Crispy Maneuljong Bokkeum (Stir Fried Garlic Scapes)
A spring side dish of garlic scapes braised in seasoning liquid without blanching to keep them crispy.
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 braises in-season garlic scapes in a soy sauce seasoning liquid without blanching them in boiling water first, keeping both texture and flavor. Leave a bit of shallow liquid rather than boiling it completely dry so they stay moist until the very last bite.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servingsOriginal: 3 plates
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes300 g
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))3 1/2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Water3 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Cut into bite-sized 4 cm lengths and discard the flower buds. Using the flower bud in the middle as a guide makes cutting easy; rinse under running water and drain in a sieve.
- When stir-frying, you can also add dried anchovies or dried shrimp for a nutritious side dish that kids will love.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Cut into bite-sized 4 cm lengths. Discard the flower buds. This gives you 300 g of trimmed garlic scapes.
Using the flower bud in the middle as a guide makes cutting easy.
Rinse under running water and drain in a sieve.
Stir-frying
Stir-fry
Heat oil in a heated pan and stir-fry lightly until the surface turns bright, then add 3 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), 1/2 tbsp sugar, and 3 tbsp water.
Once the seasoning comes to a bubbling boil, stir and braise over medium heat so the garlic scapes absorb the flavors.
Stir-frying the garlic scapes by braising them in seasoning without blanching gives them a wonderful texture and lets the flavor soak right in, making them much tastier.
When the seasoning has soaked into the garlic scapes and reduced down to a shallow liquid, taste and adjust with a little salt if it is bland.
Turn off the heat, add the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, and mix well to finish.
Do not simmer the seasoning completely dry; leave some liquid so it stays moist until you finish eating it.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying the garlic scapes by braising them in seasoning without blanching gives them a wonderful texture and lets the flavor soak right in, making them much tastier.
- Do not boil the seasoning down completely dry; leave some liquid so they stay moist right until you finish eating.
FAQ
Do I need to blanch the garlic scapes before cooking?
Braising them directly in the seasoning without blanching preserves their unique crisp texture and helps the flavor soak in deeply.
How much should I reduce the seasoning liquid?
Turn off the heat while there is still a shallow amount of liquid left, without reducing it completely dry, so they stay moist all the way through.
Can I add ingredients other than garlic scapes?
You can adapt this into an even more flavorful and nutritious side dish by stir-frying with dried anchovies or dried shrimp.
