When the breezes begin to lose their winter bite, usually in March here in Korea, we start talking about jukkumi (주꾸미, webfoot octopus).
Recipe: Jukkumi sukhoe (parboiled webfoot octopus)
Sukhoe (숙회) refers to a dish of meat, fish or vegetables that are gently parboiled.
Recipe: Minari ganghoe (blanched water dropwort)
Ganghoe (강회, pronounced “gahng-hwae”) is a term for lightly parboiled vegetables like minari or fresh young spring onions, both of which have an unmistakable aroma particularly in the spring.
Recipe: Ssuk-guk (mugwort soup)
About a year ago, we took a trip down to Silsang Temple, where we ran into some ladies trimming greens near the kitchen.
Spring workshop: Abalone and spring greens
You can’t talk about Korean food in spring without talking about bom-namul (봄나물, spring greens), but while putting together the menu for this event, we felt like something was missing.
Recipe: Jeonbok juk (abalone porridge)
Jeonbok juk (전복죽, abalone porridge), like many kinds of juk, or porridge, is especially good for soothing the stomach and the soul.
Recipe: Jeonbok sul-jjim (abalone steamed in wine)
If you eat abalone as hwae (or sashimi), it tends to be very cartilaginous and crunchy—a texture that not everyone can get on board with. But steaming turns abalone into one of the most tender, juicy pieces of meat you’ll ever eat.
How to shuck an abalone
Shucking abalone is easier than you think—just make sure you’re holding it properly and cut off the right bits!
Recipe: Naengi-guk (shepherd’s purse soup)
Koreans think of naengi as the first ingredient to come into season in the spring, and naengi-guk (냉이국, shepherd’s purse soup) is one of the most common ways to eat it.