samgyeopsal
Next Dish: Mukeke Fish
Samgyeopsal is a popular Korean dish that consists of grilled slices of pork belly meat that are not marinated or seasoned. The meat, usually served with lettuce, perilla leaves, sliced garlic, ssamjang (a thick, red spicy paste), kimchi, and often soju, is cooked on a grill at the diners’ table. Once cooked, it's common to wrap the meat in lettuce and perilla leaves along with the other accompaniments. The name Samgyeopsal, in Korean, means 'three layered meat', referring to the striations of lean meat and fat in the pork belly.
Recipe
Ingredients:
600 grams of pork belly
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 green chili
1 red chili
1 bunch of lettuce
1 bunch of perilla leaves
200 grams of kimchi
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Ssamjang (dipping sauce):
2 tablespoons of Doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
1 tablespoon of Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
Instructions:
Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Preheat your grill or pan over medium heat.
Grill the pork belly pieces for about 7-10 minutes on each side, or until they are thoroughly cooked and have a crispy exterior.
While the meat is cooking, slice the onion, garlic, and chilies. Set aside.
Prepare the Ssamjang sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
Once the meat is cooked, remove from the grill and place on a plate.
To eat, take a lettuce or perilla leaf, add a piece of meat, some onion, garlic, chili, and a spoonful of Ssamjang. Wrap it up and enjoy.
Serve with kimchi and sesame oil for dipping, and salt and pepper to taste.