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.
Tagvegetables
Shiraegi: Dried radish greens
Sometimes, over here at bburi kitchen, we’re guilty of romanticizing the past. “Our ancestors ate so healthily,” we’ll sigh.
Recipe: Shiraegi namul (braised radish greens with dried anchovies)
Shiraegi is a classic winter ingredient (read more about it here), and this recipe brings pungent flavors from the anchovies and doenjang to the otherwise mild green.
Recipe: Hobak namul (sautéed summer squash with salted shrimp paste)
Hobak namul is a classic bokkeum (sauté) recipe that will remind most Koreans of their mothers and grandmothers.
Recipe: Goguma julgi bokkeum (sautéed sweet potato stem with wild perilla seed)
Goguma julgi (고구마 줄기), or sweet potato stems, is a very common summer vegetable side dish in Korea.
Recipe: Oi naengguk (cold cucumber soup)
Oi naengguk is one of the Korean people’s most beloved summer soups.
Gomchwi: a pungent mountain herb
Jirisan, or Mt. Jiri, has a special place in the minds and hearts of Koreans—it’s often viewed as a wild place, a vast place, a place where nature still has some power.
Cham-namul (Pimpinella brachycarpa): A case of mistaken identity
Digging into the story of cham-namul turned out to be a case study in mistaken identities, a plant world mystery of invasion and identity theft.
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.