Healthy Medicinal Herbs from Garden: Early Spring (1) Mugwort

 Mugwort

In Korea, there is an old saying, "If you eat mugwort soup three times in the third month of the lunar calendar, you won't catch a cold for the whole year."

🌿 Health Benefits

Mugwort is not just a culinary star—it is also celebrated in traditional medicine for its potential health benefits. 

1. Digestive Health: Mugwort has traditionally been used to stimulate digestion. Its bitter compounds encourage bile production, helping with the breakdown of fats and reducing bloating or indigestion.

2. Promotes Relaxation: The herb is known for its calming properties. A warm mugwort tea may help alleviate mild anxiety, promote relaxation, and improve sleep quality.

3. Menstrual Support: In herbal traditions, mugwort has been used to regulate menstrual cycles and ease menstrual cramps. It’s often regarded as a “woman’s herb” in certain cultures.

4. Respiratory Health: Mugwort tea or inhaling mugwort-infused steam is thought to help relieve mild respiratory issues by clearing mucus and soothing the airways.

5. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Mugwort contains a variety of bioactive compounds, including antioxidants, which may combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation in the body.

🌿 How to store and eat:  

1. Dry: Choose a well-ventilated, shaded area for drying. When drying mugwort, do not dry it completely—leave a slight amount of moisture. This allows natural fermentation through the microorganisms in the mugwort. Once fully dried, wrap the mugwort in paper and store it in a place with good airflow. Dried mugworts can be consumed for culinary uses (see below).

2. Mugwort Liquor: Place mugwort leaves in a container, pour about 1.5 times the amount of soju over them, and seal tightly. Let it ferment in a cool, dark place for 20 days, and you'll have a fragrant mugwort liquor.

3. Mugwort Enzyme*: After washing and drying the mugwort, mix it with sugar in a 1:1 ratio. Place 70-80% of the mugwort and sugar mixture into a container, mix well, and let it sit overnight to allow the sugar to be absorbed and the mugwort to wilt. Then, tightly pack the mixture into a sterilized glass jar or earthenware pot, pressing it down firmly, and pour the remaining sugar generously on top. Seal the container and store it in a cool place. Every 2-3 days, turn the container upside down to help the sugar dissolve evenly.

After 100 days, strain out the mugwort and continue fermenting the liquid for approximately nine more months before use. (The strained mugwort from day 100 can be stored in a separate glass jar and used for making mugwort tea.)

🌿 Culinary Uses

🌿 Mugwort Soybean-based Soup

1. Fill a pot with about 2/3 of the water, add a handful of anchovies and kelp, make a simmering water, drain it, add 2 tablespoons of soybean paste and dissolve to make a simmering base

2. Trim the mugwort you dug up, wash it clean, then add it to the soybean paste soup prepared in 1) and boil vigorously. It is good to add a lot of mugwort. Since it dies when you put it in the soup and boil it, you have to add a lot to get a lot of flavor and taste.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of perilla powder and green onions and boil for about 10 minutes to finish.

🌿 Mugwort Tteok (Rice Cakes) or baked breads or cookies

The dried mugwort can be ground into a fine powder and mixed into rice powder with a pinch of salt. Below are some recipes for Tteok or baked goods like bread and cookies:

1) Tteok:

✔ Wash the mugwort thoroughly and blend it with about half a cup of water.

✔ Add the blended mugwort to glutinous rice flour (which has been seasoned with salt).

✔ Gradually add water while kneading the mixture into a dough.

✔ Cut the dough into appropriate-sized pieces and press them into shape.

✔ Place the shaped dough pieces into a steamer and steam for about 10–15 minutes.

2) Cookie using Airfryer

Ingredients 1/2 cup unrefined sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup almond milk 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup mugwort powder 1 cup flour (adjust based on texture preference): More all-purpose flour (for chewy cookies) or More cake flour (for crispier cookies) 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions: ✔ Mix sugar, oil, and almond milk well. ✔ Add vanilla extract and mugwort powder, mixing thoroughly. ✔ Combine with flour, baking powder, and salt, ensuring no lumps. (Optional: Add nuts or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture.) ✔ Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (392°F) for 5 minutes. ✔ Shape the dough into bite-sized pieces and place them in the air fryer. ✔ Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes until done.

3) Mugwort Cookies with Injeolmi crumble

Ingredients Unsalted butter 95g Brown sugar 50g Sugar 25g 1 Egg (55g) Baking powder 1/2 tsp (2g) Pinch of salt AP flour 135g Mugwort powder 15g Vanilla extract 1 tsp (5g) Dark chocolate 55g Chopped almond 35g

75g per each cookie Injeolmi crumble Brown sugar 25g Unsalted butter 35g Almond powder 25g All purpose flour 15g Soybean powder 10g Pinch of salt Bake at 350F for about 12min (Baking time can be different depends on your oven and the size of cookies)

🌿 Mugwort Pancakes (Ssukjeon)

Finely chop the cleaned mugwort and mix it with grated zucchini or tofu, pancake flour, and an egg.(add chopped pepper if preferred) Heat cooking oil in a pan, scoop a spoonful of the batter, and fry until golden brown on both sides.

⚠️ Precautions

• Responsible Foraging: If you’re foraging for wild mugwort, ensure you properly identify the plant, as it resembles other members of the Artemisia family. Harvest from uncontaminated areas to avoid exposure to harmful pollutants or pesticides. Mugwort’s unique aromatic leaves and silvery-green appearance make it relatively easy to spot once you become familiar with it.

• Mugwort should be consumed in moderation, as excessive intake can have adverse effects. Avoid eating raw leaves, as they may contain bitterness that is more palatable when cooked or dried.