Article by Gil "hannaone"
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Image by hannaone

민들레 무침

The dandelions that besmirch your lawn or garden are much more than an annoying weed.

To many, it is a wild spring vegetable and is used in various ways in Korean cuisine. This recipe makes a Korean-style dandelion salad called mindeulle muchim (민들레 무침).

This mildly spicy, semisweet, somewhat bitter salad-like dish goes well with nearly any meal, but it goes particularly well with grilled meats.

With vitamins A, B, C, and D and minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc, dandelion may be more beneficial than "super foods" like kale.

Ingredients:
8 ounces dandelion leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon matchsoon (plum wine)
2 teaspoons mulyeot (rice or corn syrup)
1 tablespoon gochugaru, coarse
1 tablespoon gochugaru (fine ground)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Garnish:
2 cloves garlic
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Discard bruised or discolored leaves after washing the greens well in cold running water.
Separate the leaves and stems from the roots and flowers/flower buds (discard the buds or dry with roots to make a tea like drink).

Dressing:
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with minced garlic.
Toss the leaves with the dressing until well combined.
Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.
Serve as a part of a banchan array with any Korean meal, or enjoy as a quick salad.

To reduce the bitter taste: Boil a pot of water, blanch the dandelion leaves for about 20 seconds, then rinse in cold water before tossing with dressing.