Korean Steamed Thistle Greens with Perilla
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Gondre deulkkae jjim is a steamed side dish of blanched thistle greens cooked down with ground perilla seeds, perilla oil, and soup soy sauce.
Read more
The greens are seasoned with garlic and oil first, then covered and left to steam over low heat so the liquid is slowly absorbed into the fibrous leaves rather than evaporating away. Adding the perilla powder toward the end of cooking, rather than at the beginning, prevents the nutty flavor from turning bitter or chalky from prolonged heat exposure. The soft, absorbent fibers of the thistle greens hold the seasoning exceptionally well, meaning each bite carries a concentrated burst of savory, nutty flavor throughout. Pulling the pan off the heat while a little texture remains in the greens keeps the dish from turning mushy. Green onion cut into rough pieces is added on top at the end, and a final drizzle of perilla oil revives the aroma. The ingredient list is short, but the result is a deeply satisfying dish often piled over hot rice or served as a companion to gondre bibimbap.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Rinse 220g blanched thistle greens several times in cold water to remove grit caught in the fibers.
Squeeze firmly so excess water does not dilute the seasoning, then cut the greens into 5cm lengths.
- 2Season
Mix 1.5 tbsp soup soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic, 120ml water, and the salt in a bowl.
Stir until the salt dissolves so the seasoning spreads evenly instead of clinging to one part of the greens.
- 3Season
Put the cut greens and seasoning mixture in a pot, then toss gently by hand so the liquid reaches between the strands.
Drizzle in 1 tbsp perilla oil and turn the greens once more to coat them.
- 4Control
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes.
Lower the heat if the pan begins to dry so a shallow layer of liquid remains.
- 5Step
When the greens are tender but not collapsing, lower the heat.
Add 3 tbsp ground perilla seeds and stir quickly so the powder thickens the remaining liquid without forming dry clumps or tasting chalky.
- 6Finish
Scatter the roughly sliced green onion over the top and drizzle with the remaining 0.5 tbsp perilla oil.
Turn the greens once, then turn off the heat while they are still moist and serve with rice.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Gondre deulkkae jjim combines thistle greens with perilla powder for a clean, nutty finish.
- Finish cue
- When the greens are tender but not collapsing, lower the heat.
- Avoid this
- Pulling the pan off the heat while a little texture remains in the greens keeps the dish from turning mushy.
- Substitution
- If the liquid reduces too quickly, lower the heat instead of adding more water to keep the greens moist.
Troubleshooting While Cooking
Use these adjustments when the food is not behaving as expected.
- Lower the heat if the pan begins to dry so a shallow layer of liquid remains.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 8 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 183 recipes
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