Korean Seasoned Spinach

Korean seasoned spinach, or shi-geum-chi, is one of my favorite Korean side dishes. It's also one of the easiest.

Ingredients for one large fist of Korean seasoned spinach

1 bundle of spinach

2-3 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 green onion, chopped

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red chili peppers or cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. After washing all the nasty stuff from the bundle of spinach, blanch the spinach in boiling, salted water for 20 to 30 seconds.

2. Drain the spinach and shock the spinach under running cold water.

3. Gently squeeze the spinach to remove excess water.

4. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix them into each other by hand.

5. If necessary, add more of any ingredient to taste.

The end result should have a light balance of spicy and salty, and should have a decent punch of garlic and green onion with each bite. Try pairing this with your next stew, grilled protein, or roast chicken. The cool, refreshing spinach is usually a great way to balance out warm and meaty dishes.