Cozy Winter Home Side Dishes: Spicy-Sweet Duck Bulgogi and 5 Fresh Vegetable Namuls
Our Household Side Dishes That Taste Even Better in Winter
Introducing 5 of our household side dishes, made with fresh cabbage, radish, and spinach grown in my brother-in-law’s garden, which are especially delicious during winter. These dishes capture the freshness of the vegetables he meticulously cultivated and will enrich your holiday lunch or dinner table. The duck bulgogi, made with a pre-seasoned sauce, is particularly special as it allows you to create a wonderful meal effortlessly on busy days.
Duck Bulgogi Ingredients- 1 pack (200g) store-bought seasoned duck bulgogi
- 1/2 stalk green onion (cut lengthwise)
Crisp Radish Namul Ingredients- 100g radish (thinly julienned)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- A little cooking oil (like soybean oil)
Crunchy Bean Sprout Namul Ingredients- 1/2 bag bean sprouts (approx. 100g)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Fragrant Spinach Namul Ingredients- 150g spinach (trim roots, wash thoroughly)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Sweet Cabbage Namul Ingredients- 1/8 head napa cabbage (remove outer leaves, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 100g radish (thinly julienned)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- A little cooking oil (like soybean oil)
Crunchy Bean Sprout Namul Ingredients- 1/2 bag bean sprouts (approx. 100g)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Fragrant Spinach Namul Ingredients- 150g spinach (trim roots, wash thoroughly)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Sweet Cabbage Namul Ingredients- 1/8 head napa cabbage (remove outer leaves, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 150g spinach (trim roots, wash thoroughly)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Sweet Cabbage Namul Ingredients- 1/8 head napa cabbage (remove outer leaves, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (crushed, for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Making Spicy-Sweet Duck Bulgogi
In a deep pot or pan, add the 200g of store-bought seasoned duck bulgogi and stir-fry over medium heat. Once the duck is fully cooked, add the prepared green onions and stir-fry for another moment until done. Thanks to the pre-made sauce, you can enjoy a rich flavor with ease!
Step 2
2. Making Crisp Radish Namul
First, wash and peel the 100g of radish. Then, julienne it as thinly as possible. Thin slices cook faster and absorb the seasoning better, resulting in a tender texture.
Step 3
Heat a pot over medium-low heat, add a little cooking oil, and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic while bringing out its aroma.
Step 4
Add the julienned radish to the fragrant garlic. Pour in 1 Tbsp of soy sauce (or fish sauce) and 2 Tbsp of water. Mix well, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the radish is tender. The radish will release its own moisture, cooking it gently.
Step 5
Once the radish is cooked to your liking, turn off the heat. Stir in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and 1 Tbsp of sesame seeds. Your warm and tender radish namul is ready!
Step 6
3. Making Crunchy Bean Sprout Namul
Add the washed bean sprouts (1/2 bag) to boiling water. Cover the pot and blanch for just 30 seconds to 1 minute. Boiling for too long will make them mushy, so keep them crisp! Rinse the blanched bean sprouts under cold water and drain them well.
Step 7
In a bowl, combine the drained bean sprouts with 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce), 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Gently toss everything together until well combined. Adjust seasoning to your preference for a delicious bean sprout namul.
Step 8
4. Making Fragrant Spinach Namul
Wash the fresh spinach thoroughly, paying attention to the roots. Trim off any tough stem ends. You can make a small ‘+’ cut at the root end to help the seasoning penetrate better. Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately rinse under cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Chop into 3-4cm lengths.
Step 9
In a bowl, add the blanched and chopped spinach. Mix in 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce), 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Gently toss to combine. This spinach namul retains its fresh flavor and aroma.
Step 10
5. Making Sweet Cabbage Namul
Remove the outer leaves from the 1/8 head of napa cabbage and wash it thoroughly under running water. Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes until tender. Rinse the blanched cabbage under cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
