Seasoned Spinach

Siguemchi Namul

Mature spinach with its sweet purple roots has a heartier, meatier texture than its baby variety. My grandmother used to feed me small bites of this nutritious side dish with her fingers straight into my mouth while she was making it. She always mixed the spinach leaves with her hands to ensure the dressing was evenly coated.

Ingredients

Serves 4 (as a side dish)

  • 450g (1lb) mature spinach with stem and roots
  • sea salt

DRESSING

  • 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp spring onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds, crushed
  • 1 tsp sagwa-shikcho (Korean apple vinegar)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
  • black pepper, freshly ground

Method

Fill a large saucepan with water, salt well and bring to the boil. In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath. Rinse the spinach with cold water to remove any dirt, especially around the roots. Remove any hairs from the roots. Cut the spinach into 7cm (2.in) long pieces, keeping the purple roots intact. Split the roots in half horizontally and keep separately.

In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

Blanch the spinach in two separate batches. In the boiling salt water, blanch the spinach stem and leaves until just wilted, about 1 minute, remove the spinach from the water and shock in the ice bath. Repeat with the spinach stem with roots, but cook for 1–2 minutes. Remove from the ice bath, drain well and gently squeeze out any excess water.

Gently loosen the clumps of spinach with your fingers and transfer to a bowl. Toss well with the dressing. Cover and chill for about an hour to allow the flavours to mellow before serving.

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageA magical night celebrating the launch of @mareida.london — a dazzling new jewel in London’s culinary crown from my brilliant friend Carolina Bazan @chinoise 🇨🇱✨

From the first step inside, you’re whisked away—Chilean roots meet haute cuisine in a symphony of flavor and soul. Carolina, what you’ve created is nothing short of breathtaking. Every bite tells a story, rich with heritage and elevated by your unmistakable flair.

So proud of you, and so thrilled London gets to taste your delicious genius. Mareida isn’t just a restaurant—it’s an experience. 💫
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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHAPPY FATHER’S DAY!! 
My father was born in 1939 in Chongju, a small coastal village between Sinuiju and Pyongyang, in what is now North Korea. 

In 1945, the communists invaded, and seized his father’s land, forcing them to pack up what they could carry, and flee south with his eight siblings. Even at just six years old, my dad had to haul his share - a small backpack full of fine silk to be used to barter their way onto trains heading south and to buy safe passage through Russian-occupied territory. 

They took a train to Haeju, then crossed the southern border. They escaped under the cover of darkness, wading through the sea’s low tide to Kaesong, which was then part of South Korea. In 1950, the Korean War broke out and my dad’s family fled further and sought refuge on Jeju island. My father was too young to be drafted, but four of his older brothers were enlisted. My dad grew up in a refugee camp on this small volcanic island, which is now ironically a popular holiday destination. He remembers looking up at tall, smartly-clad US soldiers and begging them for ‘bon bons’.

From this challenging situation, he somehow managed through hard work to make it to the ‘Harvard’ of Korea and attended Seoul National University Medical School.
From there he immigrated to the USA in 1967 for his internship and residency in Psychiatry in New York City.

He was introduced to my mom, whose older brother was my dad’s classmate. She had travelled to the US alone (unheard of in those days) to get her master’s degree in Chemistry at Ohio University. They got married in 1970, and are still together to this day.

Happy Father’s Day to my brilliant daddy and all fathers around the world!  My dad continues to inspire me every day.  His formidable spirit, wise advice, and undying love guides me through life…. I hope to be completely healthy too like him at 86 years young! 

I love you daddy! ❤️❤️🙏🙏

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageA beautiful day at Chestertons Polo in the Park—great matches, delicious bites, and the perfect excuse to wear my new @rebeccavallance dress. 

Nothing like polo to bring together food, friends, and a little fashion. Until next time, #polointhepark! 

Thank you @cala_uk @polointhepark @gorillaevents for hosting us! 

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageI felt honored to speak at SXSW alongside this powerhouse group about building authentic Asian businesses in London— sharing stories, challenges, and lots of laughs along the way.

Huge thanks to our brilliant moderator @e.z.snaps and my fellow panelists:

🌸 Chris O’Leary of Warner Music @fatboyzine 
🌸 Vivian Wong @little_miss_mochi_ of @littlemoonsmochi 
🌸 Sam Thorne of @japanhouseldn 

And to everyone who showed up and brought such thoughtful energy to the room — thank you! 

It’s moments like these that remind me why storytelling and representation matter.

I think I even spotted #KingCharles in the crowd…

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