How To Enjoy Ssam: Korean Lettuce Wraps! If you’ve had samgyeopsal, grilled pork belly, chances are you’ve made and eaten ssam. These are best enjoyed with this green onion salad and ssamjang. I’ll show you how to make both down below.
This is definitely one of my favorite Korean foods to enjoy and if you’ve been to a Korean restaurant and grilled some pork belly (samgyeopsal) on the table, chances are you’ve had ssam, or Korean lettuce wraps. Ssam (쌈), meaning “wrapped”, refers to a dish in Korean cuisine in which, usually, leafy vegetables are used to wrap a piece of meat such as pork or other filling.
How To Enjoy Ssam Korean Lettuce Wraps
Let’s start with the lettuce. Some will argue that you have to use red leaf lettuce but I think red leaf, green leaf, romaine or Bibb lettuce all works. If you have perilla leaves (pictured above) that you can lay into the lettuce first, that’s probably the most authentic Korean way to eat ssam.
Once you have the perilla leaf (or not), you add your protein. Usually grilled pork belly or some will even add bulgogi. And if you want to go meatless, you can simply add some white rice.
Green Onion Salad (Pajeori)
This green onion salad is a very popular topping to add into ssam. My mother gave me this shredder tool which helps you to easily shred green onions. You want them really thin for this salad. The most work is just slicing up the green onions. After that, this salad comes together really easily.
How To Enjoy Ssam Korean Lettuce Wraps: Ssamjang
The last topping or condiment you will want for ssam is ssaamjang. You can buy ssamjang already made from the Korean grocery store, or even online; but I think it tastes best homemade. All you need is fermented soy bean paste, or doenjang, and gochujang, Korean hot pepper paste. Doenjang or soybean paste is a type of fermented bean paste made entirely of soybean and brine. It’s like Japanese miso but stronger and more intense in flavor.
Check out the recipe below and I hope you try this!
How To Enjoy Ssam: Korean Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the green onion salad:
- 10 to 12 green onions finely shredded or sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes) + more if desired
- sesame seeds
For the ssamjang:
- 1/4 heaping cup doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- green onions diced for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
For the ssam (lettuce wraps):
- lettuce red leaf, green leaf, romaine or Bibb lettuce
- perilla leaves optional
- grilled pork belly
- sesame oil optional; for drizzling
- kimchi optional
Instructions
For the green onion salad:
- Soak the shredded green onions in cold water for a few minutes. Rinse and drain and place into a mixing bowl.
- Add in the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar (if using) and gochugaru. Toss together. Taste and adjust any ingredients as necessary. Lightly sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds over the top, mix together one last time and set aside.
For the ssamjang:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together, taste and adjust anything as needed. Garnish with the diced green onions and sesame seeds and set aside.
For the ssam (lettuce wraps):
- To assemble: Place a Korean perilla leaf (if using) into a piece of lettuce and top with 1 or 2 pieces of pork belly. Top with a little of the green onion salad and a bit of the ssamjang. (Some people like to also add some kimchi on top but this is not traditional.) Fold up and enjoy! Koreans usually place the entire lettuce wrap into their mouths at one time.
Notes
For the pork belly:
-
Use a heated tabletop grill (or in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop), cook the pork belly for a few minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. As the pork belly pieces are cooked and finished, start assembling your lettuce wraps.
