15 Spring Vegetable Recipes – Korean Bapsang

Listed below are some scrumptious Korean dishes you may make with recent, seasonal greens this spring!

Spring is right here! There are many fantastic spring greens out there 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 also discover dandelion leaves and garlic scapes at your native grocery retailer or farmer’s market, and positively 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 completely 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 quite a lot of fields and small hills. I’ve many fond recollections of simply going out into the sphere with pals and choosing all types of untamed greens similar 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 completely 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 very tender and flavorful! In Korea, spinach bunches are normally bought with roots connected. Each the leaves and stems, together with the foundation crowns, are utilized in cooking, which supplies a pleasant candy taste and chewy texture to the dish. So, attempt to discover younger spring spinach with their purple-red root crowns, should you can. 

1. Sigeumchi Namul

A easy, however extremely widespread facet 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 could be fairly bitter, however are additionally full of vitamins! They’ve been utilized in natural drugs in Korea and different Asian nations. Dandelion greens could also be out there 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. For those who 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 

It’s also possible to get asparagus yr spherical, however this vegetable is actually the very best when it’s in season within the spring. You should use it in lots of Korean recipes similar 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 should use it in any kimbap recipes. 

Watercress

Watercress is loaded with many necessary vitamins similar to necessary nutritional vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin Okay. 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 components. When evenly cooked, watercress has that crunchy and chewy texture Korean namul is thought for.

Ramps 

Often 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 an extended, 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 alternative methods — recent, cooked or pickled. 

7. Spring Bibimbap with Tuna 

On this spring bibimbap recipe, I used ramps together with different spring greens similar to asparagus and peas. I typically add some Korean greens similar to minari, buchu, and kkaennip as properly. A gochujang sauce is normally utilized in conventional bibimbap, however a soy sauce-based sauce works splendidly properly with this dish.

8. Jangajji (Vegetable Pickles)

Ramp season is brief, so you may as well 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 use any forms of scallions for these dishes, however spring skinny scallions similar to jjokpa (쪽파) and silpa (실파) are particularly scrumptious. 

9. Pa kimchi 

Additionally, you’ll want to 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 glorious in a bowl of immediate ramyun. 

10. Haemul Pajeon (scallion pancakes)

You can also make pajeon with any forms of scallions, however spring skinny scallions similar 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 implies skinny as a thread. Normally you will 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 folks!). 

Minari

Often 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 out there all yr lengthy. Nevertheless, when spring comes round, freshly-harvested onions are tender and candy. It’s the very best time to make some kimchi with them. 

13. Yangpa (onion) kimchi

Garlic scapes

Garlic scapes (maneuljjong, 마늘쫑 ) are normally out there within the late spring and early summer time, when scapes are most tender and candy. Garlic scapes are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic crops which can be 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)

For those who see some garlic scapes at your grocery retailer, do that 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 components.

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