Earlier in my Korean Food Project, I cooked several types of namul (Korean vegetables), including kongnamul muchim and sigeumji namul (seasoned soybean sprouts and spinach — 콩나물무침 & 시금치나물) and gaji namul (seasoned eggplant — 가지나물). 

Since there are other types of namul that I enjoy, I decided to feature some more namul recipes. This one is for doraji namul and bosot namul, which are seasoned bellflower root and mushroom, respectively. I’m combining the two recipes since they are very similar.

The mushrooms in the below recipe are not exotic; you can use either shiitake mushrooms or another type of brown mushroom. Bellflower root will be less familiar to non-Koreans, but it is widely eaten within Korea. It’s somewhat challenging to describe its taste other than to say it’s bitter (and crunchy).

Doraji Namul (Seasoned Bellflower Root) — 도라지나물

Ingredients

  • 3 oz dried bellflower root*
  • 1 tsp. sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. salt

*You can find fresh bellflower root in Korean grocery stores. However, it is easier both to find dried bellflower root in stores and to cook this dish using dried bellflower root, so this recipe assumes you are using the dried version. The photos above show what dried bellflower root looks like, in a bag.

**To make this recipe gluten free, I used San-J Organic Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (available at Whole Foods or for $6.69 + shipping on Amazon.com.) 

Steps

  • Soak the dried bellflower root in cold water overnight to soften it.
  • The following day, boil water in a medium-sized saucepan.
  • Put the softened bellflower root in the pan and blanch it for 30 seconds.
  • Drain the blanched bellflower root.
  • Place the 1 tsp. sesame seeds in a frying pan and toast them until brown. Coarsely crush the seeds while still warm.
  • Return the blanched bellflower root to the saucepan and add the sesame seeds, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 2 Tbsp. water, 1 tsp. sesame oil and ¼ tsp. salt.
  • Cover the pan, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the bellflower root is tender (3 to 4 minutes.)
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

bosot-namul-500-2

Bosot Namul (Seasoned Mushrooms) — 버섯나물

Ingredients

  • 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms or brown mushrooms
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce**
  • 2 Tbsp. rice wine
  • 2 tsp. sugar

**To make this recipe gluten free, I used San-J Organic Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (available at Whole Foods or for $6.69 + shipping on Amazon.com.) 

Steps

  • Wash mushrooms, discard stems and slice caps into strips.
  • Put mushroom strips in a small saucepan and add ½ c. water and the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine and sugar.
  • Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked (~5 minutes.)
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.