Nutty Goguma Julgi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems)
A summer side dish of blanched sweet potato stems stir-fried until tender with anchovy broth and perilla seed powder.
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 →
Blanch seasonal sweet potato stems, then simmer them gently with anchovy broth under a lid to bring out their tender texture. Finished with perilla seed powder and perilla oil, this special summer side dish offers a deeply nutty flavor.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servingsOriginal: 2 plates
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Sweet potato stems300 g (after cleaning)
- Coarse sea salt1 tbsp
- Anchovy broth4 tbsp
Seasoning
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Minced green onion3 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Perilla seed powder2 tbsp
- Perilla oil (or toasted sesame oil)1 tbsp
- Cut off the leaves first, then peel the skin; if the skin does not peel easily, blanch the stems in rolling boiling water with a little salt for about 3 minutes, rinse in cold water, and they will peel easily.
Steps
Prepare the sweet potato stems
I brought home fresh sweet potato stems with the leaves still attached.
Cut off the leaves first.
Fresh sweet potato stems peel easily.
If the skin snaps midway, you can snap the stem and keep peeling.
If the skin does not peel easily, blanch the stems in rolling boiling water with a little salt for about 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water, and they will peel well.
If you peel the sweet potato stems after blanching like this, you can skip step 3 below.
We will cook with 300 g of cleaned sweet potato stems.
Blanch the sweet potato stems
Pour in enough water to submerge the sweet potato stems, add 1 tbsp coarse sea salt, and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes.
Since they will be seasoned and stir-fried, you do not need to boil them for long; once the stiffness is gone and they turn tender, take them out.
Rinse in cold water, then drain in a colander to remove the water.
I cut them into bite-sized lengths of 3 to 4 cm.
Season
Put the sweet potato stems in a bowl, add 1 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp minced green onion, and 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), then mix gently by hand.
Stir-fry
Grease a pan with oil, add the sweet potato stems, and stir-fry briskly.
Add 4 tbsp anchovy broth, mix together, cover with a lid, and let it steam so the seasoning soaks in and the sweet potato stems become tender.
Add 1/2 tsp salt to adjust any missing seasoning, then finish with 2 tbsp perilla seed powder and 1 tbsp perilla oil or toasted sesame oil.
Done
After buying one bunch and cleaning it, it makes enough for about two meals.
Today I made a nutty perilla version, and because the skin peeled well, it is truly tender.
Enjoy the rich, nutty flavor of perilla with this sweet potato stem side dish.
Next time, I will make another version and share it.
Ppunwife's tips
- Since they will be seasoned and stir-fried, you do not need to boil them for long; once the stiffness is gone and they turn tender, take them out.
- Add 4 tbsp anchovy broth, mix together, cover with a lid, and let it steam so the seasoning soaks in and the sweet potato stems become tender.
FAQ
What should I do if the sweet potato stems do not peel easily?
Add a little salt to boiling water, blanch them lightly for about 3 minutes, and rinse in cold water to peel them easily. If prepared this way, you can skip the later stem-blanching step.
Why do you pour broth when stir-frying after seasoning?
Adding anchovy broth and covering with a lid to let it steam allows the seasoning to soak in evenly and makes the sweet potato stems even more tender.
Can I use a different oil instead of perilla oil?
You can finish with toasted sesame oil instead of perilla oil.
