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Sigeumchi-namul is the simplest and most common Korean vegetable side dish: blanched spinach squeezed dry and seasoned with garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt. It takes five minutes and goes with almost everything. It is also a key topping for bibimbap.
Per serving: 53 calories · 1.5 g net carbs · 2 g protein · 4 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fresh spinach washed
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon soup soy sauce or 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds crushed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds, just until wilted.
- Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.
- Squeeze the spinach firmly with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Cut it into 2-inch lengths.
- In a bowl, gently mix the spinach with the garlic, scallion, soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds using your fingertips.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Namul is the general Korean word for seasoned vegetables and wild greens. Korean cooks use dozens of different namul, from spinach and bean sprouts to wild mountain greens foraged in spring. On the first full moon of the lunar new year, called Jeongwol Daeboreum, Koreans traditionally eat several kinds of dried namul for good health. Spinach in Korea is especially sweet in winter, when it grows slowly in the cold. Mixing namul by hand, called muchim, is a basic Korean cooking skill.
This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 8: Vegetables (Jeonju Hanok Village). See all Korean recipes