Listed below are some scrumptious Korean dishes you may make with recent, seasonal greens this spring!
Spring is right here! There are many great spring greens accessible in grocery shops and farmers markets. Search for recent ramps, younger spinach with stunning purple stems, skinny spring scallions, and even mugwort (ssuk, 쑥)! You may additionally discover dandelion leaves and garlic scapes at your native grocery retailer or farmer’s market, and undoubtedly everybody ought to seize some asparagus this time of yr!
Spring greens are so scrumptious as a result of they’re sweeter and extra tender than after they mature later within the rising season. Consuming these tasty greens within the spring have numerous well being advantages too.
In Korea, there are an infinite variety of totally different farmed and wild greens that peak this time of yr. One of many causes that I really like visiting Korea in springtime! As a younger little one, I grew up within the countryside, not too removed from Seoul, with loads of fields and small hills. I’ve many fond recollections of simply going out into the sphere with mates and choosing all kinds of untamed greens equivalent to ssuk, (쑥, mugwort), dallae (달래, Korean wild chives), naengi (냉이, Shepherd’s purse), and many others. We simply picked them for enjoyable, however they have been became scrumptious dishes by our moms.
Over time, I began to develop just a few totally different Korean wild greens in my yard. I’ve been harvesting and having fun with them in lots of dishes. I hope to share extra about them sooner or later.
To encourage you, here’s a round-up of a few of my favourite recipes you may make to take pleasure in your spring veggies!
Spinach
Spinach (sigeumchi, 시금치) is obtainable yr spherical, however spring spinach is particularly tender and flavorful! In Korea, spinach bunches are often offered with roots connected. Each the leaves and stems, together with the foundation crowns, are utilized in cooking, which provides a pleasant candy taste and chewy texture to the dish. So, attempt to discover younger spring spinach with their purple-red root crowns, for those who can.
1. Sigeumchi Namul
A easy, however extremely fashionable aspect dish! Additionally attempt the identical strategies and seasonings with child kale, watercress, snow pea suggestions, and many others.
2. Sigeumchi Doenjang Guk
This spinach soup made with doenjang is a well-liked soup in Korea, particularly in spring. Generally made with anchovy broth, the soup is mild and refreshing! My mom typically used clams within the soup, which is how I make it.
Additionally, spring spinach is scrumptious in kimbap and bibimbap.
Dandelion
Dandelion leaves may be fairly bitter, however are additionally full of vitamins! They’ve been utilized in natural medication in Korea and different Asian international locations. Dandelion greens could also be accessible at your Korean markets and even your native grocery shops in springtime.
3. Mindeulle Muchim (Dandelion salad)
This barely spicy, candy and vinegary salad turns dandelion leaves right into a scrumptious salad. In the event you can’t discover dandelion leaves in your space, this sauce recipe can also be nice with spring combine, arugula, child spinach, or crown daisy (ssukgat, 쑥갓). I additionally use it to make a salad with dolnamul (돌나물, stonecrop) I develop in my yard.
Asparagus
You may also get asparagus yr spherical, however this vegetable is really the most effective when it’s in season within the spring. You should utilize it in lots of Korean recipes equivalent to bibimbap and kimbap. along with the recipes beneath.
4. Asparagus with Gochujang Sauce
Additionally, asparagus is scrumptious as this banchan dish in spicy gochujang sauce.
5. Myulchu kimbap
I used asparagus on this spicy anchovy kimbap, however you need to use it in any kimbap recipes.
Watercress
Watercress is loaded with many necessary vitamins equivalent to necessary nutritional vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin Ok. I really like its barely bitter, spicy and peppery style.
6. Watercress namul
Watercress namul is ready similar to siguemchi (spinach) namul — blanched and seasoned with just a few fundamental substances. When calmly cooked, watercress has that crunchy and chewy texture Korean namul is understood for.
Ramps
Generally known as wild garlic or wild leek, they’ve a light onion taste, and are extra garlicky than scallions. Every plant has a few flat, broad leaves with a protracted, reddish stem with a small spherical bulb. Ramps are similar to (if not the identical as) myeongi namul (명이나물) in Korea, which is loved many various methods — recent, cooked or pickled.
7. Spring Bibimbap with Tuna
On this spring bibimbap recipe, I used ramps together with different spring greens equivalent to asparagus and peas. I typically add some Korean greens equivalent to minari, buchu, and kkaennip as nicely. A gochujang sauce is often utilized in conventional bibimbap, however a soy sauce-based sauce works splendidly nicely with this dish.
8. Jangajji (Vegetable Pickles)
Ramp season is brief, so you can even protect your ramps by pickling them with my jangajji recipe and revel in all year long. Nice with Korean BBQ!
Inexperienced Onions (Scallions)
You should utilize any forms of scallions for these dishes, however spring skinny scallions equivalent to jjokpa (쪽파) and silpa (실파) are particularly scrumptious.
9. Pa kimchi
Additionally, be sure you make this straightforward pa kimchi with these spring inexperienced onions. This pa kimchi goes nice with any grilled meat, like samgyupsal, or added to kimchi jigae particularly when it will get extra bitter. This kimchi can also be wonderful in a bowl of on the spot ramyun.
10. Haemul Pajeon (scallion pancakes)
You can also make pajeon with any forms of scallions, however spring skinny scallions equivalent to jjokpa (쪽파) and silpa (실파) are nice for pajeon as they’re candy and tender.
11. Inexperienced onion tied shrimp and asparagus
Tender skinny inexperienced onions known as shilpa (실파) in Korean, which suggests skinny as a thread. Often you may get scallions all yr spherical, but when yow will discover the skinny spring inexperienced onion, this shrimp dish will elevate this vegetable (and impress your mates!).
Minari
Generally known as water dropwort within the U.S., minari is a long-stemmed inexperienced vegetable with hole stems and small inexperienced leaves with serrated edges. It has a barely bitter and peppery style with a pointy, distinctive recent natural accent. Minari is a well-liked herb and vegetable in Korea not just for its taste however for a lot of well being advantages together with detoxifying results.
12. Minari Jeon
A easy Korean savory pancake made with minari (aka water dropwort or Korean watercress) is an effective way to benefit from the vegetable’s distinctive recent natural taste.
Onion
Onions (yangpa, 양파) are versatile and accessible all yr lengthy. Nonetheless, when spring comes round, freshly-harvested onions are tender and candy. It’s the most effective time to make some kimchi with them.
13. Yangpa (onion) kimchi
Garlic scapes
Garlic scapes (maneuljjong, 마늘쫑 ) are often accessible within the late spring and early summer season, when scapes are most tender and candy. Garlic scapes are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic vegetation which are snipped off to permit the bulbs to develop larger. They’ve a milder taste than garlic cloves however are nonetheless fairly garlicky. When cooked, the scapes turn out to be sweeter with a delicate garlic undertone and have a texture much like that of skinny asparagus.
14. Stir-fried Garlic Scapes (Maneuljjong Bokkeum)
In the event you see some garlic scapes at your grocery retailer, do this easy stir-fried banchan dish. 
15. Maneuljjong Muchim (Spicy Garlic Scapes)
For this recipe, blanch the scapes in boiling water. Blanching brings out mildly candy garlic taste and tenderizes the scapes. After rinsing them in chilly water and draining, combine with just a few fundamental seasoning substances.
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This checklist has been up to date for 2023 with extra recipes.