Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems

Snap the end of each stem and pull the outer skin downward in a long strip. Run your fingers over the surface again and remove any tough fibers, since they remain stringy after cooking. Cut the peeled stems into 5 cm lengths, cover them with salted water for 30 minutes, and rinse briefly. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, check the color and firmness, and allow only 1 additional minute if the thick pieces still feel rigid. As soon as the stems turn a clear olive color, cool them in cold water and squeeze firmly. Warm 2 tablespoons perilla oil with 1 teaspoon minced garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the stems, 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, and 60 ml water, then cook for 5 minutes. By then, the liquid should be reduced by half and the stems should look slightly translucent. Stir in 2 tablespoons perilla seed powder at the end and distribute it in under 1 minute so it thickens the remaining liquid without sticking to the pan. Turn off the heat when the coating clings to the stems and finish with 15 g green onion. Complete fiber removal, a firm squeeze after blanching, and a quick perilla-powder finish determine the final texture.