I have never been outside my own country.
But our family welcomes foreign foods on our tables, such Pizza which became a staple at home.
All of these come from my experiences on dining on restaurants and liking foods that they offer—and wanting to share those foods at home too.
Grilling pork is present in our food culture, but it is not as social as Samgyeopsal.
I don't know how that is prepared in South Korea, so forgive me for blabbering potentially wrongful way of cooking it, but the hyped version in our country cooking pork belly in a shared grill on each table.
It already became common together with the local Sugba-sugba (grill) themed restaurants that several stores are selling electric grill and grill pans for fire.
What's different with the common Sugba-sugba is that it's pre-cooked before the actual eating, the new version is like Samgyeopsal but with a wide selection of meats and seafood to grill together by friends, colleagues, or family.
On this post, we are only cooking pork belly, served with vegetables and rice.
To bring Samgyeopsal at home, we used an induction cooker and a non-stick pan to fry/grill pork. Vegetables should be present also, so I made a cucumber salad and prepared some red onions.
When pork is cooked, put it the lettuce leaf and add cucumber, onion, and ssamjang and gobble it in mouthful. It also goes well with rice.
If ssamjang (red bean paste) is not available, maybe tomato catsup and soy sauce is forgivable to be used as dipping sauce.
Ssamjang has a unique taste, different from tomato catsup. It's savory, but lacks the tang. In South Korean-themed restaurants, this should be always present.
The unique thing about Samgyeopsal it that it's a communal (social) effort to cook and eat while conversing on random things.
This is totally different from what I have grown up with where only one person prepares the food and the rest are called when it's ready.
I love cooking and preparing foods for others, but I also appreciate it when friends and/or family takes shared effort to prepare a common meal while conversing on random things in life.
Have you eaten Samgyeopsal too?
PREVIOUS POST
Hometown Series, Painting of Memories
During afternoons, we used go fishing or hike on hills until sundown, so carefree and unknowing of what lies in our future.
Buy and Sell on Coinbase
Get Started
About Me
@oniemaniego is a test engineer, but outside work, he experiments in the kitchen, writes poetry and fiction, paints his heart out, or toils under the hot sun.
 | Onie Maniego was born in Leyte, PH. He grew up in a rural area with a close-knit community and a simple lifestyle, he is often visiting his father's orchards during summer and weekends, which has a great impact on his works. |
Sign Up