Spring Awakening Nourishing Meal
A Nourishing Spring Feast Straight from the Countryside
This weekend, while enjoying some quiet time at home, I felt a craving for the fresh mountain greens from my hometown. I made a trip back and gathered a generous bounty: young burdock leaves, fragrant Korean parsley, refreshing stone dropwort, pungent perilla leaves, prickly ash leaves, flavorful chicory, and tender mugwort. This meal is a celebration of these vibrant spring ingredients, bringing the revitalizing essence of the season right to your table.
Spring Greens Wraps (Kang Hwae) Ingredients- Young burdock leaves
- Forsythia buds or similar tender greens
- Korean parsley (Minari)
- Chicory greens (Chwinamul)
- Salt (for blanching)
- Gochujang-based dipping sauce (for serving)
Mugwort Soup Ingredients- 4 cups broth (anchovy or kelp-based)
- Fresh mugwort
- Field mint (Naengi) or similar herb
- Chives (approx. 1 handful, for finishing)
- Green onion (1/2 stalk, sliced diagonally)
- 1 tablespoon dried shiitake mushroom powder (for umami)
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (Doenjang)
Grilled Mackerel Ingredients- 1/2 mackerel
- Cooking oil (for frying)
- 4 cups broth (anchovy or kelp-based)
- Fresh mugwort
- Field mint (Naengi) or similar herb
- Chives (approx. 1 handful, for finishing)
- Green onion (1/2 stalk, sliced diagonally)
- 1 tablespoon dried shiitake mushroom powder (for umami)
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (Doenjang)
Grilled Mackerel Ingredients- 1/2 mackerel
- Cooking oil (for frying)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Spring Greens Wraps] Thoroughly wash all the spring greens (burdock leaves, forsythia buds, Korean parsley, chicory). Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add a pinch of salt. Blanch each type of green briefly, just until wilted: burdock leaves and forsythia buds for about 1 minute, Korean parsley and chicory for about 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the blanched greens to an ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve their vibrant color. Drain them well, squeezing out excess water. 
Step 2
Arrange the blanched and drained greens neatly on a serving plate. You can either roll them or present them in small bundles. Serve with a side of gochujang-based dipping sauce for a delightful burst of flavor.
Step 3
[Mugwort Soup] In a pot, combine 4 cups of water with dried anchovies and kelp to make a flavorful broth. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove and discard the anchovies and kelp. 
Step 4
Stir in 1 tablespoon of soybean paste (Doenjang) and 1 tablespoon of dried shiitake mushroom powder into the broth until dissolved. Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Add the cleaned mugwort, field mint, diagonally sliced green onion, and chives. Simmer for a few more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. This soup offers a comforting and aromatic taste of spring.
Step 5
[Grilled Mackerel] Pat the mackerel dry. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a generous amount of cooking oil. Place the mackerel skin-side down in the hot oil. Fry until the skin is golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook the other side until done. Ensure the inside is cooked through while keeping it moist and flaky. 
