Recipe: Sigumchi Namul

In a Korean meal, several seasoned vegetable dishes, or namul, are served. Any raw or blanched vegetable is a good candidate for namul, and seasonings vary from cook to cook. Below is a recipe for a spinach namul seasoned with cookbook author Joan Namkoong’s version of a table sauce, Cho Kochu Jang, also below. It balances spicy, sweet, sour and salty flavor components. Add more kochu jang for more heat.

• 1 pound spinach
• 2 tablespoons Cho Kochu Jang (recipe follows)
• Roasted sesame seeds

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Wash spinach well and drain. When water is boiling, add spinach and cook 1 minute, just enough to wilt leaves. Drain in colander and cool.

When spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze by the handfuls to extract water.

Place in bowl, add Cho Kochu Jang and mix well. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serves 4 as a side.

Cho Kochu Jang

• 2 tablespoons kochu jang (chili pepper paste, sold in Asian aisle of supermarkets)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Into bowl, measure all ingredients except sesame seeds. Whisk until well combined. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Nutritional information unavailable.

From “A Korean Kitchen,” by Joan Namkoong (Mutual Publishing, $18.95). Find the book at Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold; on amazon.com; and at Mutual Publishing, 1215 Center St., Suite 210. Call Mutual at 732-1709.