Korean Stir-fried Bottle Gourd Namul
Quick answer
- Total time
- 22 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
This bottle gourd namul starts with 500 g of firm flesh cut into 3 mm slices.
Read more
After peeling and splitting the gourd, scrape away the soft seed core thoroughly so it does not make the finished pieces mushy. Sprinkle the slices with 0.5 teaspoon salt, leave them for 5 minutes, then squeeze them gently and separate any pieces that have clumped together. Warm cooking oil over medium heat and stir the garlic and green onion just until fragrant. Add the drained gourd, raise the heat, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. If a large amount of liquid gathers in the pan, let it evaporate before pouring in 70 ml water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, using translucent edges and flesh that yields easily to a chopstick as the doneness cues. Lower the heat for the final step. Stir 1 tablespoon ground perilla seed into the remaining liquid until it thickens and coats the slices, then adjust the seasoning with no more than the reserved 0.2 teaspoon salt. The result should be tender gourd in a lightly thickened perilla coating, with no loose pool of watery broth.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Peel 500 g bottle gourd, split it lengthwise, and slice the firm flesh about 3 mm thick.
Scrape out the soft seed core thoroughly with a spoon, because leaving too much of it can make the namul mushy.
- 2Season
Spread the slices in a bowl and sprinkle 0.5 tsp salt evenly over them.
Let them stand for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze out the moisture by hand and loosen any clumped slices before they go into the pan.
- 3Control
Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a pan and warm it over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
Add 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp chopped green onion, stirring constantly so the aromatics smell fragrant without browning too hard.
- 4Season
Add the drained gourd and raise the heat to high.
Stir-fry for about 3 minutes to coat the surfaces with oil, and if too much liquid pools in the pan, cook it off briefly so the seasoning does not taste diluted.
- 5Control
Pour in 70 ml water, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes so the gourd steams as it softens.
It is ready when the edges look translucent and a chopstick slips in easily.
- 6Season
Lower the heat and stir in 1 tbsp ground perilla seed, mixing it into the remaining liquid instead of boiling it hard.
When the sauce turns slightly thick and clings to the slices, season within the remaining 0.2 tsp salt to taste.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Bottle gourd namul uses salted, pressed slices to ensure a clean, liquid-free stir-fry.
- Finish cue
- It is ready when the edges look translucent and a chopstick slips in easily.
- Avoid this
- Remove the seedy core well to avoid a mushy texture.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
22min, 7 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 220 recipes
Official cooking and safety guidance
-
Produce preparation
Wash produce under running water before cutting or peeling it. Do not use soap or household detergent.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
-
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
Sources checked 2026-07-22
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