Sangchu Geotjeori

A bright, instant 'fresh kimchi' of torn red-leaf lettuce tossed at the last moment in gochugaru, garlic, soy, vinegar, and toasted sesame oil, the sharp green banchan that cuts the richness of Korean grilled meat

Origin: Korea

From the journey of Lettuce.

Geotjeori is the Korean name for an unfermented, freshly seasoned salad dressed in the manner of kimchi but eaten at once, while still crisp and raw, rather than left to sour in the crock. Made with lettuce, it becomes sangchu geotjeori, one of the quickest and most refreshing of all banchan, the little side dishes that crowd the Korean table. Torn leaves of soft red and green lettuce are tossed gently, only at the moment of serving, in a lively dressing of gochugaru (the coarse Korean red chilli flake), minced garlic, soy sauce, a little rice vinegar and sugar for balance, and the toasted sesame oil and seeds that perfume so much of Korean cooking. The salad is at once spicy, savoury, sweet, and sour, and its job at the table is contrast: it is the bright, sharp foil to grilled pork belly and beef, its acidity and chilli heat cutting cleanly through the fat. Where the whole lettuce leaf is set out for wrapping in ssam, the torn and dressed leaf of geotjeori is the salad alongside, and the two often appear at the same meal. It must be dressed at the very last second, for the salt and acid wilt the delicate leaves within minutes; this is a dish to make at the table, not ahead of it.

Ingredients

The Salad

  • 1 large head soft red- or green-leaf lettuce, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces, washed and dried
  • 0.5 small onion, very thinly sliced (optional)

Dressing

  • 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red chilli flakes)
  • 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Method

  1. Make the dressing first: in a small bowl, stir together the gochugaru, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sliced spring onion. Let it sit for a few minutes for the chilli to soften.
  2. Place the torn lettuce and the optional sliced onion in a large, wide bowl.
  3. At the very moment of serving, pour the dressing over the lettuce and toss very gently with your hands, lifting and turning just until the leaves are lightly coated.
  4. Serve immediately, while the leaves are still glossy and crisp, as a banchan alongside grilled meat and rice.

Notes

Perilla leaves (kkaennip) may be torn in with the lettuce for their distinctive aniseed fragrance. A teaspoon of fish sauce or salted shrimp deepens the savoury note, though soy alone keeps it vegan. Some cooks add a little plum extract (maesil-cheong) in place of the sugar for a fruitier sweetness. Whatever else changes, the rule does not: dress it last, serve it at once.

The Gastrographer

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