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Close up top-down view of vibrant dark green blanched spinach in an earthy shallow side dish bowl.

Perfect Korean Spinach Banchan (Sigeumchi Namul)

Master this quick and easy Korean Spinach Banchan. Featuring vibrant dark green blanched spinach in a glossy sesame oil and soy sauce coating, perfectly speckled with roasted white sesame seeds and minced raw garlic.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 65
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 lb Mature Spinach Leaves and stems attached
  • 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil For the glossy coating
  • 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce For savory umami flavor
  • 2 cloves Raw White Garlic Finely minced into tiny flecks
  • 1 tbsp Roasted White Sesame Seeds For texture and garnish
  • 1 tbsp Kosher Salt For blanching water

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stainless Steel Pot For rapid boiling and blanching.
  • 1 Spider Strainer To quickly remove greens from boiling water.

Method
 

Preparation and Cooking
  1. Wash the spinach thoroughly in cold water to remove grit. Trim only the tough root ends, keeping the spinach stems intact. Prepare a large ice water bath nearby.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the kosher salt. Submerge the spinach and blanch for 30 to 45 seconds until vibrant dark green and slightly pliable.
  3. Use a spider strainer to immediately transfer the hot spinach into the ice water bath. Once cold, gather the greens and gently squeeze out the excess water until it forms a neat mound.
  4. Place the squeezed spinach into a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced raw white garlic, and roasted white sesame seeds. Toss gently by hand until the leaves have a glossy wet texture.

Notes

Do not skip the ice bath, as this locks in the vibrant green color.
Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator for the best texture.