Stir-Fried Zucchini and Onion
Busy Day? 5 Easy Homemade Side Dishes for a Delicious Meal!
With the freezing weather keeping us indoors all weekend, I’ve been busy making these delicious homemade side dishes for our everyday meals. They’re perfect companions to a freshly cooked bowl of rice!
Zucchini and Onion Stir-Fry- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of cooking oil (about 2 tbsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Spinach Namul (Seasoned Spinach)- 200g spinach (about 1 bunch)
- 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Spicy Garlic Stir-Fry- 150g garlic cloves
- 5 Korean green chili peppers (cheongyang peppers)
- A pinch of cooking oil (about 2 tbsp)
- A pinch of herb salt (about 1/2 tsp, or to taste)
Savory Dried Radish Greens Stew- 150g dried radish greens (aged or rehydrated)
- 1 handful dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (or 1/2 dried chili pepper)
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Refreshing Aged Kimchi with Perilla Oil- 1/4 head aged kimchi (mukimchi)
- 3 green onions (scallions)
- 3 tablespoons perilla oil
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- 200g spinach (about 1 bunch)
- 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Spicy Garlic Stir-Fry- 150g garlic cloves
- 5 Korean green chili peppers (cheongyang peppers)
- A pinch of cooking oil (about 2 tbsp)
- A pinch of herb salt (about 1/2 tsp, or to taste)
Savory Dried Radish Greens Stew- 150g dried radish greens (aged or rehydrated)
- 1 handful dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (or 1/2 dried chili pepper)
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Refreshing Aged Kimchi with Perilla Oil- 1/4 head aged kimchi (mukimchi)
- 3 green onions (scallions)
- 3 tablespoons perilla oil
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- 150g dried radish greens (aged or rehydrated)
- 1 handful dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (or 1/2 dried chili pepper)
- 1 tablespoon soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- A pinch of minced garlic (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Refreshing Aged Kimchi with Perilla Oil- 1/4 head aged kimchi (mukimchi)
- 3 green onions (scallions)
- 3 tablespoons perilla oil
- A pinch of sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Zucchini and Onion Stir-Fry] Wash the zucchini and onion thoroughly, remove the seeds from the zucchini, and then julienne them into strips about 0.5 cm thick. Julienne the carrot as well. Cutting them into strips helps the seasoning penetrate evenly and cook at a consistent rate. 
Step 2
Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic; cook over low heat. Then, add the julienned carrots and stir-fry briefly. Stir-frying carrots first brings out their natural sweetness.
Step 3
Next, add the zucchini and onion to the pan and stir-fry quickly over high heat. Once the vegetables begin to soften, add the anchovy sauce to season. Taste and add more sauce if needed.
Step 4
Finally, drizzle in the sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds for added fragrance and a glossy finish. Your delicious zucchini and onion stir-fry is ready!
Step 5
[Spinach Namul] Trim the root ends of the spinach and wash it thoroughly. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach for about 30 seconds, starting with the stems. Avoid overcooking, as it will become mushy. Immediately rinse the blanched spinach under cold water to stop the cooking, squeeze out excess water, and cut into bite-sized pieces. 
Step 6
In a bowl, combine the prepared spinach with minced garlic, anchovy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Gently mix with your hands until well combined. Season with anchovy sauce to taste; you can add a pinch of salt if desired.
Step 7
[Spicy Garlic Stir-Fry] Prepare the garlic cloves by peeling them and slicing them thinly, or leave them whole if preferred. Remove the stems from the Korean green chili peppers and slice them diagonally for a spicy kick. Removing the seeds will make them less spicy. 
Step 8
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Slowly stir-fry the garlic until it turns golden brown. Be careful to prevent burning. Once the garlic is lightly golden, add the sliced chili peppers and continue to stir-fry together. Maintaining the right heat is key to prevent the garlic from burning.
Step 9
Once the garlic is evenly golden and cooked, season with herb salt to taste. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve. The combination of sweet garlic and spicy chili peppers makes this an excellent side dish for rice.
Step 10
[Savory Dried Radish Greens Stew] Ensure your dried radish greens are tender; if not, soak them in cold water to soften them. Cut the softened greens into bite-sized pieces. For the anchovies, remove the heads and guts to eliminate any fishy taste. 
Step 11
In a bowl, combine the cut radish greens with minced garlic and soybean paste (doenjang). Gently mix with your hands to marinate and season the greens. Ensure the soybean paste is evenly distributed.
Step 12
Transfer the marinated radish greens to a pot. Add the prepared anchovies, dried red chili pepper, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency. Stir occasionally.
Step 13
When the liquid has mostly reduced, drizzle in sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish. This savory and flavorful dried radish greens stew is now ready.
Step 14
[Refreshing Aged Kimchi with Perilla Oil] If your aged kimchi isn’t too sour, rinse it lightly under running water to remove some of the seasoning. Remove the seeds from the kimchi and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Wash and chop the green onions. 
Step 15
In a bowl, combine the chopped aged kimchi and green onions. Add 3 tablespoons of perilla oil and a generous amount of sesame seeds. Gently toss with your hands to combine. The nutty flavor of perilla oil and the tangy taste of aged kimchi create a wonderfully appetizing side dish.
