The ssämjang and kimchi aren’t hard to make, but they’re also easy to buy from your favourite Asian grocer. Begin this recipe a day ahead to marinate the pork and prepare the kimchi. If you’re on a kimchi-making roll, we have more kimchi recipes here. And if you find yourself asking “exactly what are Korean jangs?”, we have the low-down.
Ingredients
Pear and radish kimchi
Braised pork
Ssämjang
Method
1.For kimchi, combine daikon, sugar, vinegar and 1½ tsp salt
in a bowl and stand, covered, at room temperature to ferment overnight. Drain, squeeze out liquid, then combine with remaining ingredients.
2.For braised pork, place ingredients, except pork, in a large plastic container with 1 litre water and season with salt. Submerge pork and refrigerate, covered, to marinate overnight. Transfer pork and liquid to a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until pork is tender (1½ hours).
3.For ssämjang, stir ingredients in a bowl to combine.
4.When pork is cool enough to handle, slice and serve with lettuce leaves, oysters, kimchi, ssämjang, soybean sprouts and extra pine nuts.
Doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste, gochugaru, Korean chilli flakes, and gochujang, Korean chilli paste, are available from Asian grocers. Soju is available from select bottle shops.