Spring Cabbage Salad (Bomdong Geotjeori) with a Refreshing Apple Twist
Crisp Spring Cabbage Salad, Enhanced with Apple for Extra Tanginess – A Fresh Spring Dish Recipe
As the spring breeze gently blows, early spring cabbage (Bomdong) is making its debut and tantalizing our taste buds. I spotted this vibrant green cabbage at the market and couldn’t resist bringing it home. Let’s make a crisp and delicious salad with it, enhanced with the refreshing zest of a whole apple for a truly delightful spring culinary experience.
Spring Cabbage Salad Ingredients
- 2 heads of Spring Cabbage (Bomdong)
- 1 Apple
- A little Green Onion (or the white part of a leek)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Plum Extract (Maesilcheong)
- 2 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru)
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Bomdong, the star of spring vegetables! It’s packed with the earth’s energy from growing through winter, making it both delicious and nutritious. Especially when you feel a lack of appetite in early spring, eating Bomdong salad will revitalize you. Choose fresh Bomdong and create a delightful salad.
Step 2
Adding apples to your Bomdong salad elevates both the taste and texture. The apple’s crispness is a perfect match for the spring cabbage, and its subtle sweetness and tanginess amplify the cabbage’s natural flavors. The kids love picking out the apple pieces, so be sure to include it!
Step 3
Trim the outer tough leaves of the Bomdong and cut off the hard base. Then, wash it thoroughly 2-3 times under cold water. It’s important to wash it meticulously as it can hold a lot of soil. After washing, drain it well in a colander.
Step 4
Core the apple and slice it into bite-sized pieces. If you’re concerned about the peel, wash it thoroughly and you can leave the peel on for better color and an even crisper texture.
Step 5
If the Bomdong leaves are too large, cut them into manageable, bite-sized pieces. I sliced them lengthwise to make it easy to eat both the stems and leaves together. Depending on the size of your Bomdong, you might want to cut it lengthwise once, or even crosswise again for easier handling.
Step 6
Prepare some green onions to add a fragrant touch to your Bomdong salad. If you don’t have green onions, thinly sliced white parts of a leek will also work wonderfully. Either will enhance the salad’s overall flavor profile.
Step 7
Let’s make the delicious dressing! In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes), 3 Tbsp plum extract (Maesilcheong), 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix them well. The plum extract adds sweetness and umami, while the fish sauce brings a deep savory flavor.
Step 8
In a large bowl, add the prepared Bomdong, green onions (or leeks), and sliced apple. Pour the prepared dressing over the ingredients. Gently mix with your hands or a spatula, ensuring the dressing evenly coats everything without bruising the cabbage.
Step 9
After mixing, taste the salad. If it needs more seasoning, add a little salt or soy sauce to adjust to your preference. It’s always best to start with less seasoning and add more as needed.
Step 10
This Bomdong salad is quick to make with simple ingredients! It’s a fantastic dish that can awaken even the most dormant spring appetites and is packed with the vibrant energy of spring. The fresh green color alone is enough to stimulate your appetite!
Step 11
While Bomdong is delicious on its own, adding apple brings an extra layer of crispness and tanginess, making the salad even more delightful. It also adds a beautiful vibrant color, resulting in a salad that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Step 12
This cool and refreshing green Bomdong salad is a perfect accompaniment to any meal! It makes a bowl of rice disappear in no time. Definitely try it with the apple – it’s much tastier than plain Bomdong and is a lifesaver when you have a dull appetite.
Step 13
This Bomdong salad is also a fantastic partner for grilled meats. Especially with the current favorable prices for Korean beef (Hanwoo), try serving it alongside grilled Hanwoo sirloin. The salad’s refreshing zest cuts through the richness of the meat so effectively that you won’t even need a dipping sauce.
Step 14
Eating meat alone can be a bit monotonous, but with this sweet and tangy Bomdong salad, you’ll experience the magic of wanting more! While meat dipped in sesame oil is delicious, with this salad, it’s zero greasiness! The added tanginess from the apple is a delightful bonus.
Step 15
It’s also incredibly delicious served with a warm bowl of rice. Thanks to the crisp and refreshing Bomdong salad, a bowl of rice will be gone in a flash. As we age, we’re advised to reduce carbohydrate intake, but it’s hard to resist the temptation when faced with such a delicious salad! The bright energy from the Bomdong makes us look forward to spring even more. Spring vegetables are said to be full of the earth’s energy, so enjoy plenty of seasonal spring vegetables and have a healthy and joyful spring welcome!
