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Aehobak bokkeum
Stir-fried courgette
Aehobak bokkeum (애호박볶음): Korean courgette half-moons stir-fried with garlic and sesame, vegan version
Aehobak, the pale green Korean courgette, is in every market from Gwangjang in Seoul to Busan's Jagalchi all summer, and a quick stir-fry of it is one of the banchan most often on the family table and in school lunches. Half-moon slices are lightly salted, then stir-fried with garlic until just tender and glossy, and finished with sesame. Many homes season it with saeujeot, salted shrimp; this version uses salt and a little soy instead, so it is vegan. A portion is about 45 kcal. The common mistake is overcooking, which leaves limp, watery slices; cook it hot and fast and take it off while the slices still have a little bite. Chef's tip: salting the slices for 10 minutes and patting them dry keeps them firm and stops the pan filling with liquid.
- Total time
- 16 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 Korean courgette (aehobak) or courgettesabout 400 g, halved lengthways and sliced 5 mm thick
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 2 garlic clovesminced
- ¼ onion (optional)thinly sliced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ red chilli (optional)thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Toss 2 Korean courgette (aehobak) or courgettes with ½ tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes. Pat the slices dry with kitchen paper.
10 minStep 2: Heat 2 tsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 garlic cloves and ¼ onion and stir for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 3: Add the courgette and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until it turns bright green and slightly translucent at the edges but is still firm.
4 minStep 4: Add 1 tsp soy sauce and ½ red chilli and toss for 30 seconds. Take off the heat, drizzle with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aehobak bokkeum take?
- About 16 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 6 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of korean courgette (aehobak) or courgettes?
- Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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