Sigeumchi Namul

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the fresh spinach thoroughly, trim any tough stems and drain.

   200 g (about 2 generous handfuls) fresh spinach
2. 2

   Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil (no ingredient added).

3. 3

   Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 20–30 seconds until bright green and just wilted; do not overcook.

   200 g (about 2 generous handfuls) fresh spinach
4. 4

   Immediately transfer the spinach to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and keep color, leave 30–60 seconds then drain.

   200 g (about 2 generous handfuls) fresh spinach
5. 5

   Squeeze out excess water from the spinach using gloved hands or a clean kitchen towel; press firmly but avoid shredding the leaves. Chop roughly if leaves are large.

   200 g (about 2 generous handfuls) fresh spinach
6. 6

   In a small bowl combine minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, light soy sauce, and salt; whisk briefly to emulsify.

   1 clove (about 3 g) garlic, finely minced15 ml (1 tbsp) toasted sesame oil5 g (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds5 ml (1 tsp) light soy saucea good pinch (about 1 g), plus more to taste fine salt
7. 7

   Toss the squeezed spinach with the dressing you made, then add sliced scallion and mix gently until evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt or soy sauce.

   200 g (about 2 generous handfuls) fresh spinach10 g (1 small) scallion (thinly sliced, white + light green)
8. 8

   Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle a little extra toasted sesame seeds if you like. Serve cool or at room temperature.

   5 g (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds

Origin & History

Sigeumchi Namul is a classic Korean banchan (side dish) dating from everyday household cooking. Seasoned vegetable namul like this emerged from Korea's emphasis on simple, seasonal vegetable preparations served with rice.