Ssukgat (Crown Daisy)

Ssukgat is the feathery, aromatic green that gets scattered over a hot pot or fish stew right at the end. It is sold as crown daisy, chrysanthemum greens, or tong ho depending on the shop, and all three are the same plant.

Its job is aromatic contrast. Korean stews are often deeply savoury and heavy on chili, and ssukgat cuts through that with something herbal and faintly bitter. It is closer in function to fresh herbs in a Thai curry than to a leafy vegetable like spinach.

Add it at the very end

This is the only rule that really matters. Ssukgat wants thirty seconds to a minute of heat, and it is done the moment it wilts.

Cook it longer and two things happen: the aroma boils off entirely, and the bitterness that was pleasant becomes flat and grassy. In maeuntang or a jeongol it goes on top of the finished pot, not into the simmer.

Use the leaves, not the stems

The lower stems are fibrous and stay that way. Pick the top two-thirds of each sprig and keep the tender stems attached; discard the woody bases.

Young ssukgat with thin stems can be used whole and is also good raw in a salad, dressed with sesame oil and a little vinegar.

Buying and storing

Look for bright green, perky leaves with no yellowing and no sliminess where the bunch was tied. It wilts quickly — a couple of days in the fridge at most.

Store it wrapped loosely in paper inside a bag. Sealed airtight it goes slimy fast.

Substitutes

There is no exact match, but the aromatic-bitter role can be approximated. Watercress is the closest widely available option. Celery leaves work in a stew. At a push, a mix of flat-leaf parsley and a little rocket gets you the herbal-bitter direction.

What does not work is spinach — it brings the green colour and none of the aroma, which is the entire reason ssukgat is there.