Suukgat Namul/Moochim (Crown Daisy Namul) Recipe

I really love Suukgat.

Suukgat, called crown daisies in English, is a very popular green leaf vegetable in Korea that is often used in diets preventing insomnia, strokes, and anemia. And I know that it’s also widely used in China and Japan as well, in their hotpots and stews. I’ve seen them frequently used in various Japanese udon noodle dishes that I love so much.

Source: Wikipedia

Suukgat has a really interesting flavor, so Koreans love to put it in soups and stews to bring out the unique flavor of the vegetable, as well as putting it in pancakes or making namul. You could find it a little bitter the first time you try it, but I’m telling you, the flavor is addictive. You will not only find this green vegetable in Korean grocery stores, but also in many Chinese grocery stores as well. So if you come across this vegetable, maybe you could be adventurous and give it a try.

I make so many different dishes out of Suikgat such as udon soups and pancakes, but this post is for a macrobiotic namul dish that can be ready to eat in just five minutes. All you do is blanch it for 20-40 seconds and then mix it with a teaspoon of Korean bean paste (doengjang) or miso. Because you mix it up, it can also be called moochim, which means “to mix.” I think it is just so yummy and wonderful with the hint of bitterness and its unique flavor!

Suukgat Namul/Moochim (Crown Daisy Namul) Recipe

Ingredients:
1/3 bunch of suukgat
1-2 tsp Miso/doengjang Korean bean paste (depending on how salty your bean paste is)
sesame oil to taste (optional)

Directions:
1. Wash the suukgat (cut in half if they are too big for your pot).
2. Blanch them in boiling water for 20-40 seconds or less. The leaves can be blanched around 20 seconds and the stems should be blanched longer. Just be sure it’s soft but crisp, and not mushy!
3. Wash in cold water and squeeze out the water. You’ll see how the leaves shrink down so much.
4. Cut them into bite sizes and put in a mixing bowl.
5. Add the doenjang bean paste/miso and mix well with your clean, dry hands! You can add some sesame oil if you want, but that’s optional.
6. It’s ready! Enjoy as banchan, or just a side dish for any kind of Asian dish, so you can eat your greens! 😉
Start with 1/3 a bunch of suukgat. You can find it in many Asian grocery stores, especially the bigger ones.

Place it in boiling water to quickly blanch.

Blanch the leaves for around 20 seconds, until they wilt.

Blanch the tougher stems for around 40 seconds total. It can be easier to just cook them separately from the leaves. You want them soft enough but still crisp and not mushy!

Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Mix with 1-2 tsp of doenjang or miso (depending on how salty it is) and add a little sesame oil if desired.

Healthy, easy to prepare, and yummy suukgat namul! Enjoy!