I had a busy weekend trying new recipes. Some dishes turn out really well – Sliced radish Kimchi, Bossam, Nachos with salsa sauce and cheese toppings, and some didn’t turn out so well – Shindangdong ddeokbokki (a type of ddeokbokki)

Most of all, I am so glad that bossam turned out so well. It is really easy to make, but it requires some patience. It took me 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook the meat. I had to keep watching it to make sure it doesn’t boil over (though it boiled over a couple of times, I didn’t have a big pot). My sister and Michael had nearly fainted out of hunger by the time I served meal. It could have taken 30-40 minutes with a pressure cooker, but I wanted to give it a try on the gas range.

Bossam is very popular at this time of the year, because it is Kimchi making season. (I am visiting my mom today to help her making Kimchi, most likely just to take some pictures, and hang around) Apparently freshly made Kimchi goes really well with bossam.

For the amount of the meat and vegetables below, it will costs 25 to 30,000 won (US $26-31) at a restaurant in Korea. However, if you make it yourself, it costs 13,000 won (US $14).

Ingredients for 3-4 people
(Expected Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes)

For steamed pork

• Pork 1kg (actually I used 988 g) – You can use shank or pork belly, I used pork belly
• 1 onion
• 1 stalk of spring onion (it was really huge)
• 2 green chilies
• Fresh ginger 30 g
• Pepper – 1/2 tsp
• Minced garlic – 1 tbsp
• Refined rice wine - 4 tbsp
• Soy bean paste (Doenjang in Korean) – 2 tbsp
• Water 8 cups

Some Koreans add coffee beans in it, it apparently helps get rid of the meat smell along with soy bean paste, and gives a brownish color. However, I didn’t add it. Michael doesn’t like coffee.

For wraps

• Lettuce 190 g
• Sesame leaves 24 g
• Ssamjang – 3 tbsp
• 1 cucumber
• 2 green chilies

You can also have salted shrimps as a dipping sauce, apparently it helps with digesting the meat.

Steps (You really need a big pot)

1. Peel off the onion skin and ginger skin.
2. Cut the spring onion (size doesn’t matter as long as it fits in a pot)
3. Pour the water, refined rice wine, soy bean paste, garlic and pepper into the pot, then add the pork, onion, spring onion, chillies, ginger. (Basically add everything I mentioned on steamed pork ingredients, just add the liquid and powdery stuff first.)
4. Boil it on low heat for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
5. While the pork is boiling, you can prepare for the wraps. (Probably 10 minutes before you serve the meal, ingredients can dry in the air)

• Rinse the lettuce and sesame leaves.
• Peel the cucumber skin off, cut them into 6 pieces.
• Thin slice the chilies.

6. Take out the meat. Cool it down for about 3-5 minutes.

7. Thin slice the meat. (Though if it is not cooked properly you might be need to boil it a bit longer.)

8. Serve the meat with wrapping vegetables and some Kimchi. (I served with radish Kimchi)

How to make wraps

1. Put the lettuce on one hand, add the sesame leaf on top, then add the pork, some Kimchi, chili, and ssamjang sauce (It really depends on your preference though this is how I like to eat it).
2. Wrap the lettuce.

I found that the meat on its own doesn’t taste as good as in a wrap. Chili itself is very spicy though it is usually not spicy with the meat (Though this is my personal opinion.)

Related Posts

Thinly Sliced Radish Kimchi
Steamed Pork Wrapped in Leaves (Bossam in Korean) – From a restaurant in Korea

Related posts:

1. Steamed Pork Wrapped in Leaves (Bossam in Korean)
2. Pork Belly (Samgyeopsal in Korean) Party
3. Steamed Pork Ribs (Dwaeji Galbi Jjim in Korean) – Natural Sauce Version
4. Marinatied Pork Stir Fry with Gochujang sauce (Jeyuk-bokkeum)
5. Pork and Kimchi Stew (Dwaejigogi Kimchijjigae in Korean)