Crunchy Summer Delight: Goguma Julgi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems)

What Is Goguma Julgi Bokkeum?

Goguma Julgi Bokkeum (고구마줄기 볶음) literally means stir-fried sweet potato stems. It’s a classic Korean sweet potato stems recipe and a beloved Korean side dish often seen in summer.

• The main ingredient is the sweet potato stalks (the hollow green stems of the sweet potato plant).
• After peeling and briefly boiling, they are stir-fried with aromatics like garlic, onion, carrot, and spicy Cheongyang chili.
• The texture is the star: crunchy yet tender, never tough when done properly.
• Koreans especially love Goguma Julgi Bokkeum as a Summer Korean banchan because sweet potato stems are seasonal—you can really only enjoy them fresh in summer.

So if you’re looking for a light, vegetable-forward stir-fry vegetable recipe, this Goguma julgi preparation guide will walk you through everything step by step.

Why This Dish Is Special in Korea

In Korea, summer is all about Korean summer vegetables: perilla leaves, cucumber, young radish greens—and of course, sweet potato stems.

Here’s why this sweet potato stem side dish is so loved:

• Seasonal treat: Fresh stems are available only in the warmer months, so many families wait for them every year. It’s one of those Korean summer food items that quietly announces, “Summer is here.”
• Perfect banchan for heat: On hot days, heavy dishes feel too much. This is a crunchy Korean banchan, light, savory, and refreshing with rice.
• Tradition & memory: For many Koreans, Goguma Julgi Bokkeum tastes like home—grandma sitting at the table peeling stems while chatting, then serving them with a big bowl of rice.

If you’re exploring Summer banchan recipes for beginners, this dish is a beautiful way to experience traditional Korean vegetable side dishes for rice.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Follow these amounts exactly as in the original Korean sweet potato stems recipe—no changes, no additions.

• Sweet potato stems (goguma julgi): 1 pack (about 200–300 g)
• Onion: 1/2 of a medium onion
• Carrot: a small piece (a “little bit,” just for color and crunch)
• Cheongyang chili peppers: 1–2 pieces

For stir-frying:

• Olive oil (or neutral cooking oil): 1 tablespoon
• Minced garlic: 1/3 tablespoon
• Tuna sauce (참치액): 1–1.5 tablespoons
• Salt: to adjust seasoning at the end

For boiling the stems:

• Salt: 1/2 tablespoon (for the blanching water)

All amounts are based on standard measuring spoons.

No substitutions are needed for the authentic taste, but you can always add your own notes or tweaks later if you’d like.

How to Prepare the Ingredients

The ingredient preparation is simple and quick, especially once the stems are peeled.

1. Sweet potato stems

   • Use peeled and boiled sweet potato stems (we’ll cover peeling and boiling in the next sections).
   • After boiling and cooling, cut them into manageable lengths—similar to matchstick-size vegetables.

2. Onion

   • Slice the onion into thin strips, about the same length as the stems.
   • This helps everything cook evenly and look neat.

3. Carrot

   • Cut a small amount of carrot into thin matchsticks.
   • Try to match the length of the stems and onion for a uniform stir fry.

4. Cheongyang chili

   • Slice the chili diagonally (bias cut) into thin pieces.
   • This classic cut looks beautiful and releases just the right amount of heat.

That’s it—your mise en place is ready for this vegetable stir fry method.

How to Peel Sweet Potato Stems (고구마줄기 손질법)

If you’re wondering “How to peel sweet potato stems easily”, here’s the honest truth: it’s not hard, but it is a little tedious—and your fingers may get stained a bit dark. Still, this step is essential for the best texture.

Why peeling matters

• The outer skin is fibrous and tough.
• If you don’t peel it, the sweet potato stalks will be stringy and chewy instead of crisp and pleasant.
• Proper peeling gives you that signature crunchy yet tender bite.

How to do it

1. Rinse the stems and drain off excess water.
2. Pinch one end of the stem with your fingers (or lightly with a small knife).
3. Gently pull the outer skin down the length of the stem—it will come off in long, thin strips.
4. Repeat along the stem until most of the tough skin is gone.
5. Continue with all the stems.

Yes, it takes a bit of time, and yes, the greenish-brown stain on your nails can be annoying and slow to fade. But as the original Korean recipe’s tone suggests: when you finally sit down to a bowl of perfectly cooked, non-tough Goguma Julgi Bokkeum, the effort feels completely worth it.

You May Like: Korean Braised Potatoes

How to Boil the Stems

Before stir-frying, you’ll blanch the sweet potato stems. This step improves color, texture, and taste.

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
2. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt to the water and dissolve it.
3. Add the peeled sweet potato stems.
4. Boil for 2–3 minutes only.
   • This is enough to soften them lightly while keeping their crunch.
5. Immediately drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
6. Let them drain in a colander, then cut into appropriate lengths for stir-frying.

Now your stems are ready—this is the foundation for a delicious sweet potato vines recipe.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Goguma Julgi Bokkeum

Here’s how to cook sweet potato stems and how to stir fry sweet potato stems Korean style, following the original method.

Step 1 — Infuse the oil with garlic

• Heat a pan over medium heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or cooking oil).
• Add 1/3 tablespoon minced garlic.
• Stir-fry the garlic gently until fragrant, but not burnt.
  • This infuses the oil with flavor and is the base of this Korean stir-fry recipe.

Step 2 — Stir fry the stems with carrots

• Add the blanched sweet potato stems to the pan.
• Stir-fry for a short time to coat them evenly in the garlic oil.
• Add the carrot matchsticks and continue stir-frying together.
  • The carrot adds color and a subtle sweetness to this Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems dish.

Step 3 — Add tuna sauce

• Pour in 1–1.5 tablespoons of tuna sauce (참치액).
• Keep stir-frying so the seasoning soaks into the stems.
  • This gives the dish a deep, savory umami flavor without making it heavy.

Step 4 — Add onion

• Add the sliced onion to the pan.
• Stir-fry just until the onion starts to soften slightly while still keeping some crunch.
  • Adding the onion at this stage helps maintain a fresh texture.

Step 5 — Adjust salt

• Taste a piece of stem.
• If the seasoning feels light, add a small pinch of salt and mix well.
  • Remember, tuna sauce is salty, so go slowly.

Step 6 — Add Cheongyang chili at the end

• Turn off or lower the heat slightly.
• Add the diagonally sliced Cheongyang chili.
• Stir briefly so the chili warms and releases aroma, but stays bright and fresh.

Your Goguma Julgi Bokkeum is now ready—a simple, beautiful Korean sweet potato stems recipe perfect as a Summer Korean banchan.

Tips for the Best Crunchy Texture

To make this dish a truly crunchy Korean banchan, keep these tips in mind for your stir-fry vegetable recipe:

1. Don’t overboil the stems

   • Stick to 2–3 minutes. Longer boiling makes them limp and watery.

2. Peel thoroughly

   • Any remaining skin can make the stems feel stringy or tough.
   • Good peeling = clean, crisp bite.

3. Add onion and chili later

   • Onions go in after the stems and carrots.
   • Cheongyang chili goes in at the very end.
   • This keeps their texture and color fresh.

4. Use medium heat, not blazing hot

   • Too high heat can dry the stems out or burn the garlic.
   • A steady medium heat is ideal for gentle yet effective stir-frying.

5. Stir, don’t smash

   • Toss and stir the stems rather than pressing them down.
   • Treat them lightly so they keep their hollow, crunchy structure.

6. Don’t overcrowd the pan

   • If your pan is too small, cook in two batches.
   • Overcrowding leads to steaming instead of stir-frying.

Follow these vegetable stir fry methods, and your Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems will come out perfectly every time.

Serving Suggestions

This dish shines as part of a spread of Korean side dishes:

• Serve it warm or at room temperature with steamed rice as a classic Korean vegetable side dish for rice.
• Pair it with grilled meats (like pork belly or bulgogi) or grilled fish for a light, balanced meal.
• Add it to a small selection of Easy Korean banchan alongside kimchi, spinach namul, or other Korean side dishes.
• Include it in your Korean stir-fry recipes collection as a go-to Korean summer food option.
• If you love spice, enjoy it together with other Cheongyang chili dishes for a fiery but refreshing meal.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 2–3 days.
• Texture over time: The stems will lose a bit of crunch each day, but the flavor will still be delicious.
• Reheating:
  • Quickly reheat in a pan over low–medium heat, or
  • Warm gently in the microwave.
• Freezing: Freezing is not recommended. The stems can become mushy and lose their signature texture after thawing.

If you like planning Summer banchan recipes for beginners in advance, you can peel and blanch the stems earlier in the day, then stir-fry them just before serving.

Goguma Julgi Bokkeum is one of those dishes that proves a simple vegetable can be incredibly satisfying. With just a handful of ingredients and basic vegetable stir fry methods, you get a Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Stems dish that’s crunchy, light, and full of summer flavor.

Yes, peeling the stems takes a bit of time and your fingers might show the battle scars—but that first crisp bite makes it all feel worth it. While sweet potato stems are in season, enjoy them as often as you can: in lunchboxes, with rice, alongside grilled dishes, and as part of your favorite Korean side dishes spread.

When summer comes around again, you just might find yourself waiting eagerly for fresh sweet potato stems—just like many Korean families do every year.