Oh, Yes! we were able to see “Popeye” show in Korea in the 70th. In my innocent young slender eyes Popeye was a hero, and I truly believed his strength came from eating the spinach from a can. He defeated the naughty Brutus, and saved Olive every time. I loved his steroid injected looking arm…, a symbol of power and strength of a macho man!
Nobody eats canned spinach in Korea, not even frozen ones. We use fresh spinach every time. It is all year round side dish “Banchan(반찬)” on Korean table. You will see the spinach Banchan pretty much in every Korean restaurant. All seasoned with salt, some garlic, and sesame oil… Sometimes it gets bland and boring.
I do make this spinach quite often, but I season differently, and everyone is asking what’s in it that makes taste so good. I will reveal my secret for you.
Besides you can use this in other vegetable Banchan (반찬) and soups to enhance their flavor.
I store them in the freezer.
Just toast these guys until very dry. Make sure to cool them completely afterward.
Hmmmm, shrimp flavored coffee…. Who knows? Anything is possible these days.
You will see some chunks of shrimp but it’s O.K la!
Store them in a freezer if you live in tropical paradise.
Now, let’s learn how to make the Korean spinach.
spinach, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce (I always use low-sodium), garlic (fresh or dried), and the shrimp powder.
Don’t forget to add salt!
Drain and rinse with cold water.
But not too strong. It needs to retain its moisture.
I don’t want you to choke by a foot long spinach.
Massaging motion as you toss the vegetable is an important skill to master in Korean dishes.
It is healthy, tasty, and easy.
Korean Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Spinach trimmed and cleaned
- 2 Tb soy sauce low-sodium
- 1 small clove garlic minced or 1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
- 1 Tb sesame oil
- 1 Tb roasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp shrimp powder *
*For the Shrimp powder
- Heat a pan over low heat and toast handful of dried shrimps stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
- Let them cool completely. Put them in a food processor or spice grinder and process until finely grounded. Store in a airtight container avoiding direct sunlight or keep them in the freezer.
Instructions
- Blanch spinach in the boiling water for 5 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove excess water with some force but not too strong. It has to be still moist. Slice them if they are too long.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well with a hand with massaging motion so the seasoning can soak into the spinach. Serve as a side dish.
Nutrition
wow, i love dried shrimps. but never ground them before. Your spanich looks ssoooooo good! i am gonna give it a try!
i love the concept of this dish and i love spinach! But i'm vegetarian, so would it really alter the taste if i negated the dried shrimps??
@chefpriyanka
I suggest you add dried mushroom in a grounded form instead of dried shrimps. Adding an extra flavor will bring up the dish to another level. And that will make a total vegetarian!
This is my favourite banchan! It's so tasty to eat on its own and with rice!
@pigpigscorner
and it is so good for you, too.
the pictures are wonderful. just discovered your blog – love the recipes and am excited to try them. read your "about me" page. i think this is a wonderful way to impart your legacy to your children. you're very inspiring!
cool… i love korean food! my college korean friends really taught me how to enjoy this stuff. Now that i have a family and living in the Philippines, i would like them to learn to appreciate too. Thanks so much… will be back.
im really in love with your blog and the recipes….all are just awesome.your husbanb and kids would be very proud and lucky of having you as a humurous lovely wife and talented mom. thanks for sharing with us and wish u a sweet vacation this fall.xoxo
Another wonderful easy dish for a working mum trying to ensure her children get loads of proper nutrition…So far Korean cooking and your blog are helping us!
This spinach dish was just divine and now I am adapting it with beans and other green leafy vegetables…
You are very good at what you do…best wishes
Michel – Sydney – Australia
Thank you Michel. I am so happy to hear that you love my recipes. This is the spinach recipe my kids like to eat as well. Have a great weekend! 🙂
I’ve just discovered your blog a few days ago. Love it! Ran to the market to get the dried shrimps. Alas, they still have their heads attached. Do we need to remove them before toasting them? Thank you!
No, you don’t need to. Just grind them well together.
If I make a couple batches of this how long will it last in the refrigerator ?
about a week or so.