samgyeopsal

Have you ever tried “sam-gyeop-sal”? It’s the delicious artery-clogging dish from Korea, best eaten with “soju” (traditional Korean liquor). “Samgyeopsal” is that pork part which consists of the skin, fat and meat. It is called “liempo” in the Philippines or “bacon” in the western world. It is sliced very thinly and then fried or grilled. There are a lot of samgyeopsal restaurants in Seoul. A 200-gram order ranges from 3,500 won to 9,000 won ($3.50-$9.00). As in any Korean restaurant, side dishes are served complimentarily.
One can also enjoy this meal at home cheaply. You can get a 100-gram of samgyeopsal from 900-1,600 won. We usually order about 600-gram (“han-geun”) for my husband and I. Aside from the meat, we have to buy a variety of leaves for wrapping. The most common is “sang-chu” or lettuce but you can also use other leaves such as “ketnip” (perilla) and others that I don’t know the name of. To eat samgyeopsal, you just take a leaf or two (lettuce and perilla), add a piece of meat, slice of garlic, “ssam jang” and if you want, you can also add a slice of kimchi or seasoned green onion (shredded green onion mixed with sesame oil and red pepper). Before placing the meat on the leaf, you might want to dip it in a mixture of salt, sesame oil and black pepper for added taste.
When I went home to the Philippines, I brought home with me a container of “ssam jang” and served samgyeopsal to my family. They loved it! “Ssam jang” is available at any Korean store.

^^leaves used to wrap the meat

^^the meat may be fried or grilled

^^ to eat, take a leaf or two, place them on your palm…
put a meat on top, add a slice of garlic and “ssam jang”
wrap the whole thing and eat!