Spicy & Sweet Stir-Fried Garlic Scapes
Perfect Side Dish! Easy Garlic Scape & Pickled Garlic Stir-Fry
A delicious side dish recipe featuring seasonal garlic scapes and pungent pickled garlic, seasoned with a spicy and sweet gochujang sauce. If you have pickled garlic from last year and salted garlic scapes, try mixing them with this vibrant gochujang dressing! It’s incredibly tasty, with a perfect balance of spicy and sweet notes, ideal for when you have a low appetite. This side dish is so good, you’ll want to make a batch to last you throughout the year.
Main Ingredients
- 300g Pickled Garlic Scapes (or fresh garlic scapes, salted and drained)
- 300g Pickled Garlic (drained, discard the brine)
Spicy & Sweet Sauce
- 1/2 cup Gochujang (Korean chili paste, approx. 100g)
- 1/2 cup Jocheong (Korean rice syrup, approx. 100g)
- 3 Tbsp Maesil Cheong (Korean plum extract)
- 1/2 cup Gochujang (Korean chili paste, approx. 100g)
- 1/2 cup Jocheong (Korean rice syrup, approx. 100g)
- 3 Tbsp Maesil Cheong (Korean plum extract)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Garlic scapes can become tough quickly after purchase. To keep them tender and crisp, a good tip is to soak them in hot salt water for about a week. After soaking, rinse the garlic scapes thoroughly and drain any excess water. For the pickled garlic from last year, drain off the pickling liquid, keeping only the garlic cloves.
Step 2
In a pan over low heat, combine the gochujang and jocheong. Simmer gently until it bubbles and the ingredients are well incorporated, reaching a slightly thickened consistency. This cooking process mellows the sharp taste of the gochujang and brings out a pleasant sweetness.
Step 3
Once the gochujang sauce is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it cool down completely. Allowing the sauce to cool ensures that the garlic scapes and pickled garlic retain their crisp texture and that the flavors meld beautifully.
Step 4
In a bowl, combine the cooled gochujang sauce with the prepared garlic scapes and pickled garlic. Gently mix them together, ensuring the sauce evenly coats all the ingredients. Add the 3 tablespoons of maesil cheong at this stage for an extra layer of sweet and tangy flavor that enhances the overall taste.
Step 5
Transfer the seasoned mixture to a serving dish. Just before serving, drizzle with a little sesame oil and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for an added nutty aroma and flavor. This dish is a wonderful accompaniment to rice and can also be a great addition to bibimbap.
