Ssuk, pronounced “sook” is a leafy green that heralds the arrival of spring. Ssuk has always been known in Korean folklore as one of the herbs behind the creation of the first Korean dynasty. Here's how the story goes:
A long time ago, Hwanung, the son of the Lord of Heaven, came down to live on the earth. He’d had enough of staring down at the trees and mountains—he wanted to live there. He met up with a bear and a tiger, and both desired to become human. The 2 animals prayed to Hwanung for this to happen. But Hwanung, it seems, wanted to put them to the test first. He gave them some garlic and some ssuk and said, “If you can stay in a cave eating this and nothing else for 100 days, you will become human.” So they shut themselves in with nothing but the spicy garlic and pungent ssuk. After 21 days, the tiger had had enough, and stalked out, lashing her tail with irritation. The patient bear, however, lasted 100 days, turned into a beautiful woman, married Hwanung, and had a son named Dangun, who founded the first Korean dynasty, Gojoseon.
In English, this leafy green is called “mugwort,” along with a group of other related species, and shares their pungent aroma and medicinal benefits. Over 30 varieties of ssuk grow in Korea, from river banks to roadsides, from mountain tops to fields. The kind most often found in ethnic markets for cooking and eating is just plain ssuk, with the scientific name Artemisia princeps Pampan.
They look like long parsely, with thin and delicate leaves that are bright green on one side and covered in a fuzzy silver down on the other side. Crush a leaf between one's fingers and the air is instantly filled with its pungent, herbal scent. Mugwort is a pervasive perennial plant, so if grown it in a home garden, be sure to pull out the roots often or it will take over the whole yard! Always use the youngest plants, because, as they mature they become more bitter. Some sister varieties are used for making malaria medicines as well.
Medicinal varieties of mugwort have long been known to be particularly helpful for women—its medicinal properties are said to be good for menstruation pains and flow, as well as warming the body. One can find ssuk added to herbal baths in traditional Korean bathhouses. Dried ssuk is said to be a good mosquito repellent when burned. Ssuk can be dried or frozen and used year-round, especially for the rice cakes made in the fall. Some dried leaves are made into tea. Roman soldiers used to put mugwort in their shoes to ward off fatigue. St. John the Baptist was said to wear a girdle of mugwort to relieve stomach pain.
A 1984 study from the Netherlands found that 87% of people allergic to celery were also allergic to mugwort, while 52% of those allergic to carrots and 26% of those allergic to caraway also had mugwort allergies. Be aware of everything one is allergic to in foods, and be cautious of sister species.
Here is the flavor profile: If one chews on the raw greens, the first flavor note is a slight grassiness, similar to celery even, followed by a mint or eucalyptus type of herbal pungency. Lastly, there’s a slight bitterness afterwards, which disappears when it is cooked. Cooking doesn’t erase ssuk’s defining herbal fragrance, however.
Mugwort can be made into ssuk jeon, which are savory pancakes, but the most common way to eat it is making ssuk guk, soup, or ssuk tteok, rice cake. I like to make a salad of mixed greens daily, and add the mugwort greens to my salad for flavor, texture, and fiber. It is rich in Vitamin K and folate. I enjoy mugwort out in Korean restaurants, too. The very name reminds me of the Harry Potter books!
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
@superiorself on Instagram and X
SuperiorSelf channel on Youtube
[email protected]
Books available everywhere!
A long time ago, Hwanung, the son of the Lord of Heaven, came down to live on the earth. He’d had enough of staring down at the trees and mountains—he wanted to live there. He met up with a bear and a tiger, and both desired to become human. The 2 animals prayed to Hwanung for this to happen. But Hwanung, it seems, wanted to put them to the test first. He gave them some garlic and some ssuk and said, “If you can stay in a cave eating this and nothing else for 100 days, you will become human.” So they shut themselves in with nothing but the spicy garlic and pungent ssuk. After 21 days, the tiger had had enough, and stalked out, lashing her tail with irritation. The patient bear, however, lasted 100 days, turned into a beautiful woman, married Hwanung, and had a son named Dangun, who founded the first Korean dynasty, Gojoseon.
In English, this leafy green is called “mugwort,” along with a group of other related species, and shares their pungent aroma and medicinal benefits. Over 30 varieties of ssuk grow in Korea, from river banks to roadsides, from mountain tops to fields. The kind most often found in ethnic markets for cooking and eating is just plain ssuk, with the scientific name Artemisia princeps Pampan.
They look like long parsely, with thin and delicate leaves that are bright green on one side and covered in a fuzzy silver down on the other side. Crush a leaf between one's fingers and the air is instantly filled with its pungent, herbal scent. Mugwort is a pervasive perennial plant, so if grown it in a home garden, be sure to pull out the roots often or it will take over the whole yard! Always use the youngest plants, because, as they mature they become more bitter. Some sister varieties are used for making malaria medicines as well.
Medicinal varieties of mugwort have long been known to be particularly helpful for women—its medicinal properties are said to be good for menstruation pains and flow, as well as warming the body. One can find ssuk added to herbal baths in traditional Korean bathhouses. Dried ssuk is said to be a good mosquito repellent when burned. Ssuk can be dried or frozen and used year-round, especially for the rice cakes made in the fall. Some dried leaves are made into tea. Roman soldiers used to put mugwort in their shoes to ward off fatigue. St. John the Baptist was said to wear a girdle of mugwort to relieve stomach pain.
A 1984 study from the Netherlands found that 87% of people allergic to celery were also allergic to mugwort, while 52% of those allergic to carrots and 26% of those allergic to caraway also had mugwort allergies. Be aware of everything one is allergic to in foods, and be cautious of sister species.
Here is the flavor profile: If one chews on the raw greens, the first flavor note is a slight grassiness, similar to celery even, followed by a mint or eucalyptus type of herbal pungency. Lastly, there’s a slight bitterness afterwards, which disappears when it is cooked. Cooking doesn’t erase ssuk’s defining herbal fragrance, however.
Mugwort can be made into ssuk jeon, which are savory pancakes, but the most common way to eat it is making ssuk guk, soup, or ssuk tteok, rice cake. I like to make a salad of mixed greens daily, and add the mugwort greens to my salad for flavor, texture, and fiber. It is rich in Vitamin K and folate. I enjoy mugwort out in Korean restaurants, too. The very name reminds me of the Harry Potter books!
Sincerely,
KJ Landis
@superiorself on Instagram and X
SuperiorSelf channel on Youtube
[email protected]
Books available everywhere!
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