Savory Spinach Salad with Fish Sauce (Seomcho Namul)
Savory Spinach Salad with Fish Sauce (Seomcho Namul)
Flavorful Seomcho Spinach Salad with Anchovy Sauce
Seomcho refers to the heirloom variety of spinach cultivated in Bigeumdo, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It’s also known as Bigeum spinach and is prized for its sweeter taste and tender texture compared to regular spinach, making it perfect for simple side dishes. This recipe features Seomcho dressed with a savory anchovy sauce, creating a delightful side dish that enhances any meal.
Ingredients- Seomcho spinach, 300g (cleaned)
- Coarse salt, 1 Tbsp (for blanching)
Seasoning- Fish sauce (anchovy), 1.5 Tbsp (for umami)
- Ground toasted sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp (for nutty aroma)
- Sesame oil, 1/3 Tbsp (for finishing fragrance)
- Fish sauce (anchovy), 1.5 Tbsp (for umami)
- Ground toasted sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp (for nutty aroma)
- Sesame oil, 1/3 Tbsp (for finishing fragrance)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by preparing the Seomcho spinach. Trim the roots and thoroughly wash the spinach under running water to remove any dirt or debris clinging to the leaves and roots. Ensure they are clean before proceeding.
Step 2
Next, we’ll briefly blanch the spinach. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the coarse salt (1 Tbsp) and carefully add the prepared Seomcho spinach. Blanch for only about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Seomcho is quite tender, so overcooking will make it mushy. Watch it closely!
Step 3
Immediately after blanching, rinse the spinach under cold running water to stop the cooking process and retain its vibrant green color. You can let the spinach sit in cold water for about 5 minutes. This helps to reduce the oxalic acid content, making it even more palatable. (Note: Consuming less than 500g of spinach per day generally poses no health concerns related to oxalic acid.) Gently squeeze out excess water.
Step 4
Place the blanched and squeezed spinach in a mixing bowl. Add the ground toasted sesame seeds (1 Tbsp), sesame oil (1/3 Tbsp), and fish sauce (1.5 Tbsp) for that wonderful umami flavor. Gently toss and mix the spinach with your hands until all the leaves are evenly coated with the seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed; you can add a tiny bit more fish sauce or salt if desired. (Tip: While minced garlic can be added, I’ve omitted it here to let the delicate, sweet flavor of the Seomcho shine. For delicate namul dishes, highlighting the main ingredient’s natural taste often leads to a cleaner, more refreshing flavor profile.)
