Spring Naengi Salad with Doenjang & Korean Citrus (Dangyuja)/It’s an ingredient that’s gaining popularity in Korea lately!

 

Hello! This is Hyeng, flying in with the spring breeze (achoo!) 🌿

This time, I made a Naengi Doenjang Salad using dangyuja marmalade, one of the Korean ingredients that recently became popular after being featured on TV!

It has a sweet and savory flavor, so it feels more like a snack to enjoy with drinks rather than with rice~

By the way, dangyuja is a native Korean citrus fruit!

It’s actually much bigger than regular yuja.

You could say it’s like a spring greens dish turned into the perfect drinking side dishㅎㅎ

It pairs especially well with Korean alcohol—Starlight Cheongha is a perfect match! (not sponsored)

Alright then, let’s get started with today’s creative recipe by Hyeng!

Come along 😻💚

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🌿 Ingredients

(for 250g of naengi / Korean shepherd’s purse)

• 250g naengi (before washing)
  (I used pre-washed naengi)
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1¼ tbsp tojang (traditional Korean soybean paste)
• 1 tsp regular doenjang (soybean paste)
• 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• A few drops of sesame oil (about 3 drops)
• 1½ tsp dangyuja marmalade + 2 drops of water (mixed)

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🌿 How to Choose & Clean Naengi

How can you tell if naengi is fresh and tasty?
Look for roots that are moderately thick—not too thick, not too thin. That in-between size has the best texture and flavor!

If the roots are too thick, simply slice them in half.
Remove any wilted leaves, then gather the roots in your hands and gently rub them together under running water to clean.

Since naengi is grown in soil, it often comes with a lot of dirt.
That’s why it’s usually pre-washed before being sold—but it’s still best to give it one more rinse just in case!

Fill a 28cm wok or deep pan with water and add 1 tablespoon of salt.

Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat!

And then~ ✨

Add the well-washed naengi into the pot, gently pressing it down so it’s fully submerged, and blanch it evenly!
I blanched mine for about 1 minute and 50 seconds.

If you want to keep the leaves tender while softening the tougher roots,
you can add the roots first, then the leaves.

Now rinse it in cold water~
Squeeze out the excess water firmly with both hands,
then press it once more with a paper towel.

This step is important—it should be as dry as possible!

Cut the squeezed naengi into pieces about 0.7–1 cm wide.
For the roots, you can chop them a bit more finely if needed!

Next, finely mince 2 cloves of garlic ✨

Now, let’s mix everything together!

In a bowl, add all the blanched spring naengi and the minced garlic (2 cloves).

Then add 1¼ tablespoons of tojang (a slightly heaping tablespoon + ¼ tbsp).

By the way, this tojang was actually recommended by Chef Baby Beast from the show Black & White Chef!
It has a deeper, saltier flavor compared to regular doenjang ✨

Add 1 teaspoon of regular doenjang as well!

Add just 3 drops of sesame oil.
If you add too much, it can overpower the citrus aroma!

Next, add 1 tablespoon of ground sesame seeds!

Then gently, gently mix everything together so the doenjang coats evenly ✨

In Korea, we often use a small mortar and pestle to grind sesame seeds.
That’s what I used tooㅎㅎ ✨

Up to this point, it’s already a delicious naengi doenjang salad…
but here’s where we add a little twist (hehe) ✨

Mix 1½ teaspoons of dangyuja marmalade with 2 drops of water,
then lightly drizzle it over the salad and give it one more gentle toss.

This really brings out the aroma even more! 🍊

(I used store-bought dangyuja marmalade)

And that’s it—your Dangyuja Tojang Spring Naengi Salad is complete!

Hmm hmm… the refreshing citrus aroma and the deep, savory richness of doenjang become more and more addictive with each bite.
You could say it has that perfect sweet-and-salty balanceㅎㅎ

Not sponsored at all, but it pairs perfectly with Starlight Cheongha—or really, any drink! 🍶💚

Now, let’s plate it!

I mixed two yellow cloths together and created a cozy little forest next to my smiley snowman ☀️🌿
And of course, I invited a hamster from that forest to join us!

Today’s tasting buddy is… the hamster! 🐹
So, how does it taste—?!

The bittersweet notes of the citrus zest,
paired with the earthy aroma of spring naengi—
it’s just so good, Hyeng!

That perfect sweet-and-salty balance makes it an ideal snack with drinks too~

— Reviewed by a very satisfied hamster 🐹💚

Wait… the forest is all gone?!
The culprit is our hamster friend… got you! You little troublemaker! 😆

Looks like the snowman will have some cold days ahead… oh no~
Honestly, I think this pairing is perfect. Did you see those chubby cheeks?ㅋㅋㅎ 🐹

With that, I’ll say goodbye for now and see you in the next post!

I hope your day was filled with delicious food and happiness 💚

Until next time—bye! Ppyong!👋

Recipe by Hyeng’s Jipsa Korean Food Blog
All photos and text are copyrighted. Please do not copy or repost without permission.