Recipes
Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Soy-glazed garlic scapes

A traditional Korean side of tender garlic stems with a light sweet-soy coating. A brief covered steam softens the stems before the final glaze.

20 min3 servings4 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Soy-glazed garlic scapes
01 / Before you start

Ingredients

3 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 3 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Garlic scapes, firm young stems is unavailable

    Use instead
    Fresh green beans
    Substitute quantity
    1 small pack of 200 gReference quantity: 200 g

    If garlic scapes are unavailable, use these green beans instead. Trim both ends and cut to 4 cm. In the covered step cook for 5–6 minutes instead of 3–4, adding the extra tablespoon water if needed. The flavor will not be garlicky.

  • Essential

    Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.

  • Essential

    Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.

  • Essential

    Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.

  • Essential

    Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.

  • Optional

    May be omitted without changing the other quantities.

  • Optional

    May be omitted without changing the other quantities.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Wash the scapes under running drinking water. Cut off dry, woody base ends and the flower buds; discard these. Cut the tender stems to 4 cm and drain well. If a stem is fibrous and will not bend, trim back further rather than serving the woody part.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the drained scapes in a loose layer and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Keep them moving so they brighten without scorching; lower the heat if the surface browns too quickly.

  3. Step 3

    Add 3 tablespoons water and cover. Lower the heat and cook for 3–4 minutes until a piece bends and is tender to bite, without a woody center. If the pan dries before they soften, add the reserved 1 tablespoon water and continue briefly. Open the lid away from your face.

  4. Step 4

    Uncover and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 small teaspoons sugar. Stir over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the stems are tender and lightly glossy, with no large pool of sauce. If the glaze catches, lower the heat and add 1 small teaspoon water. Turn off the heat, add optional sesame oil and seeds, and serve.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Soy-glazed garlic scapes
Soy-glazed garlic scapes
Helpful tips

3 side-dish servings. Small paper cup 180 ml; level tablespoon 15 ml; small teaspoon 5 ml. Reference weights are approximate. Contains soy; soy sauce may contain wheat, and optional additions contain sesame. Refrigerate within 2 hours, keep at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat once until steaming hot throughout.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Serve a small portion beside rice and soup. Choose tender stems: extra cooking cannot fully fix a woody garlic stalk.

Serve it with