Recipe: Gosari namul (sautéed bracken fiddleheads)

Making gosari namul (고사리 나물) requires soaking for long hours and easily takes a full two days, so make sure to plan ahead, especially if you’re preparing for a special day like Jeongwol Daeboreum. But don’t worry, the cooking itself is quite easy!

 

ingredients:

100g dried gosari (~300g when boiled)

1 tbsp + 1 tsp Joseon ganjang (traditional soy sauce)

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp minced scallion

2 tsp + 1 tsp perilla oil

1 tbsp dehusked perilla seed powder

200 ml water (add 50ml first and gradually pour them as it is dissolved)

 

method:

1. Soak the dry gosari in cold water overnight.

 

2. Put the soaked stems into a big pot with cold water and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer until the rubbery stems are soft to chew and easy to pinch apart. I can’t give you an exact amount of time, but it easily takes 20 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, drain half of the boiling water and add cold water, letting the water temperature drop to lukewarm. Let the gosari sit in the lukewarm water for at least an hour, but you also can leave them overnight again if want.

 

4. Strain the gosari and trim any remaning woody parts. Yes, you have to go through every single stem. (I know, cooking Korean namul is a painstaking process!)

5. Line up your gosari and cut the stems into 3–4cm long pieces.

6. Put the cut stems into a mixing bowl and season with garlic, scallion, sesame seed, and Joseon ganjang. It helps to wear a plastic glove and use your hands (Korean mom style).

7. Heat 2 tsp of perilla oil in a pan and sauté the seasoned gosari. Add water, pouring 50ml in first, and slowly adding about 50ml more at a time as the liquid reduces. Let it braise. You should get a very soft texture that’s not rubbery or stringy texture when you bite it. And if it tastes bland when you take your first bite of one piece, don’t worry—you eat a lot of stems at once in each bite, so don’t season too aggressively. It should taste pretty mild. But if you really want, you can season it more with Joseon ganjang.

8. Add the dehusked perilla seed powder and finish with 1 tsp perilla oil.

It’s ready to serve! Gosari namul can be served hot or cold, but warm gosari tastes better. Serve as a banchan with rice.