Bireum-namul (Seasoned Amaranth Greens)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot, at least 3 liters
• •Colander
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Sharp knife and cutting board

Instructions

1. 1

   Pick and wash

   Trim away thick, fibrous lower stems and keep the tender leaves and thin upper stems. Wash the greens in two changes of cold water, lifting them out instead of pouring the gritty water over them. Bireum grows low and cheaply, which is a blessing at the market and a warning at the sink.

2. 2

   Blanch briefly

   Bring 2 liters of water to a full boil and add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add the greens, pressing them under the water, and blanch 45 to 60 seconds, just until the stems bend and the leaves deepen in color. This green is tender. Boil it like cabbage and it loses its mild, field taste.

3. 3

   Cool and squeeze

   Drain the greens and rinse once under cold running water to stop the cooking. Gather them in both hands and squeeze firmly, but not cruelly, until they are damp rather than dripping. You should have about 170g squeezed greens. Too much water thins the seasoning; too much squeezing makes the namul dry and tired.

4. 4

   Cut for chopsticks

   Lay the squeezed greens on the board and cut them into 2-inch lengths. This is not decoration. Namul should lift easily with chopsticks and sit neatly beside rice, not trail across the table like rope.

5. 5

   Mix seasoning

   In a medium bowl, mash together the doenjang, soy sauce, sesame oil, crushed sesame seeds, garlic, scallion, gochugaru if using, and maesil-cheong if using. Mix the seasoning first so the doenjang loosens and coats evenly. If you drop paste straight onto the greens, one bite gets all the salt and the next gets none.

   Taste your doenjang before you season. A strong house-fermented paste may need only 2 teaspoons; a mild commercial one may need the full tablespoon.
6. 6

   Season by hand

   Add the cut greens to the bowl and loosen them with your fingers before mixing. Rub the seasoning through gently until every strand is coated. Taste one stem. It should be soft, savory, and nutty, with the doenjang supporting the green, not burying it. 손맛 is real; I measure it anyway, so it can be handed on.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Let the namul sit 5 minutes, then taste again. The salt settles into the greens as they rest. Serve at room temperature in a small banchan dish, with rice and one clear soup or stew. Season this namul alone, in its own bowl, before it ever meets the rice. That is how each vegetable keeps its own voice.

Chef Tips

• •Choose bunches with lively leaves and tender upper stems. If the stems feel woody under your fingernail, keep only the leaves or cook something else from the market today.
• •Doenjang varies wildly. Start with 2 teaspoons if yours is dark, salty, and house-fermented, then add more only after tasting. The goal is a savory coating, not a paste-heavy salad.
• •The optional maesil-cheong is not for sweetness you can name. It rounds the saltiness of doenjang. Leave it out if your paste is already mild.
• •Do not season this with gochujang just because the jar is nearby. Some homes do make a redder version, but this one is doenjang-based so the amaranth stays gentle.

Advance Preparation

• •The greens can be washed and trimmed up to 1 day ahead. Wrap them in a barely damp towel and refrigerate in a loose bag.
• •The finished namul keeps 2 days refrigerated in a covered container. Let it come toward room temperature before serving, and refresh with a few drops of sesame oil only after tasting.
• •Do not freeze this namul. Blanched amaranth greens turn watery and stringy after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 65g)