Summer Delicacy! Savory and Mild Perilla Seed Sweet Potato Stem Salad
Sweet Potato Stem Salad
A perfect summer dish for your healthy table! This recipe features a savory and mild sweet potato stem salad made with fresh stems picked from the garden, enhanced with nutty perilla seeds. The combination of slightly bitter sweet potato stems and fragrant perilla seeds is exquisite, and it’s delicious even when mixed with rice in its light, soupy broth. Enjoy a special summer side dish at home with this simple preparation guide.
Main Ingredients
- Blanched Sweet Potato Stems: 2 handfuls (approx. 200g)
- Onion: 1/2
- Cheongyang Pepper: 1
- Carrot: 1/4
- Coarse Salt: 1 Tbsp (for blanching sweet potato stems)
Seasoning & Broth
- Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce for soup: 1/2 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic: 1/2 Tbsp
- Ground Perilla Seeds: 2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil or Perilla Oil: 1 Tbsp
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: A pinch
- Dashima (Kelp) Broth or Anchovy Broth: 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
- Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce for soup: 1/2 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic: 1/2 Tbsp
- Ground Perilla Seeds: 2 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil or Perilla Oil: 1 Tbsp
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: A pinch
- Dashima (Kelp) Broth or Anchovy Broth: 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare fresh sweet potato stems, ideally freshly harvested from a garden. Using young stems will result in a more tender texture.
Step 2
Peel the tough outer skin off the prepared sweet potato stems and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 5-7cm in length.
Step 3
Bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil in a pot over high heat. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Blanching with salt helps to remove any grassy smell from the stems and enhances their crispiness.
Step 4
Add the prepared sweet potato stems to the boiling salted water and begin blanching.
Step 5
Blanch the sweet potato stems for about 3-5 minutes after adding them. Adjust the blanching time based on the thickness of the stems and your desired tenderness. They are ready when a fork can easily pierce them.
Step 6
Immediately remove the blanched sweet potato stems and place them on a colander.
Step 7
Quickly rinse the stems under cold running water to cool them down. This prevents them from overcooking.
Step 8
Rinse the sweet potato stems thoroughly under cold running water several times until the water runs clear. This helps remove any residual bitterness or astringency.
Step 9
Soak the thoroughly rinsed sweet potato stems in cold water for about 30 minutes. This soaking process further removes any lingering bitterness and ensures a tender texture.
Step 10
While the sweet potato stems are soaking, prepare the accompanying vegetables. Thinly slice the onion and carrot, and finely chop the Cheongyang pepper. Removing the seeds from the pepper will reduce its heat level.
Step 11
Now, let’s start cooking. Place the soaked sweet potato stems in a pan. Add 2 cups of dashima or anchovy broth, 1/2 Tbsp of fish sauce or soy sauce for soup, and 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 12
Once the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 Tbsp of ground perilla seeds, the sliced onion and carrot, and the chopped Cheongyang pepper. Cook uncovered, allowing the flavors to meld evenly into the stems. Taste and season with salt if needed to adjust to your preference.
Step 13
Finally, finish the dish with 1 Tbsp of sesame oil or perilla oil and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for a fragrant aroma. Using perilla oil will add an extra nutty flavor.
Step 14
Serve the finished sweet potato stem salad on a nice plate. The nutty richness of the perilla seeds combined with the tender, chewy sweet potato stems creates a truly satisfying dish that pairs perfectly with rice. Enjoy your meal!
