Fragrant Chwinamul Salad with Savory Soybean Paste Dressing
Spring Season’s Chwinamul & Pepper Leaves: A Deliciously Deep Flavored Salad Using Homemade Savory Soybean Paste
Introducing a healthy and delicious chwinamul (Korean aster) salad recipe, perfect for spring. This recipe uses frozen chwinamul and pepper leaves, making it quick and easy to prepare. Elevate your side dish with a special savory soybean paste dressing that’s sure to become a rice thief! Even those who don’t typically enjoy vegetable side dishes will fall in love with this recipe!
Main Ingredients
- Chwinamul (Korean aster) 150g
- Pepper leaves 50g
Savory Soybean Paste Dressing
- Savory soy sauce 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 1 tsp
- Chopped green onion 1 Tbsp
- Savory soy sauce 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 1 tsp
- Chopped green onion 1 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the frozen chwinamul. Thaw it naturally or soak it briefly in cold water, then squeeze out any excess moisture. (If using fresh chwinamul, wash it thoroughly.)
Step 2
For this recipe, we’ll add a small amount of fragrant pepper leaves to mix with the chwinamul. If you have small quantities of both chwinamul and pepper leaves, mixing them together makes for a richer flavor. Place the chwinamul and pepper leaves in a bowl. Add all the dressing ingredients: savory soy sauce, minced garlic, and chopped green onion. (Having pre-made savory soybean paste makes this dish much quicker. Refer to the related link for how to make savory soybean paste.)
Step 3
Gently mix the chwinamul and pepper leaves with the prepared dressing ingredients using your hands. It’s important to mix gently to avoid mashing the greens. Toss them softly until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Step 4
Transfer the deliciously dressed chwinamul salad to a nice serving plate. Finish by sprinkling with ground sesame seeds and sesame oil for a nutty aroma, and a pinch of whole sesame seeds for visual appeal.
Step 5
Although seasoned simply with savory soybean paste, the taste is truly exceptional. The fragrant chwinamul and the savory-sweet flavor of the dressing combine to create a magical side dish that will have you finishing your rice in no time!
Step 6
We used chwinamul that my husband gathered from the mountains in spring, which was wonderfully tender. Freezing it allowed for later use. It’s great for making chwinamul rice or mixing into this delicious salad with savory soybean paste. I didn’t used to enjoy vegetable side dishes much, but as I’ve gotten older, my palate has changed, and I find myself appreciating these healthy vegetable preparations more and more.
Step 7
Using pre-made savory soybean paste, this chwinamul salad came together in the blink of an eye! While the preparation was quick, the deep and rich flavor was very satisfying. Even though I used frozen chwinamul, I was reminded again that fresh chwinamul offers the best taste. I highly recommend making this with fresh chwinamul during its spring season.
