Ssamjang

Ssamjang is a thick, spicy paste used with food wrapped in a leaf in Korean cuisine. The sauce is made of doenjang, gochujang, sesame oil, onion, garlic, green onions, and optionally brown sugar.

Use

Ssamjang is usually eaten with a ssam of grilled meat. One typically puts a leaf of lettuce or perilla on an open hand, places the main components of the meal (grilled meat such as galbi or samgyeopsal, kimchi and other banchan, rice if desired) in bite-size pieces in the center, tops it off with ssamjang, wraps the leaf around the entire contents, and then eats the wrapped ssam.

Etymology

Ssam means "wrapped" and jang means "paste" or "thick sauce." Together as ssamjang they mean "wrapping sauce."

Variations

Besides the standard way of making ssamjang, other ingredients can be added to make special versions. There are also commercially prepacked ssamjang available on the market.