Korean-inspired Oxeye Daisy Greens is a modern Fusion recipe (based on a Korean original) for a salad or accompaniment of blanched and seasoned chrysanthemum or oxeye daisy greens garnished with sesame seeds. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Korean-inspired Oxeye Daisy Greens.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Traditionally made with chrysanthemum greens, this dish works just as well with oxeye daisy greens.
Ingredients:
175g Chrysanthemum Greens (Ssukgat) or 1 bunch oxeye daisy leaves
For Blanching:
1.5l water
1 tsp sea salt
For Dressing:
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp Guk Ganjang (Korean Soup Soy Sauce)
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds (roasted)
Method:
Start boiling the 1.5l of water with 1 tsp salt. (Note, you can cook up to 2-3 times as much of the greens in same amount of water.)
Wash and clean your choice of greens in water and drain.
Cut the thicker bottom stems into 5cm lengths and the upper leafy parts into 10cm or so lengths (if using oxeye daisies use the leaves and tender upper stems only). We do this because once blanched, the leaves reduce significantly in volume while the stems still pretty much maintain their size.
Prepare an ice bath (a bowl of cold water set in a bowl of ice) to put the blanched greens in to stop them from cooking further.
Once the water starts boiling in the pot, 1) add just the stem parts first into pot and cook for 1 min or so. 2) Then add the top leaves and cook for another 1-2 min until the thick stems are cooked. 3) to check if the stems are cooked enough, take one stem out and bend it between your fingers. It should bend easily without snapping. We don’t want to overcook and make it mushy and want it to be slightly crunchy.
When done, immediately remove greens from pan with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer to the prepared ice bath.
Let the greens cool in the ice bath for few seconds then drain. Take a handful of the cooked greens between your hands and squeeze out excess water from them. Gently squeeze between your hands to form a ball while squeezing out the water. Once done, no water should drip from it but you also don’t want to squeeze so much as to crush the stems so be gentle but firm!
In a bowl, add the balls of squeezed greens and undo the ball so the leaves are loosely separated. Add the spring onions and seasonings — Guk Ganjang, sea salt, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Use your hands (use gloves if you want) to gently massage all the seasonings into the greens. Once it’s all nicely mixed, taste and adjust if necessary.
Serve at room temperature or cold from the fridge. This Ssukat Namul banchan will go well with any Korean dish or meal so enjoy!
