Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Korean Seasoned Spinach
韓式涼拌菠菜
Recipe overview
Korean seasoned spinach is briefly blanched, squeezed dry and tossed with garlic, soy, sesame oil and seeds for tender vivid greens without watery dressing.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 500 g Spinach (trimmed and washed)
Stock base
- 1500 ml water
Seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
Sauce
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated)
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 2 tsp tsp sesame seeds, optional
02
Tools
- knife
- cutting board
- mixing bowl
- stockpot
- tongs
- colander
- measuring spoons
- timer
03
Steps
Step 1
Trim roots
Remove tough spinach roots while keeping tender stems and leaves.
Step 2
Wash spinach
Wash in changes of clean water until no grit remains.
Step 3
Boil salted water
Add 1 tsp salt to 1500 ml water and boil for 3 minutes.
Step 4
Blanch stems first
Hold the leaves and lower stems into boiling water for 20 seconds.
Step 5
Submerge leaves
Use tongs to submerge all leaves for 30 seconds, keeping them bright green.
Step 6
Drain
Lift spinach immediately into a colander to drain.
Step 7
Cool
Place the spinach in clean cool water.
Step 8
Squeeze dry
Lift and squeeze out water so the dressing is not diluted.
Step 9
Cut lengths
Cut the spinach into even 5 cm lengths.
Step 10
Mix dressing
Combine all garlic, 2 tsp soy sauce and 2 tsp sesame oil.
Step 11
Season spinach
Toss spinach lengths evenly with all the dressing.
Step 12
Add sesame
Loosen into a white bowl and scatter 2 tsp sesame seeds.
Common mistakes
- Over-blanching makes spinach yellow and mushy.
- Insufficient squeezing leaves a watery, weak dressing.
Tips
Blanching stems first gives even doneness.
Cool before squeezing to preserve colour.
