By Kim Yong-ja
It is best to get young and tender spinach leaves, which you can judge by the length of the stems. Korean spinach is very short and has a sweet flavor.
It is a calcium-rich vegetable and goes very well with the taste of denjang (soybean paste).
You may have to adjust the amount of bean paste according to the brand.
2 bunches SPINACH, washed and ends trimmed
2 dozens MANILA CLAMS (reduce the number if using larger clams)
4 tablespoons DENJANG (soybean paste)
5 cups WATER
½ teaspoon MYOLCHIGARU (anchovy powder)
1 teaspoon GOCHUGARU (chili flakes)
2 PUTGOCHU (green chili pepper), sliced
1 GARLIC CLOVE, crushed
1 Prepare the spinach. Wash the clams with cold water and soak them in lightly salted water.
2 Put denjang (soybean paste) in a sieve which you then immerse in the 5 cups of clear water. Press down the denjang with the back of a spoon until it dissolves.
3 Bring this broth to a boil. Add myolchigaru (anchovy powder), gochugaru (chili flakes), putgochu (green chili) and garlic.
4 Add spinach and clams. Remove from heat as soon as the clams open.
This is an excerpt from “Korean Cuisine: Healty Food, Full of Flavor,” (Yekyong Publishing, 224 pp., 28,000 won). The book is on sale at major bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore, Youngpoong Bookstore and Bandi & Luni’s. ― ED.