Sseumbagui Muchim
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
The bitterness of sseumbagui, a Korean bitter green, is not meant to be removed.
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A short soak in cold salt water only softens it, and the greens, still pleasantly bitter, are tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing of gochujang, vinegar and sugar.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Rinse 150 g sseumbagui under cold running water several times, opening the space between roots and leaves.
Rub away soil, fine roots, and grit with your fingertips so the finished salad does not taste sandy.
- 2
Soak the greens in cold salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, just enough to soften the bitterness.
Turn them once halfway through, and avoid a longer soak because it can flatten their fresh herbal character.
- 3
Drain the greens in a colander and shake off as much water as possible.
Hold stems and leaves together, then cut them into 3 to 4 cm lengths so each bite has both crisp stem and tender leaf.
- 4
In a bowl, combine 1.5 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 0.5 tsp minced garlic.
Stir until the sugar grains disappear and the dressing looks smooth, red, and slightly glossy.
- 5
Stir 1 tsp sesame oil into the dressing, then pour it over the drained sseumbagui.
Fold from the bottom upward with a gentle motion so the fragile leaves stay whole and the sauce coats every piece.
- 6
Check that the bitterness and sweet-tart dressing are evenly balanced.
Sprinkle with 1 tsp sesame seeds and serve immediately while the leaves are crisp.
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