Do you like Korean food? I confess I don’t have much experience with it. I’ve never been to a Korean restaurant and other than a few bites of food made by a Korean co-worker I’ve been reliant on recipes from the internet. Even then, I’m not sure of the authenticity of my attempts since I almost always have to make a substitution. Nevertheless, I’m willing to try; which is why today’s post features Korean BBQ Pork Belly with a Scallion salad. When eaten in a lettuce bowl with a little bit of rice it makes for a nice mouthful.
Korean food, like the food of many other countries, makes use of regionally available ingredients combined in many ways. But it’s the home cook with the deft touch for seasoning and combining foodstuffs that elevates a simple dish into something fabulous. Sohnmat, roughly translated to “taste of the hand,” is the Korean phrase that describes this ability. I like it.
Chef Sohui Kim, author of Korean Home Cooking and chef/co-owner of The Good Fork and Insa restaurants in New York, is renowned for her sohnmat and shares over a hundred recipes in her latest cookbook. In addition to a pantry section where she lists common ingredients in Korean cuisine, you’ll find recipes for soups, sides (banchan, which are shared at the table), noodles, meats and condiments like kimchi and other pickles. The recipes are well written with comprehensive instructions. Some of the ingredients may be difficult to source if you don’t live in an area with an Asian grocery, but if you’re willing to wait a few days, they can be purchased via the internet.
I chose to make the bbq pork belly (samgyupsal) for a couple reasons. The first is I’ve been wanting to try cooking pork belly for a while. The second is I was curious about the scallion salad (pa muchim) that was served on the side along with some rice.
It wasn’t hard to find sliced pork belly in the local market, the Spanish love it. They don’t care much for green onions, though, at least not in my area. Scallions can be hard for me to find and when I do they’re usually at the end of their shelf life. Fortunately the Asian market where I shop has started carrying generous bunches of green onions with nice leafy bits still attached. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the Korean chili powder (gochugaru) or chile paste (gochujang). Instead I purchased some red chilis to add to my scallions and made extra vinaigrette to serve at the table.
If you can’t find pork belly in your grocery or at a butcher’s shop, head over to a Latin American store and ask for panceta. It looks like thick cut bacon but with a bit of the pork rind still attached. If you prefer, substitute thinly sliced pork or beef or chicken filets. Thin filets will cook much faster than slices of pork belly, but it will all be good.
I used a grill pan to cook my pork belly but there are tabletop grills and other accessories you can purchase if you’d like to go that route. It can be fun to sit around and cook your own.
Ingredients
For the scallions salad (pa muchim)
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less
- 1 teaspoon sugar more or less
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru substitute a similar chili powder like hot paprika or chop up a red red chili
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
For the bbq pork belly (samgyupsal)
- About a pound thickly sliced pork belly 1/2 inch if slicing off a slab
- vegetable oil
For serving
- sesame oil mixed with salt
- gochujang or similar chili paste
- lettuce leaves bibb lettuce is a good choice. I used oak leaf lettuce
- other chopped herbs as desired
- cooked rice for four people
Instructions
For the scallion salad
- Trim the roots and the woody parts of the leaves. Peel off any slimy or browned parts. Then slice the scallions into long thin strips. Cut the strips into pieces 2 - 3 inches long and place in a cold water bath for about 30 minutes.
- Make the vinaigrette by combining the rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt and sugar together in a bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust the amounts to suit your tastes. You'll use some to dress the scallions and the rest can be served at the table.
- To make the salad, put a couple teaspoons of the vinaigrette into a bowl. Drain the scallions and add them to the bowl. Mix well to cover them in the vinaigrette. Sprinkle on the chili powder (or chopped chilis like I used) and the sesame seeds and combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
Cook the pork belly
- Use a sharp knife to score the meaty part of the pork belly in several places. This helps keep it from curling in the pan.
- Heat a small amount of oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet or grill pan. Working in batches if necessary, add the slices of pork belly and allow to cook on high heat for a couple of minutes until marks appear. Turn and cook the other side until the desired doneness and the skin crisps up a bit. The amount of time depends on the thickness of the slices and how well you like it cooked. My pieces were thin and some were overcooked. Others were perfect.
- Cut into smaller pieces before serving.
To serve
- Arrange the 3-4 lettuce leaves per person, the scallion salad and the cooked pork belly on a platter.
- Pour some sesame oil and salt into a small bowl and set it into the center of the platter.
- Pour the reserved vinaigrette and chili sauce into separate dipping bowls.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a serving bowl.
- Allow everyone to make their own plate.
We were super happy with how this meal turned out. It made a nice change for us. The scallion salad was especially delicious. I wish I could have found the gochujang sauce. I have some ordered so I can explore some of the other recipes. Rick tried sriracha as a substitute and liked it. I was happy with the vinaigrette and sesame oil/salt mixture.
If you’re at all curious about the Korean cuisine and the traditions behind the individual dishes I highly recommend Korean Home Cooking. Personally, as a tapas and mezze lover, I’m fascinated by the banchan and look forward to preparing more.
I don’t cook much Korean food, although every Korean dish I’ve had I’ve enjoyed. This looks terrific — just loaded with flavor. Thanks!