Chamnamul muchim
Dressed wild parsley
Chamnamul muchim (참나물무침): blanched Korean wild parsley dressed with sesame oil, garlic and salt
Chamnamul, a mild, celery-scented wild parsley, fills Korean markets in spring, and this simple namul is one of the banchan that turns up on home tables and in bibimbap bowls from March to May. The stems are blanched for seconds, then dressed by hand with garlic, sesame oil and toasted sesame so the herb stays bright and crunchy. It is a light side with about 3 g of protein per portion; pair it with tofu, eggs or a bean stew for a full meal. The common mistake is over-blanching: chamnamul goes limp and grey in under a minute. If you can't find it, use the tender tops of flat-leaf parsley mixed with pea shoots. Chef's tip: season with salt first and the sesame oil last, so the salt reaches the leaves instead of sliding off the oil.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz chamnamul (Korean wild parsley)tough stem ends trimmed
- 1 tsp salthalf for the water, half to season
- 1 clove garlicgrated
- 1 spring onionfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seedslightly crushed
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with half the ½ tsp salt. Drop in 9 oz chamnamul (Korean wild parsley) and blanch for 30–40 seconds, until the stems turn bright green but still snap.
2 minStep 2: Drain at once into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. When cold, squeeze out the water firmly and cut into 5 cm lengths.
Step 3: In a bowl, scatter the rest of ½ tsp salt, 1 clove garlic and 1 spring onion over the herb and mix gently with your fingertips.
Step 4: Add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, toss again and taste for salt. Serve straight away or within a few hours, at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 55 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chamnamul muchim take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of spring onion?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
TashmijabiMashed potatoes with stretchy cheese
Potatoes grow well in the cold valleys of Svaneti, and tashmijabi is how families around Mestia turn them into a feast dish: they are mashed hot, then beaten with handfuls of young sulguni until the purée becomes glossy and stretches from the spoon in long strands. It is served with grilled meat, kubdari or simply with pickles and Svan salt. A common mistake is letting the potatoes cool before adding the cheese; they must be piping hot for the cheese to melt and stretch. Chef's tip: keep the pan on a low heat while you beat, and use a firm wooden spoon. Most sulguni uses animal rennet; choose a vegetarian one or use mozzarella.
Georgian
DakjukChicken and rice porridge
All over Korea, dakjuk is the bowl a mother makes on a cold morning or when someone is under the weather: chicken simmered with garlic and ginger, the meat pulled into shreds, and soaked rice cooked down in the broth until it turns into a soft, savoury porridge finished with sesame oil. It is eaten for breakfast or as a gentle lunch, with a little kimchi on the side. The usual mistake is boiling the chicken hard, which clouds the broth and toughens the meat; keep it at a lazy simmer. Chef's tip: fry the soaked rice in sesame oil for two minutes before the broth goes in, so the grains toast lightly and the porridge tastes nutty rather than flat.
Jamaican callalooSteamed callaloo greens
In Jamaica, callaloo means the leaves and tender stems of a type of amaranth, sold in big bundles in every market from Coronation Market in Kingston to Santa Cruz in St Elizabeth. It's steamed down with onion, tomato, garlic and thyme into soft, savoury greens with a mild mineral sweetness, and eaten at breakfast with fried dumplings, boiled green bananas or hard dough bread, or as a side at dinner. Spinach or Swiss chard can stand in if you can't find callaloo. Chef's tip: peel the fibrous skin from the thicker stems with a small knife and slice the stems and leaves finely across, about 1 cm wide. That's how Jamaican cooks get callaloo that's tender all the way through rather than stringy.
Jamaican