Dallae-jang: Korean Wild Chive Soy Sauce

Spring in Korea brings many wild greens to the table, and among them dallae (달래) is one of the most beloved.

Dallae is a small wild chive with a gentle garlic aroma and a fresh herbal fragrance.

One of the simplest ways to enjoy it is dallae-jang (달래장), a light seasoning made by mixing chopped dallae with soy sauce (간장).

With only a few ingredients, it highlights the natural aroma of the herb.

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch dallae (달래)
• soy sauce (간장) – about 60% of the volume of the chopped dallae
• 1 tsp sesame oil (참기름)
• 1 tsp lightly crushed sesame seeds (참깨)
• a small pinch of chili flakes (고춧가루)

Preparation

1. Wash the dallae thoroughly and trim the roots if needed.
2. Finely chop both the bulbs and the leaves.
3. Place the chopped dallae in a small jar or bowl.
4. Add soy sauce until it reaches about 60% of the volume of the dallae.
5. Add sesame oil, lightly crushed sesame seeds, and a pinch of chili flakes.
6. Mix gently.

It can be eaten immediately, or left for several hours so the fragrance of the dallae slowly infuses into the soy sauce.

A small example of slow food

Dallae-jang (달래장) is a seasoning that becomes better with time.

Although it is made with only a few ingredients, the flavor gradually deepens as the aroma of dallae (달래) spreads into the soy sauce (간장).

Because of this, dallae-jang can be seen as a small example of slow food in Korean cooking — a simple preparation where time quietly completes the flavor.

How to serve Dallae-jang

With warm tofu

Serve a spoonful of dallae-jang (달래장) over warm tofu (두부).

The mild tofu allows the aroma of the dallae to stand out.

With rice and roasted seaweed

Spoon the sauce over warm rice and wrap it with roasted seaweed (김).

Simple rice bowl

Add a small amount of dallae-jang to a bowl of rice and mix lightly.

This simple sauce is one of the easiest ways to experience the fresh flavors of Korean spring.