Simple Tofu Recipe – Crown Daisy (Ssukgat) Dubu Muchim

Simple Tofu Recipe – Crown Daisy ssukgat dubu muchim

Simple Tofu recipe with Crown Daisies (Ssukgat Dubu Muchim)

Hello! I’m back from vacation and here is my 2nd tofu recipe!!

This simple tofu recipe may seem very similar to my previous Broccoli Dubu Muchim but there are two main differences. One is that the traditional recipe extracts liquid from the tofu before making them into crumbles. The other difference is that it uses traditional Korean herbs instead of more common vegetables like broccoli or spinach.

Called Ssukat (쑥갓) in Korean, this fabulous herb is also called edible Chrysanthemum leaves and Garland Chrysanthemum among many other names.  In Korean, this dish is called Ssukgat Dubu Muchim (쑥갓 두부 무침). This simple tofu recipe is the more traditional version than my previous Broccoli Dubu Muchim. This version is a well known classic side dish in Korean temple food. This traditional type of simple tofu recipe uses fragrant Korean greens like ssukgat (crown daisies), minari (water dropwort/Japanese parsley/Chinese celery) and cham namul (참나물). For those of you who cannot find these Korean herbs, you can substitute water cress or even spinach.

Here are some health benefits of Crown daisies/Chrysanthemum leaves/Garland Chrysanthemum according to various Korean and US sources (there is more info here)

• Korean Ssukgat (Crown Daisies) is a warming food and can help warm up your stomach
• High in dietary fiber which is helpful for preventing constipation 
• High in vitamin A and C
• High in potassium which helps lower high blood pressure
• High in calcium and iron

One thing to note, it is low in Vitamin D so it would be great to eat it with sun dried mushrooms.

How to eat crown daisies or ssukgat:

• can be eaten raw as part of ssam (korean lettuce wrap), Korean lettuce salad or in Green onion salad (파무침 Pa muchim)
• add as garnish on stews (esp. fish jjigae like maeuntang) and udon noodle soup
• as namul

Earlier this spring, I planted some crown daisy seeds directly in my vegetable garden. Crown daisies (Ssukgat) don’t transplant very well so I sprinkled the seeds directly in the ground. They grew well and were just beautiful before I left for vacation couple weeks ago –

Crown Daisies (Korean Ssukgat) in vegetable garden

But with the days getting hotter and drier here in California , my crown daisies have begun to form flower buds…not good. So I cut all the crown daisies with flower buds on them in the hopes that I will get some more leaves before it’s too late. The best time to harvest crown daisies or ssukgat is BEFORE they form flower buds. And if you cut the top growth in time including the main stem, then crown daisies will grow more branches on the sides and you will have more to harvest!!

Right. Now, let’s get right to cooking:

Simple Tofu Recipe with Crown Daisies (Ssukgat Dubu Muchim)

Servings: 2- 3                       Cooking Time: 5 min                    Difficulty: Easy

• 6 oz firm tofu (1/2 pack)
• 4 cups loosely packed crown daisies
• 1/4 tsp and up to 3/8 tsp good quality sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• dash of black pepper
• 4 cup water + 1/2 tsp salt for boiling
• cold water bath
• medium grade cheesecloth

1. Boil 4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Rinse crown daisies and remove any thick stems. Tear leaves into palm size pieces. Depending on which kind (young or old) crown daisies you purchase, you may or may not need to remove thick stems. It should yield loosely 4 cups.

   Crown Daisies (Korean ssukgat) cleaned

3. Wrap tofu in cheesecloth and extract extra liquid from tofu by wringing with your hands.

   Expressing liquid from tofu for Crown Daisy Dubu Muchim

   You will end up with tofu crumbles that look something  like this:

   Pressed tofu for Ssukgat Dubu Muchim

   Transfer tofu crumbles to a mixing bowl. Set aside.

4. Prepare a cold water bath by filling a large bowl with cold water.
5. When water is boiling from 1, quickly blanch crown daisies (ssukgat).

   Blanched crown daisies/ssukgat – oops, a piece of broccoli decided to join the daisies..haha

   You need to only cook for 10-15 seconds. Remove immediately and submerge them in cold water bath to stop cooking.

6. Drain crown daisies once they are cooled and remove excess water by grabbing a handful and squeezing them in your hands.

   squeezing water from blanched crown daisies

   If you feel the crown daisies are too big, cut them into smaller pieces.

7. To the bowl with tofu crumbles (from 3), add blanched and cut crown daisies from 6.

   Tofu and Crown Daisies for Dubu Muchim

8. Add salt, dash of black pepper and sesame oil. Toss and mix. Taste and adjust by adding more salt.
9. Sprinkle sesame seeds. If you want more nuttiness, you can crush them between your fingers. That’s IT!!

   Simple Tofu Recipe with Crown Daisies-Korean Dubu Muchim

   The little yellow chrysanthemum flower is from my garden! One flower sneaked by me..

   Easy Tofu Recipe w Crown Daisies (Ssukgat Dubu Muchim)

Notes

• Fresh uncooked tofu spoils quite easily so keep it refrigerated, especially in warm summer months.

• Simple Tofu Recipe with Crown Daisies (Ssukgat Dubu Muchim)

  2016-06-23 02:34:20

  Serves 2

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  Prep Time

  4 min

  Cook Time

  1 min

  Total Time

  5 min

  Prep Time

  4 min

  Cook Time

  1 min

  Total Time

  5 min

  Ingredients

  1. 6 oz firm tofu (1/2 pack)
  2. 4 cups loosely packed crown daisies
  3. 1/4 tsp and up to 3/8 tsp good quality sea salt or kosher salt
  4. 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  5. 1 tsp sesame seeds
  6. 4 cup water + 1/2 tsp salt for boiling
  7. cold water bath
  8. medium grade cheesecloth

  Instructions

  1. Boil 4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt.
  2. Rinse crown daisies and remove any thick stems. Tear leaves into palm size pieces.
  3. Wrap tofu in cheesecloth and extract extra liquid from tofu by wringing with your hands.
  4. Transfer tofu crumbles to a mixing bowl. Set aside.
  5. Prepare a cold water bath by filling a large bowl with cold water.
  6. When water is boiling, quickly blanch crown daisies (ssukgat).
  7. Cook for 10-15 seconds. Remove immediately and submerge them in cold water bath to stop cooking.
  8. Drain crown daisies once they are cooled and remove excess water by grabbing a handful and squeezing them in your hands.
  9. If you feel the crown daisies are too big, cut them into smaller pieces.
  10. To the bowl with tofu crumbles, add cut crown daisies.
  11. Add salt, dash of black pepper and sesame oil. Toss and mix. Taste and adjust by adding more salt.
  12. Sprinkle sesame seeds. If you want more nuttiness, you can crush them between your fingers.

  Notes

  1. This traditional type of simple tofu recipe uses fragrant Korean herbs like ssukgat (crown daisies), minari (water dropwort/Japanese parsley/Chinese celery) and cham namul (참나물). If these Korean herbs are hard to find, you can substitute water cress or even spinach.

  By JinJoo Lee

  Kimchimari http://kimchimari.com/
   Enjoy!!

XOXO,

JinJoo 

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