Sweet and Tangy Sebalnamul Muchim (Seasoned Spergularia Greens)
A spring greens side dish made with quickly blanched sebalnamul (spergularia) tossed in regular soy sauce, gochugaru, and vinegar.
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 side dish quickly blanches mild sebalnamul in boiling water to preserve its texture before tossing it with seasonings. Because the thin stems absorb seasoning quickly, keeping the initial saltiness light is the key. Adding fragrant toasted sesame oil at the very end when tossing helps bring out its full aroma.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Sebalnamul (spergularia)100 g
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Vinegar1 tbsp
- Minced green onion1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oila little
- Toasted sesame seedsa little
- It is quite clean so there is hardly anything to trim, but if the very ends of the stems feel hard and unpleasantly tough to chew, simply snap those off.
Steps
1. Here is what sebalnamul looks like. They say it got its name because it resembles birds' feet.
Even though it grows absorbing the salt from tidal flats, it does not taste salty, nor is it bitter.
2. It is quite clean so there is hardly anything to trim, but if the very ends of the stems feel hard and unpleasantly tough to chew, simply snap those off.
3. After washing thoroughly in water...
4. Add a little salt to rolling boiling water, drop in the greens, and blanch quickly.
Stir with chopsticks as soon as you put the greens in, and once they slightly wilt all over, take them out immediately and rinse in cold water.
If you blanch them for too long, they lose too much volume, become unappealing, and lose their crisp texture, so it is best to blanch quickly.
5. Squeeze out the moisture firmly and loosen the clumped greens well.
6. Combine all the seasoning ingredients and mix.
Save only the toasted sesame oil to add at the very end when tossing.
You can also mix it like a chogochujang sauce by adding gochujang.
7. Add the seasoning...
8. Toss and massage gently so the seasoning absorbs evenly throughout.
Adding the toasted sesame oil at the very end among the seasonings preserves its aroma best.
Taste and add more regular soy sauce if it tastes bland, and adjust sugar or vinegar to your preference.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you blanch them for too long, they lose too much volume, become unappealing, and lose their crisp texture, so it is best to blanch quickly.
- Adding the toasted sesame oil at the very end among the seasonings preserves its aroma best.
- Because the greens are thin and absorb seasoning easily, it is best to season lightly at first and then adjust to taste.
- Blanching softens its crunchy texture slightly, but eating it raw lets you enjoy an even crunchier texture.
FAQ
Can I eat sebalnamul raw without blanching?
Tossing it raw brings out its unique crunchy texture even better, and it works great as an accompaniment to meat or in salads.
What should I be careful of when blanching the greens?
If blanched too long, it loses its volume and the texture turns mushy, so drop it into boiling water, stir, and immediately remove and rinse in cold water once it wilts slightly.
Can I use gochujang instead of the soy sauce seasoning?
You can add gochujang to make a sweet and tangy chogochujang-style dish.
Is there a reason toasted sesame oil is not mixed in advance with the other seasonings?
Adding toasted sesame oil at the final tossing stage preserves its rich, savory aroma to the fullest.
