Savory Seasoned Red Pepper Leaves with Doenjang (Gochutnip Namul)
Korean Home Cooking, Seasonal Greens, Doenjang Gochutnip Salad, Savory Namul Recipe, Nutritious Red Pepper Leaf Dish
This recipe features Gochutnip Namul (seasoned red pepper leaves), celebrated for its unique slightly bitter aroma and satisfying crisp texture. While it’s delicious seasoned simply with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) for a clean taste, incorporating doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (chili paste) adds a deeper, savory flavor profile. Red pepper leaves are packed with vitamins, making this a highly nutritious side dish for your home meals. Enjoy the special taste of fresh, seasonal gochutnip, perfect for a summer side. This dish offers a delightful balance of flavor and health benefits.
Main Ingredients
- 150g blanched red pepper leaves
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped scallions
Seasoning Ingredients
- 0.5 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 0.3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum extract)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (or sesame oil)
For Blanching
- 0.5 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- 0.5 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 0.3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp maesilcheong (plum extract)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (or sesame oil)
For Blanching
- 0.5 Tbsp coarse sea salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Red pepper leaves have a wonderful fragrance that pairs exceptionally well with ingredients like dried radish greens (muchim). They are delicious when blanched and seasoned, or even dried and prepared as a side dish year-round. Packed with vitamins—reportedly 70 times more than green peppers—gochutnip is incredibly beneficial for our health. Their low calorie count also makes them an excellent choice for those mindful of their diet. Enjoy this dish for both its taste and nutritional value.
Step 2
Start by selecting fresh red pepper leaves. Remove any wilted or bruised leaves and trim off any thick stems. Place the leaves in a bowl, cover with water, and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Let them soak for about 10 minutes to clean them thoroughly. Afterwards, rinse them under cold running water about three times until clean, then gently drain any excess water.
Step 3
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 0.5 tablespoon of coarse sea salt. Submerge the prepared red pepper leaves and blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, flipping them halfway through. The blanching time can vary depending on the thickness of the stems, the amount of greens, and the heat intensity. Once the stems are tender and the leaves have turned a deeper green, immediately remove them from the boiling water and plunge them into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 4
Rinse the blanched red pepper leaves thoroughly in cold water to cool them down completely and remove any residual heat. Drain them well after rinsing.
Step 5
When squeezing out the water from the red pepper leaves, avoid pressing too hard. Gently squeeze them with both hands to retain some moisture. This is key to achieving a tender and moist texture in the final dish. Squeezing too little will result in mushy greens, while squeezing too much can cause the seasoning to slide off and the namul to spoil quickly. Properly squeezing out the water is essential for a flavorful and lasting side dish.
Step 6
Place the blanched and lightly squeezed red pepper leaves into a mixing bowl. Add 0.5 tablespoon of doenjang, 0.5 tablespoon of gochugaru, and 0.3 tablespoon of minced garlic.
Step 7
To create the seasoning paste, add 1 tablespoon of lightly crushed toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of perilla oil (or sesame oil), and 1 tablespoon of maesilcheong. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until well combined to form a delicious seasoning sauce.
Step 8
Add the finely chopped scallions to the prepared seasoning sauce. Then, add the red pepper leaves and gently toss everything together. Use a light, tossing motion rather than vigorous mixing to avoid bruising the delicate leaves.
Step 9
Transfer the seasoned red pepper leaves to a serving dish and sprinkle with a few more toasted sesame seeds for garnish. Growing your own peppers and harvesting the young leaves has a special charm, making the resulting namul taste even more delightful. Young, tender gochutnip leaves harvested during the pepper plant’s growth phase are perfect for making namul. The seasonal freshness brings out an unparalleled flavor.
Step 10
This Gochutnip Namul, with its aromatic fragrance, tender texture, and abundant nutrients, offers a charm distinct from dried red pepper leaf dishes. It’s an exceptional choice for a refreshing summer side dish. The gochutnip harvested from spring through summer is particularly tender and delicious, surpassing even the autumn variety. Elevate your meals with this healthy and flavorful seasonal green.
