There are so many reasons why sigeumchi namul is our default vege dish! It takes literally 5 minutes to prep 4 ingredients, 3 minutes boiling time, 2 adults worth of spinach, and 1 happy chef!

If you often face the challenge of estimating cooking times for stir-fried vegetables – it’s either too hard or too soft, overcooked or undercooked – then this Korean spinach side dish is the ultimate no-fail vegetable dish for you! And yet, having a vegetables dish is a requirement in my meals.

Your new favourite banchan

There are so many reasons why this dish will be your new favourite vege dish!

1. It takes only 5 minutes to prepare this dish, and it is something you can prepare beforehand – it tastes good no matter piping hot or chilled.
2. You do not need to stand in front of the stove and wonder if it’s cooked enough or overcooked. Just remember: 5 minutes to prep, 4 ingredients, 3 mins boiling time. Done!
3. When spinach gets boiled, it shrinks so much, one packet of spinach can be easily finished by 2 adults in 1 setting, which means… NO LEFTOVERS!

Other banchan that we love

• Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) 오이무침.
• Mechurial Jangjorim (Soy Braised Quail Eggs) 메추리알 장조림
• Pan-fried Zucchini (호박전 Hobak Jeon)
• Kongnamul muchim (Seasoned Bean Sprouts) 콩나물 무침

4 ingredients for sigeumchi namul banchan

• Spinach – Use Chinese spinach, not the Western baby spinach for salads. It’s often sold in a huge bag and looks like it’s way too much for 2 adults. But trust us, 250g spinach will shrink so much it will only yield a palm size worth once it’s done

• Garlic – Raw garlic gives a spicy kick to this dish. If raw garlic is too pungent for your liking, you may omit it. Do not replace with garlic powder, it is just not the same.
• Oyster Sauce – The main umami contributer to this dish
• Sesame Oil – Because this recipe is so simple, you need the best condiment to bring out the flavours. Beksul Sesame Oil is made from 100% roasted sesame seeds and with its nutty, rich, buttery and slightly smoky profile. Highly recommended for this recipe.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

4 steps to make delicious spinach banchan

This is as simple as it gets!

1. Prepare spinach. Cut off the roots and wash thoroughly under running water. Make sure you get all the mud and dust off those lovely greens! Cut into half to separate the leaves and stem.
2. Cook spinach. Place the spinach into boiling water and cook for 3 mins. While cooking, make sure to push the leaves down and turn down the heat if it threatens to boil over.
3. Mince garlic. While spinach is boiling, chop the garlic into small pieces. Use a garlic chopper or any sort of food processor to cut down the time for prep.
4. Rinse spinach. Once spinach is cooked, take it out of boiling water and wash under running water to cool it down. Lift the spinach and give it a good squeeze to get the water out. Place the spinach in a bowl and add oyster sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil. Give it a good mix with a pair of chopsticks and serve!

A few recipe tips

• You can prepare the spinach side dish beforehand and keep it chilled in fridge while you are cooking the rest of your meal. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds for aesthetics and applause.
• It goes very well as a side for Korean or even Chinese dishes. Want other easy banchan ideas, check out (link to other banchan dishes).
• Marinated spinach can be kept in airtight container for up to 3 days.

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