Savory Jjokpa Muchim (Seasoned Green Onions) with Gim
A savory side dish of blanched scallions tossed with toasted seaweed and a sesame oil seasoning.
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 pairs lightly blanched scallions, preserving their natural sweetness and crisp texture, with crisp toasted seaweed. The key is blanching the thick white parts first in stages to keep them crisp. Made with simple everyday ingredients, it turns out clean-tasting and wonderfully nutty.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Scallions (jjokpa)200 g
- Premium seaweed sheets (gopchang-gim) (or seasoned dried seaweed sheets)2 sheets
Seasoning
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Ground toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp (ground)
- You can also use green laver seaweed (parae-gim), gimbap seaweed sheets, or seasoned seaweed snacks.
- If using seasoned seaweed snacks, reduce the amount of salt because they already contain salt.
Steps
Blanch the scallions
Cut the scallions into bite-sized lengths of about 4 cm.
Add 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt to vigorously boiling water and add the thickest, firmest white parts of the scallions first.
After about 10 seconds, depending on thickness, add the remaining green parts of the scallions in stages and blanch.
Once the green ends are added and have slightly wilted, take them out.
Rinse immediately in cold water to cool them down, then squeeze out the moisture thoroughly.
Toast the seaweed
I used green laver seaweed (parae-gim).
You can also use gimbap seaweed sheets or seasoned seaweed snacks.
Without adding any oil to the pan, stack two sheets together and toast both sides until crisp and greenish, then crush them finely.
Season and toss
Add the crushed seaweed, 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 tbsp ground toasted sesame seeds to the scallions, then toss gently with your hands.
If you used seasoned seaweed snacks, reduce the salt because they are already salted; lightly grinding the sesame seeds will double the savory aroma.
Finish
Blanching scallions lightly removes the sharp pungency and brings out a subtle sweetness.
Combined with the nutty flavor of toasted seaweed, it makes a side dish you will keep reaching for.
Blanching in stages according to thickness keeps the scallions from turning mushy, giving them a pleasant, crisp bite.
You can also serve blanched scallions alongside blanched squid with sweet and sour gochujang sauce for dipping, or roll the blanched scallions neatly on their own for a special delicacy.
Ppunwife's tips
- The key is blanching the scallions very lightly just until slightly wilted. This brings out their hidden natural sweetness while keeping a crisp bite.
- Lightly grinding the toasted sesame seeds before adding them will double their nutty flavor.
FAQ
How can I prevent the scallions from turning mushy when blanching?
Add salt to boiling water, drop the firm white stems in first, and add the green leaves about 10 seconds later. Remove them as soon as they have slightly wilted and rinse immediately in cold water.
Can I use regular seasoned seaweed snacks instead of premium seaweed sheets (gopchang-gim)?
You can substitute gimbap seaweed sheets, seasoned seaweed snacks, or green laver seaweed (parae-gim). Seasoned seaweed snacks already contain salt, so reduce the amount of salt when seasoning to balance the flavor.
Are there other ways to serve blanched scallions?
You can serve them alongside blanched squid with sweet and sour gochujang sauce for dipping, or roll the blanched scallions into bundles like ganghoe for a special treat.
