Garlic scapes are the flower bud and stem of the garlic plant. If you let them grow, they’ll get tough, the ends will bloom, and the roots will become garlic. So for this reason you need to pick and eat them when they are young and in season, around May and June. A lot of garlic growers remove them at this time so the garlic bulbs grow bigger.

They are very common in Korean cuisine and we have a lot of delicious recipes for them. When they are sold in Korean grocery stores they are usually stacked and well organized to show off the long stems, which are the most delicious.

garlic stemsgarlic scapesgarlic scapes

When I found garlic scapes in farmers’ markets in America, they were usually sold loose like this, and jumbled in a box, often all curled together.

Recipes that use garlic scapes (maneuljjong):

6 Comments:

  1. clarapup los angeles joined 6/17 & has 1 comment

    I absolutely LOVE garlic scape KIMCHI! Any recipes?

  2. Indonesian girl& has 4 comments

    Hi maangchi! I was excited 2 see this maneuljong. My boss was korean n i tried this at her home. When i asked about what kind of vegetable it is,she said indonesian doesn’t sell it. Now i know it’s garlic stem n i want to grow it in my garden. I don’t find the recipe 2 make this,u mention gamja bokkeum. Is it same wit, gamja jorim? How long to stir maneuljong? 10min?how many maneuljong do i need 2 adjust with the ingridients in your gamja jorim..?thank u!

  3. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Charlie
    I have never heard about growing galic hydroponically.

  4. I have seen recipes for garlic stems or garlic scrapes, but no where can I find how to grow them? Other than a garlic clove in a small glass. What variety makes the long stems that you show under ingredients. Is there a way to do it hydroponically?

    Thanks
    Charlie

  5. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    cynthia,
    My recipe for garlic stem side dish which is served at a korean restaurant, is similar to my recipe for potato side dish (gam ja bokkeum with soy sauce). I have never tasted steamed garlic stem side dish.

    Thank you very much. Are you the Cynthia living in California?

  6. I visited korea last summer and have been learning Korean cooking ever since.I love garlic stems,but only steam them. I would be so happy for some recipes. Thank you, you are my new hero,because all my korean cookbooks make sense after I have seen you do it!

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