Thick strips of pork belly are seared on the grill until crisp, while well-aged kimchi and aromatics brown slowly in the rendered fat. Each bite is assembled tableside in a fresh leaf wrap with a dab of savory dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 800 g thick-cut pork belly strips (samgyeopsal)
- 400 g well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi (baechu kimchi)
- 1 piece sweet yellow onion
- 10 cloves purple garlic clove
- 16 leaves fresh Batavia lettuce leaves
- 16 leaves Korean perilla leaves (kkaennip)
- 120 g ssamjang sauce
- 4 tbsp virgin toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp Guerande fleur de sel
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground Kampot black pepper
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Method
- Thoroughly wash the Batavia lettuce and perilla leaves, then spin them gently dry to remove all moisture. Arrange them on a serving platter alongside the ssamjang.
- In small individual ramekins, prepare the dipping oil by mixing the toasted sesame oil with fleur de sel and ground black pepper until partially dissolved.
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thickly. Peel the sweet yellow onion and cut it into even rounds, keeping the rings intact.
- Heat a cast-iron grill pan or Korean grill over high heat. Once the surface is very hot and lightly smoking, lay the pork belly strips flat in the pan without overlapping.
- Let the pork sear undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside turns deeply golden and crisp while rendering its fat.
- Flip the pork belly strips to sear the second side. Immediately add the napa cabbage kimchi, onion rounds, and garlic slices to the bottom of the pan or around the meat, directly in the rendered fat.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, turning the kimchi, garlic, and onion frequently so they soften and brown gently without burning, until the kimchi becomes translucent and lightly caramelized.
- Using kitchen shears, cut each crisp strip of pork belly directly in the pan into bite-sized pieces.
- Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds over the kimchi and pork. Serve immediately while piping hot: hold a lettuce leaf topped with a perilla leaf in your hand, add a piece of pork dipped in the seasoned sesame oil, top with grilled kimchi, a garlic slice, a piece of onion, and a dab of ssamjang, then wrap it into a parcel and enjoy in one bite.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 658.4 kcal
- Protein
- 39.02 g
- Carbohydrate
- 8.81 g
- Fat
- 52.36 g
- Fibre
- 2.98 g
- Calcium
- 56.05 mg
- Iron
- 1.72 mg
- Magnesium
- 53.2 mg
