Fragrant Chwinamul Muchim (Seasoned Aster Greens)
A seasoned vegetable side dish made by blanching chwinamul and tossing it gently with soup soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to bring out its distinctive aroma.
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 →
This chwinamul dish stimulates the appetite with its unique fragrance and pleasantly bitter taste. Blanching briefly in boiling water and squeezing out the liquid while leaving behind just a bit of moisture ensures it turns out moist rather than tough. Toss cleanly with soup soy sauce and salt, or switch to a gochugaru seasoning if you prefer it spicy.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chwinamul (aster scaber)200 g
- Coarse sea salt1/2 tbsp (for blanching)
- Water5 cups
Seasoning
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) (or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1 tsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Minced green onion1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Ground toasted sesame seeds
- 200 g of chwinamul is the weight before blanching, about two handfuls when gathered by hand.
Steps
1.–2. Pluck off blemished leaves and thick, tough stems.
Wash clean in water.
3. Add coarse sea salt to vigorously boiling water.
4. Add the chwinamul and blanch.
I left the greens in for about 2 minutes; once the greens feel tender when touched by hand, you can stop blanching.
If blanched for too long, the texture suffers and becomes unpleasantly mushy.
If you cannot tell by touch, rinse a single leaf in cold water and chew it to check.
5. Rinse the blanched chwinamul right away in cold water and squeeze out the moisture.
Do not squeeze too tightly; leave a little moisture remaining.
6. Cut into bite-sized lengths.
7. Add all the seasoning ingredients and toss evenly.
You can also use this seasoning for spinach namul or other seasoned vegetable dishes.
8. If it tastes bland, add a little salt to adjust the seasoning.
Gochugaru variation (serves 2–3)
Ingredients: 200 g chwinamul
Seasoning: 1.5 (1 1/2) tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tbsp minced green onion, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, ground toasted sesame seeds
Ppunwife's tips
- If blanched for too long, the texture suffers and becomes unpleasantly mushy.
- When squeezing the blanched chwinamul, do not squeeze too tightly; leave a little moisture remaining.
- You can also use this seasoning for spinach namul or other seasoned vegetable dishes.
FAQ
How can I tell if the chwinamul is properly blanched?
Blanch it in boiling water for about 2 minutes; it is ready when it feels tender to the touch. If it is hard to tell, rinse one leaf in cold water and chew it to check.
How much water should I squeeze out of the blanched chwinamul?
After rinsing in cold water, squeeze lightly so that a little moisture remains rather than wringing it completely dry.
Is there a way to make it spicy?
Instead of the basic soy sauce seasoning, toss the greens with 1.5 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp gochugaru, minced green onion, minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, and ground toasted sesame seeds for a spicy version.
