Maneuljjong Muchim (Seasoned Garlic Scapes) in 5 Minutes
A 5-minute side dish of lightly blanched garlic scapes tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang seasoning to keep them crisp.
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 →
Briefly blanch the garlic scapes in boiling salted water, rinse them in cold water, and drain thoroughly so the seasoning clings properly without slipping off. The key is preserving their crisp crunch and pungent aroma, tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce for a wonderful everyday side dish.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 5 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes200 g (after cleaning)
- Coarse sea salt1 tbsp
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Trimming based on where the flower bud sits makes the job easy; cut into 3 to 4 cm lengths.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Here is 200g of garlic scapes with the flower buds trimmed off.
This amount is plenty for one meal for a family of 4.
Cut the garlic scapes
Since the flower buds were already trimmed, I cut them straight into lengths of about 3 to 4 cm.
This is the method I shared previously when prepping garlic scapes; trimming based on the flower buds makes it quick and easy.
Blanch the garlic scapes
First, add water to a pot, stir in 1 tbsp coarse sea salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
Blanch the garlic scapes for about 30 seconds.
You can quickly chew one while blanching to check and adjust the time so they stay crisp.
If you hesitate on when to take them out, both the crisp texture and aroma will be lost and they will not taste good.
Remove them immediately and rinse in cold water to cool them down quickly.
Make sure they cool completely to the core, then drain well in a colander.
If any moisture remains, the seasoning will not cling tightly, making both the taste and appearance less appealing.
Make the seasoning
In a bowl, combine the seasoning ingredients: 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste), 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), and 1 tsp sugar.
Mix them in advance so the flavors blend together.
Toss and season
Add the drained garlic scapes and toss gently by hand. Taste and adjust with salt if it is under-seasoned, and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
It tastes even better with plenty of nutty richness at the end, so finish by mixing in 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
I like garlic scape pickles to be tangy, but for blanched garlic scape banchan, it tastes better without vinegar.
Done in just 5 minutes.
It is a simple yet delicious side dish.
The life of this seasoned garlic scape dish is its crisp texture.
If you blanch them until mushy, the flavor drops dramatically, so pay close attention just to the blanching step and make yourself a delicious side dish.
Ppunwife's tips
- Take them out when they seem just slightly undercooked; that way, once seasoned, they will satisfy you with both great texture and wonderful aroma.
- Drain the blanched garlic scapes thoroughly in a colander so that the seasoning clings tightly.
FAQ
What is the most important thing to watch for when blanching garlic scapes?
Blanch them briefly for only about 30 seconds and take them out while they still feel slightly underdone to preserve their crisp texture and aroma without turning soft.
Why do the blanched garlic scapes need to be drained so thoroughly?
If any moisture remains on the garlic scapes, the gochujang seasoning will not stick well and both the flavor and appearance will suffer.
Can I add vinegar to the seasoning?
Unlike pickled garlic scapes, this blanched and seasoned version tastes much better without vinegar.
