Hangul 쌈 Revised Romanization ssam | Hanja none McCune–Reischauer ssam | |
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Similar Ssamjang, Doenjang, Bossam, Samgyeopsal, Bulgogi | ||
Ssam, sometimes also transliterated as ssäm, meaning "wrapped", refers to a dish in Korean cuisine in which, usually, leafy vegetables are used to wrap a piece of meat such as pork or other filling. It is often accompanied by a condiment known as ssamjang and can also be topped with raw or cooked garlic, onion, green pepper, or a banchan (small side dish) such as kimchi. Ssam is usually bite-sized to avoid spilling out the fillings.
Contents
Pork wraps bo ssam
History
According to the book of customs, Dongguk Sesigi, ssam was eaten by the women of the Goryeo era who had been taken as maids or ladies of the court to Mongol's Yuan Dynasty, and by the end of the Joseon era, ssam had become an established seasonal dish. On the day of Daeboreum, the ssam that was eaten on that holiday was called bokssam (복쌈, good fortune ssam).
Ssam is also slowly gaining popularity outside of Korea and is being served at restaurants in New York City and Tokyo.
Variations
Various vegetables are used as ingredients such as lettuce, cabbage, bean leaves, and pumpkin leaves, which are used either raw or blanched. Seaweed such as miyeok (sea mustard seaweed) and gim (dried laver) are also used. Ssam can be used to refer to dishes using beef tongue, roe, pork, clams, or sea cucumbers wrapped and cooked in eggs.
By ingredients
By wrap type
Specific types: