Making Various Full Moon Namul (Part 1: Soaking and Boiling)
2021 Lunar New Year’s Day 8 Types of Full Moon Namul Preparation (Ggosari, Gondre, Chwinamul, etc.)
To celebrate the vibrant Lunar New Year’s Day, we’re preparing 8 kinds of diverse namul! This guide covers the process of preparing precious and often hard-to-find vegetables like gosari (fernbrake), gondre (Korean thistle), chwinamul (aster), samnipgukhwa (flame violet), bangpum namul (lovage), gochutnip (pepper leaves), goguma julgi (sweet potato stems), and eggplant. While it’s my first time preparing so many varieties at once, bringing a mix of excitement and a slight regret about buying too much, I found immense joy in meticulously preparing each one. This recipe focuses on the preliminary steps of soaking and boiling the namul, making the actual Lunar New Year’s Day preparation as simple as seasoning and stir-frying. For dried vegetables, soaking and boiling them beforehand is the key to achieving the best flavor and texture, so I recommend starting the preparation the day before. We’ve prepared 30g of each for two people, omitting bean sprouts and radish namul to fully appreciate the distinct flavors of each vegetable. Let’s start this special namul preparation for the 2021 Lunar New Year’s Day! (Part 2, covering seasoning and stir-frying, will be uploaded tomorrow.)
Main Ingredients- Dried Pepper Leaves
- Dried Lovage
- Dried Fernbrake
- Dried Korean Thistle
- Dried Aster
- Dried Eggplant
- Dried Flame Violet
- Dried Sweet Potato Stems
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Soaking Namul by Type] Gather several large bowls. The first step is to categorize the namul based on their soaking time. Namul requiring shorter soaking times (thin stems, primarily leaves): Gondre, Chwinamul, Samnipgukhwa, Pepper Leaves, Amaranth, etc. Namul requiring longer soaking times (firm texture, high moisture content before drying): Fernbrake, Sweet Potato Stems, Lovage, Dried Eggplant, Dried Pumpkin, Balloon Flower Root, etc. Lovage has many leaves but its stems can be quite tough, so it’s classified under those needing longer soaking. Dried vegetables with higher moisture content before drying will take longer to rehydrate.
Step 2
[Soaking Namul with Rice Cooker’s ‘Keep Warm’ Function] Beyond traditional soaking methods, here’s a more convenient and effective technique. Dried vegetables, especially those with thick stems like fernbrake or toran-dae (dehydrated burdock root), can become significantly plumper and more tender when soaked using the ‘Keep Warm’ setting on a rice cooker. In my experience, this method yields a much better texture compared to traditional soaking. This is the joy of blogging – learning and sharing information with you all.
Step 3
Select a bowl that fits inside your rice cooker. Any bowl lower than the inner pot’s height will work, but for safety, using glass or stainless steel is recommended.
Step 4
At this stage, I placed fernbrake, sweet potato stems, and lovage – the three types requiring longer soaking – into the rice cooker. Dried eggplant also needs long soaking, but in the rush of preparing multiple types, I mistakenly soaked it in cold water separately. Ensure the namul is fully submerged in water, then set the rice cooker to the ‘Keep Warm’ mode (absolutely NOT ‘Cook’).
Step 5
After approximately 4 hours, check the state of the soaked namul. In a previous test with fernbrake, soaking it overnight (8-9 hours) on ‘Keep Warm’ was also fine. Today, after soaking for 3-4 hours, they have plumped up nicely. Depending on the type and condition of the dried vegetable, some may be tougher and require additional soaking, so always check their condition and adjust accordingly.
Step 6
Here’s how to check if the namul is sufficiently soaked: Gently press the thickest stem. If it yields easily without feeling hard or fibrous, it’s ready.
Step 7
Re-check the condition of the sweet potato stems and lovage. Although lovage stems might feel somewhat tough, if the fernbrake and sweet potato stems are well-soaked, you can assume the lovage is also sufficiently rehydrated.
Step 8
[Soaking at Room Temperature] The left photo shows Chwinamul, and the right shows Samnipgukhwa, after soaking at room temperature for about 5 hours.
Step 9
The left photo shows Gondre, and the right shows Pepper Leaves, also after soaking at room temperature for 5 hours. It’s hard to tell them apart just from the photos, but as I touch and cook them, I’m gradually learning their individual characteristics. Cooking is a lifelong learning journey! If you’re short on soaking time, you can briefly soak leafy vegetables in hot water to soften them before boiling.
Step 10
I realized I should have soaked the dried eggplant on ‘Keep Warm’ but it’s okay. By extending the boiling time a bit, they can still become tender.
Step 11
I took out three pots and started boiling the namul. There’s no set boiling time for each namul, making experience and intuition crucial. It requires extra care when boiling multiple types simultaneously.
Step 12
Tips for Boiling Dried Namul:
1. Boiling Time: Approximately 5-10 minutes (only if sufficiently soaked. If less soaked, add more time while monitoring).
2. Change Water: Boil in fresh water each time you switch to a different type of namul to prevent flavors from mixing.
3. Check Doneness: Take the thickest stem and chew the end. If it feels very fibrous or doesn’t break easily, it needs more boiling time.
4. Texture Test: Sometimes, they might feel tough to the touch but are surprisingly tender when eaten. Chewing is the most accurate test.
5. Consider Stir-Frying: Since they will be stir-fried later, aim for about 80-90% doneness. Overcooking can cause them to break apart.
Step 13
After boiling, immediately rinse the namul in cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and set aside. Although the quantity seemed small at first, it’s a sufficient amount for two people to enjoy over two meals.
Step 14
Finally, add 2 pieces of dried kelp (about slightly smaller than the palm of your hand) to 1 liter of cold water to make kelp broth. This broth will be very useful for stir-frying the namul tomorrow. That concludes today’s preparation! With 2021 Lunar New Year’s Day still approaching, why not join me in preparing delicious full moon namul? (The seasoning and stir-frying process will be uploaded on February 25th.)