Aromatic Wild Chive Sauce
Instant Meal for Loss of Appetite: Making Radish Rice with Wild Chive Sauce
As spring arrives, many ingredients come to mind, and among them, I’ve made a delicious and easy wild chive sauce. Wild chives are said to have a warm nature, making them beneficial for those with cold hands and feet (sue-baek-leng-jeung) and good for the spleen and kidneys, thus beneficial for men. This wild chive sauce is delicious simply mixed with white rice, and it’s also great with tofu. Today, however, we’ll pair it with freshly cooked radish rice. The combination is truly delightful!
Wild Chive Sauce Ingredients- 1 bunch wild chives
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons plum extract (or syrup)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Radish Rice Ingredients- 2 servings white rice
- 1/2 cup mixed grains (optional)
- 1/4 medium radish
- 2 servings white rice
- 1/2 cup mixed grains (optional)
- 1/4 medium radish
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wild chives purchased from the market these days are usually pre-washed and have minimal impurities. Gently rinse them under cold water 2-3 times and then drain thoroughly. Ensuring the chives are well-drained is key to preventing the sauce from becoming watery.
Step 2
Shake off any excess water from the wild chives. Finely chop them into pieces about 1 to 1.5 cm long. Place the chopped wild chives into a mixing bowl, ready for seasoning.
Step 3
While I often use sugar in my cooking, I find that for wild chive sauce, it’s best without it. The goal is a savory sauce that’s perfect for mixing with rice, with a slightly saucy consistency. Combine the chopped wild chives with 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons plum extract, and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds. Gently mix everything together, being careful not to mash the chives. This completes your delicious wild chive sauce! If serving to adults and you’d like a spicier kick, consider adding 1-2 finely chopped Korean red chili peppers (cheongyang chili peppers).
Step 4
Transfer the well-mixed wild chive sauce to a serving bowl or container, about the size of a soup bowl. While you can enjoy it immediately, letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld beautifully, resulting in a richer taste.
Step 5
Peel and finely julienne about 1/4 of a medium radish. Place the julienned radish on top of the washed rice in your rice cooker and proceed with cooking as usual.
Step 6
As the radish cooks, it releases moisture. To prevent the rice from becoming too soft, which can affect the texture when mixed, it’s recommended to use about 5 tablespoons less water than you normally would for cooking rice. This ensures a slightly firmer, more enjoyable texture for the radish rice.
Step 7
Once the cooking cycle is complete, gently fluff the rice using a rice paddle. Carefully mix the cooked radish into the rice, ensuring it’s evenly distributed without crushing the grains. Your delicious radish rice is now ready!
Step 8
Serve the fluffy radish rice in a nice, deep bowl. Top generously with the prepared aromatic wild chive sauce. This dish is so flavorful that it doesn’t require many side dishes. A simple bowl of soybean paste stew (doenjang jjigae), which pairs wonderfully with spring greens like wild chives, is a perfect accompaniment. Enjoy the vibrant flavors of spring in every bite!
