When summer rolls around, I find myself craving quick, refreshing side dishes rather than anything complicated.
Today I’m sharing a super simple garlic chive salad, or buchu muchim, that comes together the moment you mix the seasoning in.
With just a touch of sugar and vinegar, the sweetness and tartness stay subtle, letting the fresh, peppery aroma of the chives shine through in a clean, light dish.
Ingredients
- Garlic chives – 600g (about 1.3 lb; buchu, a fragrant Korean chive used in salads and pancakes)
(1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
Sauce
- Seasoned salt – to taste (or regular salt)
- Minced garlic – 1 T
- Gochugaru – 3-4 T (Korean red chili powder)
- Jin ganjang – 6 T (Korean soy sauce for cooking)
- Fish sauce – 3 T (myeolchi aekjeot, Korean anchovy fish sauce)
- Sugar – 1 T
- Vinegar – 2 T
(1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
How to Make It
1Wash the garlic chives thoroughly, trim the ends, and cut them into bite-sized lengths.
2Place the chives in a large bowl and add the minced garlic, gochugaru, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar, then toss everything together evenly.TipAdding just about 1 T of sugar keeps the sweetness in check while smoothing out any bitterness.
Go easy on the vinegar too — just enough to brighten the flavor, not overpower it.
Adjust the final seasoning with a pinch of seasoned salt if needed.
Garlic chives wilt quickly the longer they sit in the seasoning, so toss gently and only until everything is evenly coated.
This salad is delicious right after mixing, and it pairs especially well with grilled meat.
Try it on top of rice with a fried egg for an easy buchu bibimbap.
There are countless ways to make buchu muchim, but this light, cooling version is the one I reach for most often in the summer.
With just a handful of ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep, it’s a perfect refreshing side dish to serve alongside grilled meat — definitely worth making at home.
Ingredients
- Garlic chives – 600g (about 1.3 lb; buchu, a fragrant Korean chive used in salads and pancakes)
- (1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
Sauce
- Seasoned salt – to taste (or regular salt)
- Minced garlic – 1 T
- Gochugaru – 3-4 T (Korean red chili powder)
- Jin ganjang – 6 T (Korean soy sauce for cooking)
- Fish sauce – 3 T (myeolchi aekjeot, Korean anchovy fish sauce)
- Sugar – 1 T
- Vinegar – 2 T
- (1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
How to Make It
- Wash the garlic chives thoroughly, trim the ends, and cut them into bite-sized lengths.
- Place the chives in a large bowl and add the minced garlic, gochugaru, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar, then toss everything together evenly.
Tip.Adding just about 1 T of sugar keeps the sweetness in check while smoothing out any bitterness. Go easy on the vinegar too, just enough to brighten the flavor, not overpower it. Adjust the final seasoning with a pinch of seasoned salt if needed.
