Meowidae Deulkkae Bokkeum (Stir Fried Coltsfoot in Perilla Seeds)
A savory summer side dish made by pouring broth over blanched butterbur stems and stir-frying them with perilla seed powder and perilla oil.
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 savory side dish is made by blanching early summer butterbur stems, peeling their skins, and stir-frying them with perilla seasonings. Pour in anchovy broth and cover with a lid to cook them tender all the way through, then finish moist with perilla seed powder. Staggering the boiling time by starting with the thicker stems helps keep an even texture throughout.
- Servings
- about 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Butterbur stems (meowidae)500 g (after cleaning)
- Coarse sea salt1 tbsp
- Anchovy broth (or water)1/2 cup
Seasoning
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Minced green onion4 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Perilla seed powder3 tbsp
- Perilla oil2 tbsp
- Keep in mind that once butterbur stems are blanched and peeled, they will reduce in volume by more than 20%.
- It is convenient to buy butterbur stems in large quantities, prep them so they are ready to stir-fry, and freeze them in portions.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
These are the butterbur stems I bought at the market.
They are sold in bundles, usually around 1 kg per bundle.
Keep in mind that once butterbur stems are blanched and peeled, they will reduce in volume by more than 20%.
Trim the butterbur stems
I trimmed off only the messy parts of the butterbur stems and cut them in half to a length that fits into the pot because they were long.
They are messy, so rinse them in water.
Blanch the butterbur stems
Pour a generous amount of water into a pot, and when it boils vigorously, add 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt.
Add the thicker parts of the butterbur stems first and boil over high heat for 2 minutes.
Add all the remaining parts and boil for 5 more minutes.
Because the thickness of the stems varies a lot between top and bottom, staggering the cooking time lets you cook them all to a similar texture.
This is just to soften them and make peeling easier before stir-frying, so they do not need to be completely cooked through.
They will finish cooking thoroughly when stir-frying, so if you overboil them, they will turn mushy and lose their good texture.
Rinse in cold water to cool them down, then drain the water.
Peel the skins
Using your fingernails or a knife, pull the thin skin from the end and it will peel right off.
They are thicker than sweet potato stems and have thicker skin, so they peel much more easily.
While peeling the skin, I split any stems that were too thick in half.
Note that this recipe is based on 500g of fully prepped butterbur stems.
Now cut them into bite-sized lengths of around 4 cm.
Season
In a bowl, combine the butterbur stems and all seasoning ingredients except perilla seed powder and perilla oil, then mix together.
Stir-fry
Heat oil in a pan, add the seasoned butterbur stems, and stir-fry briskly. After 2 to 3 minutes, pour in 1/2 cup of anchovy broth and give it a rough stir...
Cover with a lid and let them gently simmer so they become tender all the way through and absorb the flavor.
Once cooked to your liking, taste and adjust with salt if it tastes bland.
Perilla seed powder absorbs moisture, so there should still be some liquid remaining.
Finish by adding 3 tbsp of perilla seed powder and 2 tbsp of perilla oil.
If you do not like perilla seed powder, you can omit it, and you can substitute toasted sesame oil for perilla oil.
Finish
This is savory meogudae stir-fry, tender yet with a nice chew.
In Gyeongsang-do, butterbur is called meogu, and older folks really love side dishes like this.
If you prefer it with a bit of broth, pour in more anchovy broth or water to simmer it down, or you can stir-fry it until it clings moistly, just like I did.
I stir-fried some of the prepped stems at my mother's house too, and she enjoyed it so much.
The perilla seed powder and perilla oil make up for any missing flavor and nutrients, delighting the palate while feeling truly healthy for the body.
Enjoy your meal and have a wonderful holiday.
Ppunwife's tips
- Because the thickness of the stems varies a lot between top and bottom, staggering the cooking time lets you cook them all to a similar texture.
- Perilla seed powder absorbs moisture, so there should still be some liquid remaining.
- If you do not like perilla seed powder, you can omit it, and you can substitute toasted sesame oil for perilla oil.
FAQ
What should I keep in mind when boiling butterbur stems?
Because there is a large difference in thickness between the top and bottom of the stems, boil the thicker parts first for 2 minutes, then add the remaining parts and blanch for 5 more minutes so they cook evenly. Since they will cook further while stir-frying, be careful not to boil them too long and make them mushy.
What if I do not like perilla seed powder or perilla oil?
Perilla seed powder can be omitted according to your preference, and you can finish the dish with toasted sesame oil instead of perilla oil.
How can I adjust the dish if I want it with more broth?
If you prefer a saucy, braised style rather than a moist finish, simply add a more generous amount of anchovy broth or water and simmer it down.
Can I prep the butterbur stems ahead of time and store them?
After blanching and peeling the butterbur stems, trim them so they are ready for stir-frying, divide into portions, and store in the freezer so you can take them out and use them whenever needed.
