Crisp and Zesty Garlic Scape Salad
Crisp and Zesty Garlic Scape Salad
A Refreshing Garlic Scape Salad Recipe, Perfect with Meaty Dishes!
Here’s a recipe for a delightful garlic scape salad, perfect to enjoy with your favorite meat dishes. The crisp texture and zesty flavor of young garlic scapes make this a fantastic palate cleanser for rich and fatty meals like grilled meats or bossam. Simple to make, anyone can whip this up!
Garlic Scape Salad Ingredients- 250g young garlic scapes (about 1 large handful)
- 500ml water (for blanching)
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt (for blanching)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (deul-gireum)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, carefully check and prepare all the ingredients listed above. Using fresh, high-quality young garlic scapes is key to a delicious salad.
Step 2
Wash the young garlic scapes thoroughly, removing any yellow or wilted leaves and trimming the root ends. Pat them dry and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about the length of your finger joint.
Step 3
We’ll briefly blanch the garlic scapes to maintain their crispness. Bring 500ml of water to a boil in a pot and add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt.
Step 4
Once the water is boiling, add the thicker stem parts of the cut garlic scapes first and blanch for just about 10 seconds. Then, add the leafy parts and stir gently with chopsticks for a quick swirl before immediately removing them. Be careful not to overcook, as they can become mushy.
Step 5
Immediately rinse the blanched garlic scapes under cold running water to stop the cooking and cool them down. This also helps to retain their vibrant green color and crispness. Squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. Excess water can dilute the dressing.
Step 6
Place the squeezed garlic scapes into a large mixing bowl. Add 0.5 tablespoon of gochujang and 0.5 tablespoon of gochugaru. These form the base of the spicy flavor.
Step 7
Add 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) for a rich umami flavor. Using soup soy sauce provides a deeper taste than regular soy sauce.
Step 8
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of perilla oil (deul-gireum) for a nutty aroma. Perilla oil complements the natural flavor of the garlic scapes better than sesame oil, though you can add sesame oil as well if you prefer.
Step 9
Gently toss everything together until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Be careful not to mash the garlic scapes; a light touch is best. Transfer the well-seasoned garlic scape salad to a serving dish. It’s delicious served immediately or after a short rest to allow the flavors to meld.
