7,000 Won Happiness! 7 Side Dish Recipes for a Week
📋 7 recipes — Select to view
📝 Editor's Notes
The '7,000 Won Happiness, 7 Side Dish Recipes for a Week' is a truly appealing recipe that allows you to prepare an economical yet healthy meal plan.
It particularly offers a familiar and comforting taste by using Korean zucchini (aekohobak) as a main ingredient.
The biggest feature is that you can make various side dishes with inexpensive ingredients sourced from Garak Market.
This recipe focuses on stir-fried Korean zucchini (aekohobak-namul).
The cooking process is not complicated, making it easy for beginners to follow, and its simple yet savory taste is loved by all ages.
We recommend it as a healthy homemade side dish that can be enjoyed all year round without burden.
It will bring you an ordinary yet special meal.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
When choosing Korean zucchini (aekohobak), look for one with a light green skin, a glossy appearance, and a firm, heavy feel.
A medium-sized zucchini is ideal, as it will have fewer seeds and be more tender, making it suitable for a stir-fry (namul).
For green onions, choose ones with fresh roots and vibrant green leaves that feel firm to the touch.
While store-bought minced garlic is fine, mincing it yourself will provide a fresher and deeper aroma.
For salted shrimp (saeujeot), choose a product that isn't too salty and has a clear pinkish hue, as this will enhance the savory flavor.
Good ingredients will elevate the taste of your dish.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If you wish to use other vegetables instead of Korean zucchini (aekohobak), you can try zucchini or cucumber.
Zucchini has a similar texture to Korean zucchini and pairs well with this recipe, although its flavor might be slightly milder.
If using cucumber, which has much higher water content than Korean zucchini, you'll need to increase the salting time or squeeze out the water more thoroughly to maintain a crisp texture.
If you don't have salted shrimp (saeujeot) or have a seafood allergy, you can substitute it with 1 tbsp of soup soy sauce (gukganjang) and a pinch of salt.
However, the unique refreshing and savory flavor of salted shrimp might be diminished.
If you use sesame oil instead of perilla oil (deulgireum), the nutty flavor will be similar, but the distinctive aroma of perilla oil will be absent.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most crucial point in this recipe is salting the Korean zucchini (aekohobak) to remove moisture.
Salting it with 1 tbsp of salt for about 10 minutes helps release water, preventing the dish from becoming watery when stir-fried and making the texture much crisper and more delicious.
Be sure to follow this step, as skipping it can result in a mushy and less flavorful dish.
The second point is the stir-frying time.
Avoid overcooking the zucchini, which can make it mushy; instead, stir-fry quickly over high heat for about 2 minutes.
Lastly, add perilla oil (deulgireum) and sesame salt just before turning off the heat or right after, to preserve their unique aroma and flavor.
Remembering these three points will help you make delicious stir-fried Korean zucchini every time.
👨🍳 Directions
Add 1 tbsp of salt to the sliced Korean zucchini and let it sit for 10 minutes to drain moisture.
Drizzle cooking oil 2-3 times in a pan, then add the drained Korean zucchini and a handful of sliced green onions.
Add 1 tbsp of minced garlic, 1 tbsp of salted shrimp (saeujeot), 2 tbsp of perilla oil (deulgireum), and 1 tbsp of sesame salt, then stir-fry for about 2 minutes to finish.
💡 Tips
Salting the Korean zucchini (aekohobak) to drain moisture prevents it from breaking apart when stir-fried and improves its texture.
📦 Storage & Reuse
The finished stir-fried Korean zucchini (aekohobak-namul) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
It is best to consume it as soon as possible, as the zucchini's texture can soften with longer storage.
Freezing is not recommended as it can alter the texture of the namul.
To reheat, simply microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or lightly stir-fry over low heat to enjoy it warm and delicious as if freshly made.
If you have leftover stir-fried Korean zucchini, it makes a great simple bibimbap when mixed with warm rice, gochujang (Korean chili paste), and sesame oil.
🥢 Who This Is For
This stir-fried Korean zucchini (aekohobak-namul) is great served over warm rice or as part of a traditional Korean meal with other side dishes.
Its mild and clean taste pairs well with any main dish, whether it's spicy stir-fried pork (jeyuk-bokkeum) or savory grilled fish.
It's especially recommended for growing children and the elderly with delicate digestion, as it's easy on the stomach.
Serving it with kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) or doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) will make for an even more fulfilling meal.
🔥 Nutrition Info
This stir-fried Korean zucchini (aekohobak-namul) recipe, as part of a week's worth of side dishes, is estimated to be approximately 70-90 kcal per serving.
It is very low in calories, primarily consisting of Korean zucchini and small amounts of seasonings.
Protein is estimated at about 2-3g, fat at about 5-7g (mainly from perilla oil and cooking oil), and carbohydrates at about 4-6g.
Korean zucchini is high in water content and dietary fiber, which aids in bowel health, and contains various vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, and potassium.
Vitamin A is particularly good for boosting immunity and protecting eyesight, while potassium is effective in expelling sodium from the body.
Perilla oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, can also benefit cardiovascular health.
Overall, it is a light and well-balanced healthy side dish.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!