Refreshing and Aromatic Lettuce and Crown Daisy Salad
Refreshing and Aromatic Lettuce and Crown Daisy Salad
A Recipe to Enjoy Lettuce More Deliciously: Refreshing Lettuce and Crown Daisy Salad
Lettuce is incredibly delicious these days, isn’t it? For Koreans who love wraps, lettuce is indispensable. We eat it with ssamjang, with meat, with raw fish, and surprisingly, with many other foods as wraps. Wraps allow us to experience new flavors. If you’ve only ever eaten lettuce as a wrap, try it as a salad (muchim) for a change. You’ll discover a delightful new taste.
Main Ingredients- 2 handfuls of lettuce
- 1 handful of crown daisy (chuknyeom)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Lettuce has the beneficial property of inhibiting benzopyrene, a class 1 carcinogen produced when grilling meat, by breaking down proteins and fats. Consuming lettuce with grilled meats can help reduce the risk of carcinogens.
Step 2
If you’ve always enjoyed lettuce as a wrap or in a simple salad, we highly recommend trying it in a completely new and delicious way today: as a ‘Lettuce and Crown Daisy Salad’ (muchim). This method will allow you to experience the diverse flavors of fresh vegetables in a novel way.
Step 3
Wash the lettuce thoroughly under running water. Before blanching in boiling water, it’s beneficial to rinse it lightly in lightly salted water. This helps the lettuce maintain a crisp texture and prevents it from becoming overly soft or mushy when added to boiling water. It’s similar to how rinsing fish in saltwater firms up the flesh.
Step 4
We will be using rice water, often used to make broth, to lightly blanch the lettuce. While rice water might be discarded otherwise, using it in cooking is a smart household tip that not only protects the environment but also enhances the flavor of the dish.
Step 5
Once the rice water comes to a rolling boil, add the lettuce a few leaves at a time (about 3-4 leaves) and blanch for a very short period, less than 10 seconds. Immediately remove and plunge into cold water. Do the same with the crown daisy. Blanching in rice water helps remove the characteristic slightly bitter taste or any unpleasant smell of lettuce, making it more enjoyable. After blanching, squeeze out the excess water thoroughly.
Step 6
After rinsing in cold water and squeezing out excess moisture, cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces (about 3-4 cm in length). Cut the crown daisy into similar lengths and prepare them together.
Step 7
Now, let’s make the delicious dressing. In a bowl, combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce (not too much), 1 Tbsp tuna extract (or substitute with fish sauce), and 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin). Add 1 Tbsp of minced onion and 1 Tbsp of chopped green onion for enhanced flavor. For an optional but aromatic touch, add 1 Tbsp of chopped garlic scapes (if using, briefly blanching them before chopping makes them softer). Finally, mix in 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil and 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds. If the seasoning is insufficient, adjust with a pinch of salt. (Do not add sugar.)
Step 8
Add the prepared dressing to the cut lettuce and crown daisy. Gently toss and mix with your hands. Avoid over-mixing, as this can release too much moisture or create a ‘green’ taste; mix gently. It’s best to mix quickly to prevent the vegetables from becoming watery. Ensure the dressing is evenly coated on all ingredients. Adjust the seasoning to your personal preference.
Step 9
This salad is truly exceptional when served over warm rice and mixed in. The combination of lettuce and crown daisy offers a wonderfully crisp yet slightly chewy texture, and the fragrant aroma of the crown daisy filling your mouth is delightful. You’ll experience a fresh and profound flavor unlike anything you might have imagined. You might even wonder, ‘Is this really lettuce?’
