Aromatic Spring Delight: Water Parsley Namul Muchim Recipe
How to Make Water Parsley Salad (Namul Muchim), Blanching and Seasoning Guide
As spring arrives, water parsley (minari) is the perfect vegetable to refresh your body after the winter. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it’s an alkaline food that helps purify your system. Minari is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, acting as an alkaline food that combats blood acidification. It also aids in blood purification, quenches thirst, reduces fever, detoxifies the body, helps excrete heavy metals, improves liver function, relieves hangovers, prevents constipation, and is beneficial for high blood pressure. This season, minari is exceptionally fresh, crisp, and flavorful. Although slightly pricier, its unique aroma is truly captivating. Let’s make a refreshing and crunchy minari namul muchim that will awaken your appetite!
Main Ingredients
- Water Parsley (Minari) 150g
- Scallions 2 Tbsp
Seasoning
- Soup Soy Sauce (Guk-ganjang) 0.5 Tbsp
- Fish Sauce (Anchovy) 1 Tbsp
- Ground Sesame Seeds 0.7 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil 0.7 Tbsp
For Blanching
- Salt 0.5 Tbsp
For Washing
- Vinegar 2 Tbsp
- Soup Soy Sauce (Guk-ganjang) 0.5 Tbsp
- Fish Sauce (Anchovy) 1 Tbsp
- Ground Sesame Seeds 0.7 Tbsp
- Sesame Oil 0.7 Tbsp
For Blanching
- Salt 0.5 Tbsp
For Washing
- Vinegar 2 Tbsp
- Vinegar 2 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, lightly rinse the water parsley under running water to remove any dirt. Then, fill a bowl with plenty of water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Submerge the water parsley in the vinegar water for about 10 minutes. This step helps to thoroughly clean the minari, removing any potential small organisms or residues. After soaking, drain the minari and rinse it 3-4 times under cold running water, then lightly squeeze out excess water.
Step 2
Trim off any wilted or tough ends from the cleaned water parsley. Separate the stems from the leaves and cut them into approximately 5cm lengths. Separating the stems and leaves makes it easier to control the blanching time for each part.
Step 3
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 0.5 tablespoons of salt to the water. Adding salt helps to maintain the vibrant green color of the water parsley and enhances its crisp texture. Begin by adding the stems to the boiling water.
Step 4
Blanch the stems for about 10 seconds, flipping them gently. Then, add the cut leaves and blanch for another 10 seconds, for a total of about 20 seconds. Blanching for a short time is crucial to preserve the fresh aroma and crisp texture of the water parsley; overcooking will make it limp and tough. Immediately after blanching, plunge the water parsley into cold or running water to quickly cool it down and maintain its crispness.
Step 5
Once cooled, gently squeeze the water parsley with both hands to remove excess water. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as this can make the dish dry. Leaving a slight amount of moisture will help the seasonings adhere better and result in a moister texture.
Step 6
Place the lightly squeezed water parsley into a mixing bowl. Add the seasoning ingredients: 0.5 tablespoon of soup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 0.7 tablespoon of ground sesame seeds for nutty flavor.
Step 7
Finally, drizzle in 0.7 tablespoon of sesame oil. Now, gently toss and mix the ingredients using your fingertips, as if lightly fluffing the greens, to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing, which can damage the crisp texture of the minari. Your aromatic, crisp, and refreshing water parsley namul muchim is now complete!
Step 8
This spring vegetable dish, water parsley namul muchim, is a true palate-pleaser, perfect for when your appetite is low! It’s a beloved side dish for everyone. While water parsley is often enjoyed with meat, this simple namul preparation makes for an excellent standalone side dish.
Step 9
Making this dish reminds me of growing wild water parsley at home when I lived in a house with a yard. Wild water parsley has a more intense aroma and can be enjoyed without worry of contaminants, making it a wonderfully reliable side dish. Fortunately, most minari available today is cultivated cleanly, so we can enjoy it without such concerns.
Step 10
While water parsley can be delicious when seasoned with gochujang (red chili paste) for a richer flavor, seasoning it simply with soup soy sauce, as done here, allows the fresh, clean taste of the minari to shine through. If you prefer a light and clean-tasting side dish, this recipe is highly recommended!
