SAMGYEOPSAL (PORK STRIPS)
INGREDIENTS
SERVES
4
METHOD
1 kg pork belly
Spring onion salad:
12 to 15 Spring onions
60 ml soy sauce
10 ml sugar
15 ml sesame seeds
15 ml sesame oil
30 ml hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
Ssamjang:
60 ml soybean paste (doenjang)
1 garlic clove, minced
30 ml red pepper paste (gochujang)
10 ml sugar
10 ml sesame seeds
15 ml sesame oil
Vegetables:
6 or 8 garlic cloves
1 large onion
2 carrots
1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
4 green or red chilli peppers
1 or 2 heads of lettuce, washed and drained
Use a very sharp knife to slice the pork belly across the grain into thin rashers. Set aside until needed.
Make the salad by cutting the Spring onion into 8 cm lengths, then shredding them lengthwise into fine sticks. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes, then rinse, drain and arrange in a serving bowl. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and hot pepper flakes in a little jug. Mix well and pour over the Spring onions, then set aside.
Make the ssamjang by combining all the ingredients in small a bowl and mixing well. Set aside.
Finely slice the garlic and soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Drain and lightly fry until pale golden. Halve the onion, then cut the layers into bite size pieces. Soak these for 30 minute as well, then drain and lightly fry until it just starts to colour. Set aside.
Peel the carrot and seed the cucumber, then chop each into roughly 8 cm matchsticks. Chop the chilli peppers as well.
Pull the lettuce apart into leaves, then wash and drain them. Now you’re ready to cook the samgyeopsal. Heat a heavy pan or ready your grill. Put a little sesame oil in the pan or brush the grill with some. Cook the pork in batches, turning when the bottom gets a little crispy and turning to crisp the other side to taste.
Arrange on a platter with the lettuce leaves to serve. Follow your decorative instincts and either arrange everything arfully on the same platter, or separate dishes to serve.
Place some meat in leaves with ssamjang, cooked onion or garlic, and some Spring onion salad on top. Fold the lettuce leaf to create a little parcel to eat in one bite.