Ssambap is a popular type of dish in Korea, where a kind of meat is wrapped in a leafy green, often lettuce, but a variety of greens can be used. It’s not only a delicious meal but fun to eat. Topped with fresh veggies, it’s a great mix of meat, rice, and fresh crunch! You can skip the rice if you prefer, or for vegan, make a tofu, seitan, or tempeh variation on the beef. For lettuce, you can use any variety, but something with large leaves that aren’t too flimsy is good, like romaine or Boston lettuce. You can also experiment with other greens!
On the Ingredients:
- Rice: For this recipe, we use short-grain white rice, which is also called sushi rice in the US. This title is a misnomer because to be real sushi rice, you must add rice vinegar and sugar. Short-grain rice is the most common type of rice used in Korean and Japanese cuisine. It is a little stickier than basmati or jasmine rice. The cooking method is also slightly different if you aren’t using a rice maker. The essential part of making a good bowl of short-grain rice (or any other kind) is to wash the grains before cooking. The instructions are given in the recipe but do not be tempted to skip them. The rice will have a much purer, cleaner flavor afterward. You can certainly use brown or rose short-grain rice instead of white. To do so, please follow these directions.
- Lettuce: You can use any lettuce or soft greens you like to make ssambap. We used Boston Lettuce, but some other excellent choices are romaine, bok choy, chicory (red or green), green and red lettuce, beet greens, shiso (perilla), baby collard, and mustard greens. Some of these, like mustard, have a much stronger flavor of their own, so it can be fun to experiment.
Gochujang is a fermented sweet and spicy condiment from Korea. It’s made with chili, glutenous rice, soybean powder, barley malt powder, and salt. Gochujang can vary greatly in heat and even has its own heat scale called GHU (gochujang hot-taste units), ranked from 0 (mild) to 100 (Extreme hot). In flavor, gochujang is earthy and mildly sweet. It’s used in classic Korean dishes such as bibimbap and tteokbokki.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions:
To make a vegan version of this recipe, you can use tofu with the same seasoning. You can also leave the rice out if you would like a delicious low-carb dinner. Just be sure to have enough veggie toppings to make up some of the bulk.
Ssambap: Korean Lettuce Wraps (For Two)
2
servings20
minutes15
minutes30
minutesSsambap is a popular type of dish in Korea, where a kind of meat is wrapped in a leafy green, often lettuce, but a variety of greens can be used. It’s not only a delicious meal but fun to eat. Topped with fresh veggies, it’s a great mix of meat, rice, and fresh crunch! You can skip the rice if you prefer, or for vegan, make a seitan or tempeh variation on the beef. For lettuce, you can use any variety, but something with large leaves that aren’t too flimsy is good, like romaine or Boston lettuce. You can also experiment with other greens!
Ingredients
1 cup short-grain white rice
1 1/4 cup water
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp brown sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp soy sauce
sriracha sauce to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds
8-10 leaves of lettuce
- Possible Toppings
cucumber (thinly sliced)
red radish (thinly sliced)
carrot (thinly shaved)
pickled ginger
scallions
microgreens
kimchi
red chili peppers (thinly sliced)
Directions
- Start by washing the rice. Place the rice in a medium mixing bowl and run lukewarm water over it until there are several inches of water above the rice.
- Use your fingers to gently rub the grains of rice together, careful not to break the grains. The water will begin to turn cloudy white. Drain the water using a sieve and repeat until the water is clear.
- Drain the rice and add it to a small pot (thick-bottomed if possible). Add 1 1/4 cups water and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- After that, put a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cook (without lifting the lid once) for 12-13 minutes until the water is fully absorbed into the rice. Taste to ensure the rice isn’t boney (needs more time), then remove from heat.
- In a skillet, heat the sesame oil, then add the garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, then add the meat. Cook until the meat is brown, then add the sweetener, Lahtt sauce, soy sauce, and sriracha (to taste). Continue to sauté until the meat is cooked through. Add the same seeds and remove from heat.
- Take each lettuce leaf and pile a thin layer of rice on top, then a layer of beef, and finally, some fresh veggies on top. Use the lettuce like little boats for the other elements. Serve warm and enjoy!
