Chef Kim Dae-seok's Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) Recipe
This is a recipe for Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이), bursting with a sweet, sour, and savory umami flavor that will tantalize your taste buds. It's even more delicious when served with meat dishes.
📝 Editor's Notes
Chef Kim Dae-seok's Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) is an enchanting recipe, bursting with a sweet, sour, and savory umami flavor.
It pairs wonderfully with meat dishes, making your table much richer when served alongside mains like samgyeopsal (pork belly) or galbi-jjim (braised short ribs).
Its unique characteristic lies in preserving the crispness of fresh lettuce while delivering a deep flavor, all without complicated steps.
It will be a perfect side dish to rekindle your appetite on hot summer days.
The recipe is easy enough for anyone to follow, but handling the lettuce delicately is the key to its deliciousness.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
The star of this Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) is undoubtedly the lettuce!
Small lettuce leaves (쫑상추) are particularly well-suited for geotjeori due to their small, tender leaves.
Choose leaves that are vibrant green and not wilted, with stems that are not too thick.
Even if there's some dirt, freshness is key.
For onions, a medium-sized one that isn't too large is ideal.
Look for glossy, firm skin and no mold on the root end.
For green onions, choose ones with clearly distinct green leafy parts and white stalks, and a firm texture.
Cheongyang peppers (청양고추) that are straight and not overly curved will deliver the best spicy flavor.
🔄 Substitution Guide
You can also use other leafy greens (쌈 채소) instead of small lettuce leaves.
For example, romaine lettuce or red leaf lettuce can provide a similar crispness and fresh taste.
However, if the leaves are too thick, tear them by hand for a better texture.
If you don't have anchovy fish sauce (멸치액젓) or are sensitive to its briny flavor, you can substitute with kkanari-aekjeot (까나리액젓, sand lance fish sauce).
Be aware that kkanari-aekjeot can be slightly saltier than anchovy fish sauce, so you might want to reduce the amount slightly.
If maesil-cheong (plum extract / 매실청) is unavailable, you can adjust the sweet-and-sour flavor by adding about 1/2 tbsp of oligo syrup or corn syrup and 1/2 tbsp of vinegar.
While it might lack the unique fragrant note of maesil-cheong, it will help balance the flavors.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are three crucial cooking points in this recipe.
First, the lettuce washing method: Soaking the lettuce in lukewarm water with a splash of vinegar for 5 minutes effectively removes dirt, and then rinsing it in cold water helps preserve its crisp texture. This is the secret.
Second, for the seasoning sauce, it's essential to mix the ingredients thoroughly first.
Gochugaru (고춧가루) should dissolve evenly without clumping for the sauce to coat all vegetables well. Third, the mixing technique!
Lettuce is a very delicate vegetable, so mixing it too vigorously can cause a 'grassy' smell (풋내) and make it wilt.
You must mix it gently with your hands, as if handling a baby, to maintain its fresh taste and crispness.
Lightly tossing to prevent bruising is key.
👨🍳 Directions
Pour lukewarm water into a washing bowl. This helps remove dirt and dust effectively.
Add a splash of vinegar to the water. Break off the tough ends of the lettuce by hand and tear larger leaves. Submerge all 250g of small lettuce leaves in the water and soak for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, drain the water. Rinse the lettuce leaves one by one under cold water, gently shaking them to ensure crispness, then drain thoroughly.
Finely julienne 1/2 of a small onion.
Halve 1 Cheongyang pepper (청양고추) lengthwise, then finely mince it.
Halve 1 stalk of green onion lengthwise, then julienne it into long strips.
In a large bowl, combine 2 tbsp gochugaru (고춧가루), 2.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp anchovy fish sauce (멸치액젓), 1 tbsp maesil-cheong (plum extract / 매실청), 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 2 pinches of unrefined sugar. Mix well to create the seasoning sauce. Mix thoroughly beforehand to prevent the sauce from clumping.
Add the julienned onion and minced Cheongyang pepper (청양고추) to the seasoning sauce and mix again.
Place 1 tbsp of sesame seeds in a mortar and lightly grind them. Do not grind them too finely; a gentle grind will preserve their savory aroma.
Add the drained lettuce to the seasoning bowl. Tear very large lettuce leaves by hand, but leave smaller ones whole.
Place the julienned green onion on top of the lettuce.
Gently mix with your hands. Toss lightly to prevent the lettuce from bruising or becoming mushy.
Once the lettuce is about halfway mixed, sprinkle 1 tbsp of the ground sesame seeds over it.
Finally, drizzle with 1 tbsp of sesame oil and gently toss once more until glossy, then serve.
💡 Tips
When washing lettuce for the first time, add a splash of vinegar to lukewarm water and soak for 5 minutes to remove dirt. Afterwards, rinse in cold water to maintain its crisp texture.
Mix the seasoning ingredients thoroughly before adding the vegetables. This ensures the sauce doesn't clump and coats everything evenly for a better flavor.
If you mix the lettuce too vigorously, it can develop a 'grassy' smell (풋내) and wilt, diminishing its flavor. Mix gently and softly.
At home, it's best to make only about 200-250g of Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) and consume it immediately for the freshest taste. This amount is suitable to serve with about 600g (approx. 1.3 lbs) of samgyeopsal (pork belly).
📦 Storage & Reuse
Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) is most delicious when made fresh and consumed immediately.
This allows you to fully enjoy the crisp texture and fresh taste of the lettuce.
Leftover geotjeori can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a day, but the lettuce will wilt and release water, making it difficult to achieve the initial fresh taste.
It is highly recommended to make small batches and eat them right away.
If you have leftover fresh lettuce, wash it thoroughly, remove moisture, wrap it in a paper towel, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh for 2-3 days.
You can use the leftover lettuce for bibimbap or sandwiches the next day.
🥢 Who This Is For
This Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) is highly recommended for those who enjoy eating meat, especially.
It effectively cuts through the richness of oily meat dishes like samgyeopsal (pork belly), moksal gui (grilled pork neck), or galbi-jjim (braised short ribs), leaving your palate refreshed.
It's particularly well-suited for spring and summer when lettuce is in season and serves as an excellent side dish to restore appetite during hot weather when you might lose it.
It's sure to earn you compliments when served at family dinners or when entertaining guests.
🔥 Nutrition Info
One serving of this Lettuce Geotjeori (상추겉절이) (approximately 200-250g) is estimated to be around 80-120 kcal.
Composed mainly of vegetables and a small amount of seasoning, it is relatively low in calories.
Protein is estimated at about 3-5g, fat at about 5-8g (including sesame oil), and carbohydrates at about 10-15g.
Lettuce is rich in Vitamins A and C, and potassium, which are beneficial for eye health, skin beauty, and sodium excretion.
It is also high in dietary fiber, promoting gut health.
Onions and green onions contain antioxidants and nutrients that boost immunity, while the capsaicin in Cheongyang peppers (청양고추) can help stimulate metabolism.
This is an excellent way to enjoy healthy and fresh vegetables deliciously.
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