Korean Gomchwi Leaf Jangajji

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Gomchwi jangajji is a Korean mountain herb pickle made by submerging gomchwi leaves - a wild member of the ligularia family - in a prepared brine of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

The leaves carry a powerful, distinctly wild green fragrance that intensifies rather than fades as they cure, deepening when paired with the savory weight of fermented soy. Vinegar keeps the flavor profile from becoming too heavy, cutting through the richness of the soy with a clean, acidic finish after each bite. The leaves are notably broad and thick-fleshed compared to most pickling greens, which means they absorb the brine thoroughly and evenly over a few days of curing. When draped over a bowl of rice and folded into a wrap, the leaf's pungent aroma and salty seasoning seep directly into the grains, creating a self-contained bite that requires no additional side dishes. Garlic and cheongyang chili added to the brine contribute a sharp warmth and a mild heat that prevent the deep, earthy flavor of the mountain herb from becoming monotonous across a meal.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

gomchwi leaves180 gg

soy sauce150 mlml

water180 mlml

vinegar90 mlml

sugar60 gg

garlic cloves3 eaea

hot green chili1 eaea

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Place 180 g gomchwi leaves in a large bowl and rinse under cold running water, opening the leaves as you swish them.

Check the stem bases for trapped dirt, then drain well in a sieve.
2

Heat

Bring water to a full boil and dip only the thick, firm stem ends for about 20 seconds.

Move them straight into cold water so the residual heat stops and the leaves stay green instead of softening too much.
3

Step

After cooling, open the gomchwi leaves one by one and press lightly to remove water caught between layers.

Do not squeeze hard, because the leaves can tear and lose fragrance; leave them just slightly damp.
4

Control

In a pot, combine 150 ml soy sauce, 180 ml water, 90 ml vinegar, 60 g sugar, 3 sliced garlic cloves, and 1 hot green chili.

Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.
5

Heat

When the brine starts bubbling around the edges, boil it for 1 more minute to bring the flavors together.

Layer the gomchwi neatly in a sterilized container and pour the hot brine over it immediately.
6

Control

Check that every leaf is covered by the brine, then let the container cool completely at room temperature.

Refrigerate for 2 days, then lightly squeeze only the excess liquid before serving the leaves with rice.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Wide gomchwi leaves in this mountain herb pickle absorb soy vinegar brine with even consistency.
Finish cue: Check that every leaf is covered by the brine, then let the container cool completely at room temperature.
Avoid this: Do not squeeze hard, because the leaves can tear and lose fragrance; leave them just slightly damp.