Ssuk (쑥, pronounced “sook”) is another leafy green that heralds the arrival of spring. In English, it’s often called “mugwort” along with a group of other related species, and shares their pungent aroma and medicinal benefits.
bburi trip: Sorae Port, Incheon
Hi! Sonja here. Seoyoung and I both live in Seoul, which has its own great fish market, but this day we decided to head 45 minutes westward to Sorae Port (소래포구) in Incheon.
Saejogae: egg cockle, bird clam
Saejogae in English is “egg cockle,” but literally translates to “bird clam” in Korean, since the meat inside the shell resembles a bird’s beak.
Dallae: Korean wild chive, mountain chive
Dallae is one of the harbingers of spring, a versatile bom-namul with a mild kick.
Bomdong: early spring cabbage
It goes without saying that the Napa cabbage (baechu) is perhaps Korea’s most well-known and beloved vegetable. But baechu has a funny-looking cousin that makes its debut in late winter and early spring.
Naengi: shepherd’s purse shoots
Naengi (냉이, shepherd’s purse) is an unassuming green that’s easy to miss when it first creeps up out of the frozen earth.
bburi trips: Jangheung, the deep south
Hi, Sonja here. I’ll be blogging about the trips Seoyoung and I take under the tag “trips,” starting with our very first trip: A five-hour bus ride to the far southern coast of Korea.
Seomcho: sweet winter coastal spinach
Spinach has long been eaten in Korea (some accounts say it came over from China during the Three Kingdoms Period) but it’s first on record in 1577.
Recipe: Maesaengi soup (Seoyoung’s style)
This seaweed soup is my take on a southern region favorite, using more water and a few more ingredients.