Bossam, braised pork with spicy radish and salt-cured napa cabbage

By Hansik Promotion Institute

Bossam is a traditional Korean dish known for its rich flavors and satisfying combination of tender boiled pork and spicy, tangy accompaniments. This recipe for pyeonyuk-bossam features perfectly braised pork slices served with salt-cured napa cabbage, spicy radish and a flavorful salted shrimp dipping sauce. It's a great dish for gatherings or special occasions, as it allows everyone to customize their bites with the various condiments.

For a more authentic touch, be sure to use high-quality pork cuts like belly or neck, as they provide the right balance of tenderness and flavor. When preparing the radish salad, feel free to adjust the amount of gochugaru (red chile powder) to suit your spice preferences. If you're new to making bossam, consider serving it with a side of steamed rice to round out the meal.

Ingredients

Boiled pork

Salt brine for napa cabbage

Salt brine for radish

Seasoning for spicy radish salad

Salted shrimp sauce

Preparation

Cut off the roots of the napa cabbage hearts and soak the leaves in the salt brine (1 tablespoon salt, 4 cups water) for 30 minutes. When the cabbages become tender, rinse them in running water and drain.

Cut the white radish into 5-centimeter-long julienne strips and sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture.

In a separate, small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salted shrimp sauce and mix well.

Cooking

In a large sauce pan, pour the 5 cups of water and rice wine, and dissolve the doenjang in it. Add the green onion and garlic, and bring to a boil. Put the pork into boiling water and cook for 30 minutes until thoroughly cooked. The pork is done if no blood comes out of it when being poked with a chopstick or knife.

Slice the boiled pork into 0.6-cm thick pieces.

Toss the salted white radish strips with the gochugaru. Add the rest of the seasoning for the spicy radish and toss well.

Place the pork slices on a large serving plate and arrange the salted napa cabbage and spicy radish on the side.

Serve with the salted shrimp sauce for dipping.

Tip

The belly, neck and loin are the best cuts with which to make pork pyeonyuk. The meat can be dipped in the salted shrimp and wrapped in the napa cabbage leaves or bossam kimchi. Add a small amount of green tea, black tea or coffee beans to the braising liquid to mask the pork smell.

Serves 4.