Korean Seasoned Glasswort Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 9 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Sebalnamul-muchim features 220 grams of glasswort, a succulent coastal plant that carries a natural salinity from the tidal flats where it grows.

A 10-second blanch in boiling water is enough to barely soften the thin stems while preserving their distinctive pop when bitten. The dressing of gochugaru, vinegar, plum extract, and sesame oil coats the tender shoots without masking their inherent briny flavor. Thinly sliced onion adds a sweet crunch, and the plum extract mellows the vinegar's sharpness into a rounded tartness. Because no additional salt is needed, the final seasoning relies entirely on the balance between acid, sweetness, and the glasswort's own minerality.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

glasswort220 gg

onion40 gg

gochugaru1 tsptsp

vinegar1 tbsptbsp

plum extract1 tbsptbsp

sesame oil1 tsptsp

sesame seeds1 tsptsp

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Place 220 grams of glasswort in a colander and rinse under cold running water 2 to 3 times, gently shaking each time to dislodge any grit trapped between the thin stems.
2

Heat

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the glasswort, and blanch for exactly 10 seconds.

Lift out immediately with a strainer; any longer and the thin stems will lose their characteristic snap.
3

Heat

Transfer the blanched glasswort straight into ice water or very cold water to stop cooking and revive the vivid green color.

Once cooled, lift out and gently squeeze with both hands to remove excess moisture.
4

Prep

Slice 40 grams of onion as thinly as possible along the grain.

Thick strips will create a separate crunch that clashes with the delicate glasswort stems rather than blending with them.
5

Prep

Combine 1 teaspoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon plum extract, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a bowl, stirring until the chili flakes are fully moistened and the plum extract has blended with the acid.
6

Finish

Add the glasswort and sliced onion to the dressing and toss briskly for no more than 30 seconds so the stems stay firm and the green color holds. Finish with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Sebalnamul-muchim highlights the natural salinity of coastal glasswort in a 10-second salad.
Finish cue: Add the glasswort and sliced onion to the dressing and toss briskly for no more than 30 seconds so the stems stay firm and the green color holds.