Samgyeopsal (Korean Grilled Pork Belly)

Method

1. Swish the lettuce and perilla leaves in cold water and shake them dry in a sieve. Leave half the garlic whole and slice the rest 3 mm thick; slice the chili on the diagonal. Mix the sesame oil, coarse salt and pepper in a small dish for dipping, and spoon the ssamjang into another. Keep the pork in the cooler until you start grilling.

   Add in this stepToasted sesame oil 1½ tbspCoarse sea salt ½ tspBlack pepper 1 pinchSsamjang (Korean dipping paste) 3 tbsp

2. Put a 32 cm griddle (cast-iron pan or Korean griddle) on the burner and heat over medium-high heat for 4 min. It is hot enough when a drop of water balls up, skates around and vanishes. Tilt the griddle slightly so the fat runs to one side. On charcoal, wait until the coals are covered in white ash and you can hold your hand 10 cm above the grate for only 3 to 4 seconds.

   medium-high heat

3. Lay the pork strips side by side without overlapping and grill over medium-high heat for 4 min without touching them. When the underside is deep brown and juices bead on top, flip once and grill for 3 min more. Cook this amount in 2 round(s), eating as you go. On charcoal, if dripping fat makes the flames flare, move the meat to the edge for a moment.

   Add in this stepPork belly, sliced 1 cm thick 400 g

   medium-high heat

4. Snip the pork into 3 cm pieces with scissors and check the cut face: no pink and clear fat running out means it is done. Push the cooked pieces to the cooler edge of the griddle to keep warm.

5. Put the kimchi and sliced garlic in the pork fat on the griddle and cook over medium heat for 3 min, until the kimchi edges are lightly charred and caramelised and the garlic is golden. If too much fat pools, soak some up with a paper towel.

   Add in this stepWell-fermented cabbage kimchi 150 gGarlic cloves 3

   medium heat

6. Lay a perilla leaf on a lettuce leaf in your palm, add a piece of pork dipped lightly in the sesame oil, a dab of ssamjang, garlic, chili and grilled kimchi. Fold it into a one-bite parcel and eat it whole.

   Add in this stepLettuce leaves (red or green leaf) 16Perilla leaves 8Garlic cloves 3Green chili (mild or hot) 1