Maneuljjong Hodu Bokkeum (Stir-fried Garlic Scapes with Walnuts)

A few days ago, I saw these garlic scapes (maneuljjong) in a Korean market for the first time this season. I was delighted and had to bring a couple of bunches home with me. Garlic scapes are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic plants that are snipped off to allow the bulbs to grow bigger. They have a milder flavor than garlic cloves but are still quite garlicky. When cooked, the scapes become sweeter with a subtle garlic undertone and have a texture similar to that of thin asparagus. In Korea, garlic scapes are commonly used as a vegetable for side dishes. I pickled some of them in a soy brine, and ground a handful of them into a paste, which I added to grated potatoes to make potato pancakes. For this recipe, I stir fried the remaining scapes with walnuts in a soy sauce-based sauce. It's a simple and delicious spring side dish! If you haven't cooked with garlic scapes, make that a goal this spring. You're missing out on a wonderful vegetable! The scapes only appear in markets for a short period time, so grab them while you can.

Ingredients:
10 ounces garlic scapes (maneuljjong)
1/2 cup shelled walnuts, broken into quarters
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar (or brown sugar)
1 to 2 teaspoons corn syrup (or more sugar)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Rinse and cut the garlic scapes into 2-inch lengths. Mix all the sauce ingredients well together, except the sesame oil and seeds.

In a heated pan over medium low heat, roast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the pan, and increase the heat to medium high. Sauté the scapes for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Return the walnuts to the pan, and pour the sauce into the pan. Cook until the garlic scapes are tender and the sauce is almost gone, 3 to 4 minutes. Finish with the sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Maneul Jangajji (Korean Pickled Garlic)

This recipe was recently published on the Guardian as part of The 10 Best Garlic Recipes. It was a great honor for me to have my recipe included! 

Pickled garlic (maneul jangajji) is a staple side dish in Korea. It's one of my father's favorite dishes. Jeju Island, where my parents are from, is well known for its abundance of quality garlic. We used to get the freshest garlic shipped from our relatives in Jeju -- sometimes green garlic and other times mature garlic. Either way, my parents always pickled some of them. The garlic cloves are first soaked in a vinegar brine for a few days and then pickled in a soy brine. Through this two-step process, the garlic loses much of its pungent bite and becomes slightly sweet and tangy. It's important to use fresh garlic for pickling. Serve with rice or as an accompaniment to any main dish. The garlic infused soy brine can be used as a dipping or seasoning sauce.  

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh garlic (about 8 – 9 whole heads)

For the vinegar brine:

2/3 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon salt (kosher or sea salt)

1 and 1/3 cups water

For the soy brine:

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 and 1/3 cups water

1-quart jar with a lid (The photo above shows two batches.)

Separate the garlic cloves from the bulbs. Soak in hot water for 30 minutes or longer. Soaking the garlic helps the skins come off easily. Peel and remove the root ends with a small knife. Rinse and drain. Add to the jar.

Stir the vinegar brine ingredients together until the salt is dissolved. Pour over the garlic cloves. The liquid should fully cover the garlic cloves. Let stand at room temperature for 5 - 7 days. 

Bring the soy brine ingredients to a boil, and gently boil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Allow to cool completely. Drain the vinegar brine from the jar. Pour the cooled soy brine over the garlic cloves. Make sure all the garlic cloves are fully covered. Close tightly with a lid, and let stand at room temperature for 2 weeks. The garlic can be eaten at this point, but it will taste better as it matures. 

Refrigerate after opening. The garlic cloves will keep for a few months.

Spring Bibimbap with Tuna

Bibimbap is a versatile dish. We make bibimbap with just about anything - leftover side dishes, kimchi, wild mountain vegetables, etc. This spring, I've been enjoying this simple version made with some of my favorite spring vegetables and canned tuna. You can substitute any of the vegetables with your favorite vegetables. Try salmon or tofu as a variation on tuna. A gochujang (red chili pepper paste) sauce is usually used in traditional bibimbap, but a soy sauce-based sauce works wonderfully with this dish. Hope you enjoy this quick bibimbap recipe for a healthy spring meal!

2 servings
Ingredients:
2 servings of cooked rice
3 - 4 asparagus spears
1 - 2 small carrots
2 - 3 lettuce leaves or a handful of spring mix
1 scallion (or young spring onion)
3 - 4 red radishes
1/4 cup fresh green peas (or frozen)
1 small canned tuna

about 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
(Mix all the sauce ingredients well and set aside.)

Thinly slice the asparagus, carrots, lettuce and scallion into bite size pieces. If the carrot is thick, cut in half lengthwise first and then thinly slice diagonally. Cut the radishes into match sticks.

Cook the peas in salted boiling water until cooked through, 6 - 8 minutes (less if frozen). Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat. Separately sauté the asparagus then carrots for a minute or two. You can sauté the scallion briefly if you like. The vegetables should be crispy.





Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each vegetable and tuna over the rice. Serve with the sauce.