Bracken Fern Salad (Gosari Namul (고사리나물)) (One of Three Namul Dishes)
A soft, tender, and hearty gosari namul (bracken fern salad).
📝 Editor's Notes
The shiitake mushroom salad (pyeogobeoseot muchim (표고버섯 무침)) introduced today is a healthy side dish with a chewy texture and subtle aroma.
It's stir-fried without oil to maximize its clean flavor, and balanced with fish sauce and plum extract (maesilaek (매실액)).
It's easy to make without complex steps, so even beginner cooks can try it.
Its light taste makes it suitable for any season and perfect as a special treat on days when you lack appetite.
It's not only a great side dish for rice but also excellent as a healthy salad topping.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
Choosing fresh shiitake mushrooms (pyeogobeoseot) is crucial for the taste of this salad.
Fresh mushrooms have caps that are not too wide open, clear inner gills, and a white underside.
They should also feel firm and elastic to the touch.
For green onions, using the white stalk parts rather than the green leaf parts can result in a cleaner taste.
Sand lance fish sauce (kkanari aekjeot (까나리액젓)) adds umami, but be careful not to use too much as it can introduce a fishy taste.
Plum extract (maesilaek (매실액)) helps bring out the subtle aroma of the mushrooms while adding a natural sweetness.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If you wish to use other mushrooms instead of shiitake mushrooms (pyeogobeoseot), king oyster mushrooms (saesongibeoseot (새송이버섯)) or oyster mushrooms (neutaribeoseot (느타리버섯)) can be good alternatives.
King oyster mushrooms have a strong chewy texture similar to shiitake, while oyster mushrooms offer a softer texture.
When substituting, adjust the stir-frying time due to differences in mushroom moisture content.
You can use anchovy fish sauce (myeolchi aekjeot (멸치액젓)) instead of sand lance fish sauce (kkanari aekjeot (까나리액젓)), and if you prefer a cleaner taste, you can add a small amount of soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang (국간장)).
However, the unique umami flavor of fish sauce might be slightly reduced.
If you don't have plum extract (maesilaek), you can add a very small amount of sugar to supplement the sweetness, but you won't get the subtle aroma and digestive enzyme benefits that plum extract provides.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are two crucial cooking points in this recipe.
First, it's important not to wash shiitake mushrooms (pyeogobeoseot) in water for too long; instead, wipe them lightly with a kitchen towel, as prolonged contact with water can diminish their unique aroma.
Second, do not use oil when stir-frying the mushrooms.
To properly bring out the clean and chewy texture inherent to the mushrooms, stir-fry them in a preheated pan without oil, adding shiitake mushrooms, salt, and a little water.
Stir-fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
Finally, when mixing, gently combine the mushrooms with the seasoning after they have cooled slightly, rather than while hot, to ensure the seasoning is well absorbed and the mushrooms don't get crushed.
👨🍳 Directions
Cut any long pieces of the 350g boiled bracken fern (gosari) in half.
In a bowl, combine the bracken fern (gosari) with 1 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), 1 tbsp anchovy fish sauce (myeolchi aekjeot), 1 tbsp cooking wine (mat-sul), and 1 tbsp minced garlic. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes. (Marinating the bracken fern (gosari) in advance allows the flavors to penetrate better, enhancing the taste.)
Heat 2 tbsp perilla oil (deulgireum) in a pan. Add the marinated bracken fern (gosari) and stir-fry over medium-low heat.
After stir-frying for a while, pour in 150ml anchovy broth, cover, and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. (Adding anchovy broth during cooking makes the bracken fern (gosari) even more tender.)
After 4 minutes, add 1 tbsp sesame salt (kkaesogeum) and some green onion, and stir-fry a little longer over medium heat.
Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp sesame oil (chamgireum), and mix well.
💡 Tips
Marinating the bracken fern (gosari) in advance with the seasoning allows the flavors to penetrate better, enhancing the taste.
Adding anchovy broth during cooking makes the bracken fern (gosari) even more tender.
📦 Storage & Reuse
The finished shiitake mushroom salad (pyeogobeoseot muchim) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Since mushrooms have high moisture content, freezing can make them soft; it's best to refrigerate and consume them quickly.
Before eating, microwave it for about 30 seconds or leave it at room temperature for a while to remove the chill, which enhances the taste.
If you have leftovers, they make a great bibimbap topping with warm rice or can be coated in egg wash and made into mushroom pancakes (beoseotjeon (버섯전)) for another delicious treat.
Try to utilize leftover ingredients wisely!
🥢 Who This Is For
This shiitake mushroom salad (pyeogobeoseot muchim) is a flavor that everyone, young and old, enjoys, making it an excellent side dish for the whole family.
It is especially recommended for those on a diet or planning a healthy meal plan, as it is easy to digest and low in calories.
It pairs well with rice, and it's also delicious when mixed generously with warm rice.
Serving it alongside mild braised tofu (dubujorim (두부조림)) or refreshing soybean sprout soup (kongnamulguk (콩나물국)) will complete a healthy and balanced meal.
🔥 Nutrition Info
This shiitake mushroom salad (pyeogobeoseot muchim) has a low-calorie content, estimated at approximately 50-70 kcal per serving.
It contains about 3-5g of protein, 1-2g of fat, and 5-8g of carbohydrates.
Notably, shiitake mushrooms (pyeogobeoseot) are rich in ergosterol, a precursor to vitamin D, and their vitamin D content increases significantly when dried in sunlight.
They are also abundant in dietary fiber, which aids gut health, and contain beta-glucan, beneficial for boosting immunity.
You can also obtain minerals such as potassium and zinc, making this a healthy side dish.
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