Sweet Spinach Salad with Winter “Seomcho” (Sea-Breeze Grown Spinach)
How to Make Delicious Spinach Salad with Winter “Seomcho” Spinach, a Simple Side Dish Recipe
This is a seasoned spinach side dish made with fresh winter spinach (Seomcho) that grows with sea breezes, resulting in a naturally high sweetness. You don’t need much seasoning to enjoy its delicious, inherent flavor, making it a simple yet delightful winter delicacy.
Main Ingredients- Fresh Winter Spinach (Seomcho) 500g
Seasoning- 1 Tbsp Tuna Extract (or Korean soup soy sauce)
- 1/3 tsp Salted Salt (or regular salt)
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil (Deulgireum)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
For Blanching Spinach- 1 tsp Coarse Salt
- 1 Tbsp Tuna Extract (or Korean soup soy sauce)
- 1/3 tsp Salted Salt (or regular salt)
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil (Deulgireum)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
For Blanching Spinach- 1 tsp Coarse Salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Clean the root ends of the spinach by gently scraping them with the back of a knife to remove any dirt. If there’s a lot of soil, you can carefully peel off the thin outer layer of the root.
Step 2
Wash the trimmed spinach 2-3 times under running water until thoroughly clean. Pay special attention to the root area to ensure no soil remains. Wash gently to avoid damaging the spinach leaves.
Step 3
Bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil in a deep pot and add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Once boiling, add the washed spinach and blanch for a very short time, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. The spinach is ready when its green color becomes vibrant. Blanching for too long can make it mushy and reduce its nutritional value.
Step 4
Immediately after blanching, drain the spinach in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water to cool it down. Then, gently squeeze out excess water by hand. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as this can cause the flavorful juices to escape.
Step 5
Cut the drained spinach into bite-sized pieces. If the root ends are thick, cut them lengthwise into four parts. For thinner or medium-sized spinach, cut them into two parts. This ensures the seasoning coats the spinach evenly.
Step 6
In a large bowl, combine the cut spinach with all the prepared seasoning ingredients (1 Tbsp Tuna Extract, 1/3 tsp Salted Salt, 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil, 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds). Gently mix and massage the ingredients into the spinach with your hands until well combined. This creates a delicious seasoned spinach salad. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed; too much seasoning can overpower the spinach’s natural sweetness.
Step 7
Transfer the well-seasoned spinach salad to a serving dish. Enjoy your fresh and flavorful spinach side dish, which makes a wonderful accompaniment to a warm bowl of rice.
