This Korean garlic chives salad (buchu muchim) is spicy, slightly tangy, healthy, and is incredibly easy to make.
Garlic chives (buchu)
The specific chive we are using in this recipe is allium tuberosum. There are many other names this chive species goes by such as garlic chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, or Chinese leek. They are a perennial plant and are very easy to grow in many parts of the United States. They are cold-hardy for USDA Zones 4-10.
In Korea, this particular chive is known as buchu (부추) and is widely used in Korean cuisine. You will find these garlic chives being used in kimchi, dumplings (mandu), can be eaten fresh (namul), or in savory pancakes (pajeon) just to name a few.
Key features and tips
Garlic chives have more of a mild garlic flavor than a chive flavor. This garlic chives salad is very light and is a great simple raw side dish option.
By www.aziatische-ingredienten.nl, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link
We tend to like things more on the spicy side. You can add in more or less Korean red chili pepper powder (gochugaru) to your desired spice level. The brined shrimp and fish sauce give this salad a complex and delicious umami flavor. We recommend using the brined shrimp if possible. However, if you absolutely cannot get your hands on any, then feel free to use an extra ½ teaspoon of fish sauce.
Garlic chives (buchu) can typically be found in your local Asian grocery market. You may also be able to find these chives at your farmers’ market or a well-stocked grocery store. My mom grows these chives in her garden, so she always has some on hand during the growing season. They’re so easy to grow yourself too! Here is a link to some seeds we found online
Ingredients needed
- 2 cups garlic chives (buchu), chopped, 1” length
For the sauce:
- 2 Tbsp red chili pepper powder (gochugaru)
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp brined/salted shrimp
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp Dasida beef soup powder
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
How to Make Korean Chive Salad (Buchu Muchim)
- Clean the garlic chives well with water to remove any debris or dirt, and drain. Cut into 1” length pieces. Place in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Mix all ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl.
- Add the sauce to the bowl with the fresh garlic chives and mix together well. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
This Korean Chive Salad (buchu muchim) is delicious served as a side dish (banchan). You could also eat this with just a simple bowl of fresh rice. If you’re trying to stay low-carb, you could have this chive salad with a protein of your choice. Yum! We typically eat this with a variety of other side dishes, soup, and rice.
We hope you enjoy our Korean Chive Salad (buchu muchim) recipe!
Need a soup or other side dish recipes to serve with Korean Chive Salad?
- Korean Soybean Paste Stew with Mugwort & Wild Chives (Doenjang Guk with Ssuk and Dallae)
- Simple Korean Taro Soup (Toran Guk 토란국)
- Easy Napa Cabbage Korean Kimchi – Cut-Up Kimchi
- Korean Spicy Stir-Fried Eggplant
- Korean Stir-fried Fish Cake (Bokum Odeng)
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This Korean garlic chives salad (buchu muchim) is spicy, healthy, & is incredibly easy to make. In Korea, this type of garlic chive is known as buchu (부추).
Korean Garlic Chives Salad (Buchu Muchim)
Ingredients
For the sauce:
Instructions
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