Fragrant Mulberry Leaf Salad
Fragrant Mulberry Leaf Salad
Four Homemade Side Dishes for the Week: Mulberry Leaf Salad, Dried Aster Salad, Broccoli and Egg Stir-fry, Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry
My husband brought home some tough mulberry leaves that seemed too fibrous to eat, so I decided to use only the tender young shoots and create some side dishes with other ingredients I had in the fridge. These homemade dishes are perfect for a healthy family meal.
Main Ingredients (Mulberry Leaf Salad)- 150g fresh mulberry leaves
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce (or soy sauce for soup)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Dried Aster Stir-fry- 150g rehydrated dried aster
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup clear broth (anchovy-kelp broth, etc.)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Broccoli and Egg Stir-fry- 1 head of broccoli
- 3 eggs
- A pinch of herb salt
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil (olive oil or canola oil)
- A little sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Spicy and Sweet Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry- 150g rehydrated wood ear mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 red bell pepper or red chili pepper
- 3 Korean green chili peppers (kwari gochu)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil
- A little sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- 150g rehydrated dried aster
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup clear broth (anchovy-kelp broth, etc.)
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Broccoli and Egg Stir-fry- 1 head of broccoli
- 3 eggs
- A pinch of herb salt
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil (olive oil or canola oil)
- A little sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Spicy and Sweet Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry- 150g rehydrated wood ear mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 red bell pepper or red chili pepper
- 3 Korean green chili peppers (kwari gochu)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil
- A little sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- 150g rehydrated wood ear mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 red bell pepper or red chili pepper
- 3 Korean green chili peppers (kwari gochu)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil
- A little sesame oil
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start with the mulberry leaf salad. Wash the mulberry leaves thoroughly under running water. In a pot, add plenty of water and a pinch of coarse salt. This helps the leaves blanch to a fresh and crisp texture.
Step 2
Once the water boils, add the mulberry leaves and blanch for about 2-3 minutes until they become tender. Be careful not to overcook, as young mulberry shoots cook very quickly.
Step 3
Rinse the blanched mulberry leaves under cold water, squeeze out any excess moisture, and then chop them into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3 cm long). Place the chopped leaves in a bowl, add 2 Tbsp of anchovy sauce, a little sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. Gently mix with your hands until well combined.
Step 4
If the mulberry leaves are a bit tough, blanch them for an extra minute compared to tender spring leaves to ensure tenderness. This freshly mixed mulberry leaf salad captures the fragrant essence of spring and is a wonderful appetite stimulant.
Step 5
Next is the dried aster stir-fry. Take the rehydrated and cleaned dried aster, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. If the stems are thick, split them in half.
Step 6
Heat a little cooking oil in a wide pan. Add the chopped dried aster, 2 Tbsp of anchovy sauce, and 1 Tbsp of minced garlic. Mix gently with your hands to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. This step helps the flavors meld.
Step 7
Stir-fry the seasoned aster for a minute, then pour in about 1/2 cup of clear broth (like anchovy-kelp broth). Continue to stir-fry over medium heat until the aster is tender and the liquid has slightly reduced. Adding broth keeps the aster moist and soft. Finally, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty finish.
Step 8
Transfer the finished mulberry leaf salad and dried aster stir-fry into serving containers. Now, let’s move on to the other side dishes.
Step 9
For the broccoli and egg stir-fry, cut the broccoli into florets. Blanch them in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and drain well. This helps maintain its vibrant green color.
Step 10
Heat cooking oil in a pan and stir-fry the blanched broccoli briefly. Sprinkle with herb salt for added flavor. Once the broccoli is slightly cooked, set it aside on a plate.
Step 11
In the same pan, crack 3 eggs and whisk them with a pinch of herb salt (or regular salt). This prepares for making soft scrambled eggs.
Step 12
Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring gently to create scrambled eggs. Be careful not to overcook; remove from heat while they are still soft.
Step 13
Add the stir-fried broccoli back to the pan with the scrambled eggs and mix gently. The combination of the broccoli’s texture and the eggs’ softness is delicious.
Step 14
Finish by drizzling with a little sesame oil and sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds for a fragrant touch. This results in a visually appealing broccoli and egg stir-fry.
Step 15
Finally, the wood ear mushroom stir-fry. Rehydrated wood ear mushrooms should be washed thoroughly, blanched briefly in boiling water, rinsed under cold water, drained, and then chopped into bite-sized pieces.
Step 16
Slice the onion thinly. Slice the red bell pepper (or red chili) and Korean green chili peppers diagonally. These add beautiful color and enhance the dish’s appeal.
Step 17
Place the chopped wood ear mushrooms in a bowl and add 2 Tbsp of anchovy sauce. Mix gently with your hands to marinate. This step adds a savory depth to the mushrooms.
Step 18
Heat cooking oil in a pan and sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Add the marinated wood ear mushrooms and stir-fry over medium heat. Once the mushrooms are partially cooked, add the sliced onion, red bell pepper, and Korean green chili peppers, and stir-fry together.
Step 19
Once the vegetables are slightly tender, add more anchovy sauce to taste. For an extra layer of flavor, you can add 1/2 Tbsp of oyster sauce (optional).
Step 20
Finish by generously drizzling with sesame oil and sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds. This delicious wood ear mushroom stir-fry, with its crunchy vegetables and chewy mushrooms, will make your dining table more vibrant with its colorful appearance.
