Ssambap (Korean Lettuce Leaf Wraps with Rice and Ssamjang)
Wet leaves let the rice and ssamjang slide out, so drain 10 lettuce and 10 perilla leaves for about 10 minutes and pat them dry without rubbing. Stir 3 tsp ssamjang with 1 tsp sesame oil until loosened but still thick, and have the rice warm, not steaming hot, so it does not wilt the leaves. Wrap a small spoonful of rice with a little ssamjang, sliced garlic, and chili into a bite-size bundle.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 20 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Lettuce and perilla leaves each take a small spoonful of rice, a dab of ssamjang (a thick soybean and chili paste), thin slices of raw garlic and some chili, then get folded into a single bite.
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Wet leaves let the rice and paste slide right out; after washing, they stand in a sieve to drain and are patted dry.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Rinse 10 lettuce leaves and 10 perilla leaves one by one under running water, checking the stems and folds for grit.
Stand them in a colander for about 10 minutes so excess water drains away.
- 2
Pat the remaining moisture away with paper towels instead of rubbing the leaves.
If the greens stay wet, the rice and ssamjang will slide out, so handle them gently to avoid tearing.
- 3
Stir 3 teaspoons ssamjang with 1 teaspoon sesame oil until evenly loosened but still thick.
Keeping the paste spreadable prevents salty clumps from concentrating in one bite.
- 4
Slice 10 garlic cloves thinly and cut 3 chili peppers into small rounds.
If the chilies are very hot, shake out some seeds and keep them separate so each wrap can be adjusted.
- 5
Have 2 bowls of cooked rice ready while warm, not steaming hot.
The rice should hold together by the spoonful, but it should not be hot enough to wilt the leaves.
- 6
Place a small spoonful of rice on a leaf, then add a little ssamjang, garlic, and chili.
Fold the sides over the filling into a bite-size bundle and eat it right away for the best texture.
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