If saejogae is the king of clams, then bajirak (바지락) is the humble but hardy peasant, a clam as common as air.
Tagspring
Ssuk: mugwort
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.
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.