This recipe is a simple Korean-style dandelion salad, mindeulle muchim. Dandelion is a wild spring vegetable that is used various ways in Korean cuisine. It’s packed with vitamins A, B, C and D as well as minerals such as iron, potassium and zinc. Dandelion has been used in herbal medicine to treat infections and kidney, liver and stomach problems. Look for the ones that are young and tender.
 
The salad is lightly dressed with a basic Korean sauce, which is slightly spicy, sweet and vinegary. I used lemon juice for the acidity, but any vinegar works.

200 grams dandelion leaves

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon gochugaru

1 teaspoon crushed sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Wash the dandelions well and drain. Remove the tough ends, and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Right before serving, pour the sauce over the dandelions, and toss well to coat evenly.

For more recipes, visit www.koreanbapsang.com

By Ro Hyo-sun