Maneuljjong hodu bokkeum (Stir-fried garlic scapes with walnuts)

Garlic scapes (maneuljjong) are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic plants that are snipped off to allow the bulbs to grow bigger. They have a milder flavor than garlic cloves but are still quite garlicky. When cooked, the scapes become sweeter with a subtle garlic undertone and have a texture similar to that of thin asparagus. In this recipe, the garlic scapes are stir fried with walnuts in a soy sauce-based sauce. It’s a simple and delicious spring side dish. The scapes only appear in markets for a short period of time, so grab them while you can.

Ingredients:
● 300 grams garlic scapes (maneuljjong)

● 1/2 cup shelled walnuts, broken into quarters

● 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
● 2 tablespoons soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon rice wine

● 1 tablespoon water

● 1 teaspoon sugar (or brown sugar)

● 1 to 2 teaspoons corn syrup (or more sugar)

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Rinse and cut the garlic scapes into 5-centimeter lengths. Mix all the sauce ingredients well, except the sesame oil and seeds. 

In a heated pan over a medium low heat, roast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Saut the scapes for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Return the walnuts to the pan, and pour the sauce into the pan. Cook until the garlic scapes are tender and the sauce is almost gone, 3 to 4 minutes. Finish with the sesame oil and sesame seeds.