasoning for maneuljjong muchim?
Yes, you can add a small amount of vinegar to taste for a refreshing, tangy flavor.
