Korean Soy Asparagus
A classic Korean banchan made from dried soy asparagus (fuchju) soaked, briefly boiled, and marinated in a savory soy-garlic-sesame dressing. Served cold as a side dish alongside rice and other Korean dishes.
Ingredients
- 200 gdried soy asparagus
- 1.5 lwater for soaking
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tbspsoy sauce
- 1 tbsprice vinegar
- 1 tspsugar
- 1.5 tspsesame oil
- 0.25 tspground coriander
- 0.25 tspchili flakes or gochugaru
- 1 tbspsesame seeds
- 1 scallion stalk
Method
- Break the fuchju into 8-10 cm pieces. Cover with cold water and soak for 5-6 hours until soft. Rinse, and cut if needed.
- Boil the soaked asparagus in boiling water for 3-5 minutes until fully tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
- In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar, coriander, chili flakes, and sesame oil.
- Add the asparagus to the marinade, toss well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Serve cold, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Great with rice or other Korean banchan.
FAQ
Fuchju is available in Asian grocery stores and online. If unavailable, glass noodles are the closest substitute, though the texture will differ.
In cold water — 5-6 hours. In warm water — 2-3 hours is enough. Do not over-soak or it will become mushy.
Up to 3 days in a sealed container. The flavor deepens on the second day as the marinade absorbs fully.
Simply omit the chili or replace it with sweet paprika for color. The dish works beautifully in a mild version.
The most common mistake is overcooking. 3-5 minutes in boiling water is enough — the asparagus should be tender but still have a slight bite in the center.
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Comments (1)
I make the dressing for korean soy asparagus first and let it sit while I prep everything else. The dried soy asparagus and seasonings need at least 10 minutes to meld. Last-second dressing always tastes a bit harsh and disjointed.