Bossam (Korean Boiled Pork Wraps)

Ingredients

• 1.8 lbpork belly, in one piece, skin on
• 2 tbspdoenjang, Korean soybean paste
• 1 1/2 ozginger, a thumb-sized piece, sliced
• 6 clovegarlic, lightly crushed
• 3spring onions, whole
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2bay leaves
• 1napa cabbage, leaves separated
• 1/4 cupssamjang, Korean seasoned soybean dip, for serving
• 1 tbspsea salt

Method

1. 1

   Fill a deep pot with enough water to cover the pork and stir in the doenjang, ginger, garlic, spring onions, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. Bring it to a gentle boil.

2. 2

   Lower in the pork belly, drop the heat so the water barely trembles, and cook for 75 to 90 minutes. It is ready when a skewer slides into the thickest part with no resistance.

3. 3

   While the pork cooks, separate the cabbage leaves, wash them and trim the thickest part of each stem so they fold without cracking. Keep them cold.

4. 4

   Lift the pork out and let it sit for 10 minutes — slicing it straight from the pot shreds it. Cut across into slices about 5 mm thick.

5. 5

   Put the pork, cabbage leaves and ssamjang on the table and let everyone build their own: a leaf, a slice of pork, a small dab of ssamjang, folded into a parcel.