Kkaennip-namul (Seasoned Perilla Leaves)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot for blanching
• •Colander
• •Mixing bowl
• •Small skillet
• •Chopsticks or tongs

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim and wash

   Pick through the perilla shoots and remove any thick or woody stems. Keep tender stems, because they give the namul a good bite. Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, lifting them out rather than pouring the grit back over them. Repeat until the water is clean.

   If you only have large ssam leaves, use them, but know the dish changes. Trim the stems, stack the leaves, blanch 20 seconds, and slice them into 1-inch ribbons after squeezing. The flavor will be stronger and the texture less tender.
2. 2

   Blanch briefly

   Bring 8 cups water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add the perilla and press it under the water with chopsticks. Blanch tender shoots for 45 seconds, or mature leaves for 20 to 25 seconds. The leaves should collapse and turn a deeper green, but they should not go dull.

3. 3

   Rinse and squeeze

   Drain at once and rinse under cold running water until the leaves are cool. Gather them into two loose bundles and squeeze firmly but not cruelly. You want the leaves damp, not dripping. If water runs onto the cutting board, squeeze once more. Too much water is why namul tastes thin.

4. 4

   Season by hand

   Loosen the squeezed leaves into a mixing bowl. Add the soup soy sauce, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of the perilla oil, the scallion, and the crushed sesame seeds. Mix by hand, separating clumps as you go, so the seasoning reaches every leaf. Taste one leaf now. It should be savory but still green, with garlic in the background.

   손맛 is real. I still measure it, so it can be handed on. Start with the measured soy sauce, then add only 1/2 teaspoon more if the leaves taste flat after mixing.
5. 5

   Stir-fry lightly

   Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat with the neutral oil and the remaining 1 teaspoon perilla oil. Add the seasoned leaves and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the garlic softens and the oil coats the leaves. Do not brown the garlic. This is not a hard fry; it is a warming through.

6. 6

   Taste and serve

   Take the pan off the heat and taste again. If it needs salt, add up to 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, not more soy sauce, so the leaves do not darken. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled as banchan beside rice. It should sit in a small mound, glossy but not wet.

Chef Tips

• •Buy kkaennip-sun, young perilla shoots, when you can. The stems should bend easily between your fingers. If the bundle smells harsh or the stems snap like twigs, cook a different namul that day.
• •Use soup soy sauce if you have it. It seasons cleanly and keeps the green taste clear. Regular soy sauce works in a pinch, but use 2 teaspoons first, then taste, because it is darker and sweeter.
• •Perilla oil turns bitter if pushed over high heat. Warm it gently and keep the stir-fry short. 시대가 바뀌면 음식도 바뀌어야 해요. A nonstick skillet is fine here, but careless heat is not.
• •Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The garlic grows louder as it sits, so this is best within the first day.

Advance Preparation

• •The perilla can be trimmed and washed up to 1 day ahead. Wrap it in a barely damp towel, seal it in a bag, and refrigerate.
• •You can blanch and squeeze the leaves up to 8 hours ahead, then refrigerate them. Season and stir-fry close to serving so the perilla oil stays fragrant.
• •Finished kkaennip-namul can be served cold from the refrigerator, but let it stand 10 minutes at room temperature first so the oil softens and the leaf fragrance returns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 55g)