Sigeumchi-namul

시금치나물

Blanched spinach squeezed dry and seasoned with sesame — the other namul that lives in bibimbap.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: 시금치나물.

0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.

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Measurement system
Prep
8 min
Cook
3 min
Total
11 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
Source photograph of Sigeumchi-namul. Not official I Want Some Food pixel artwork.
Photo: 최광모 via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source

About

Sigeumchi-namul is spinach, not a salad. You blanch it, squeeze it like you mean it, and toss with sesame oil, garlic and soy. Water left in the greens is how the bowl goes dull. This is also how you stock a fridge with banchan on Sunday.

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Blanch spinach 30–60 seconds in salted boiling water. Shock in cold water. Squeeze until almost dry, then cut into short lengths.

    4 min
  2. Step 2

    Toss with sesame oil, soy, garlic, salt and seeds. Taste. It should smell toasted, not wet.

Adapt this recipe

The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.

Substitutions

  • Spinach Other tender greens

    Call it namul, name the green.

Tips

  • Stems are fine if they are tender. Woody supermarket stems can be trimmed.
  • Make a double batch. It keeps two days.

History & culture

Bibimbap, dosirak, and the everyday table. English spinach works; so does a bunch of cheap leaves.

Seasoned greens are older than any restaurant menu. The sesame-garlic formula is the modern home standard.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: 최광모 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gosari-namul%20and%20sigeumchi-namul.jpg

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.

How long does Sigeumchi-namul take?

11 min all in — 8 min prep, 3 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Very easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Sesame, Soy. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Saucepan, Mixing bowl.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 pinch.

How much toasted sesame oil?

1 tbsp of Toasted sesame oil.

How much soy sauce?

1 tsp of Soy sauce.

What can I use instead?

Spinach → Other tender greens. Call it namul, name the green.

Any tips from this recipe?

Stems are fine if they are tender. Woody supermarket stems can be trimmed. Make a double batch. It keeps two days.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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