Korean Spinach Banchan (Sigeumchi Namul)

Wash the spinach thoroughly in a large bowl of water.

Trim off any tough, woody ends from the spinach stems, keeping the tender ends.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

Plunge the spinach into the boiling water and blanch for about 1 minute, just until wilted.

Immediately remove the spinach from the pot and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and wash away any remaining grit.

Using your hands, squeeze the spinach tightly to remove as much excess water as possible. Form it into compact balls.

Place the squeezed spinach on a cutting board and roughly chop it.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped spinach, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ground toasted sesame seeds.

Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until the spinach is evenly seasoned.

Serve in a small bowl and garnish with extra ground sesame seeds if desired.