Sweet & Tangy Bellflower Root Salad (Doraji Saengchae)
Easy Recipe for Bellflower Root Salad & Seasoned Bellflower Root
This is a delightfully sweet and tangy bellflower root salad (Doraji Saengchae), perfect as a refreshing side dish when you have a reduced appetite. It’s incredibly simple to make using a gochujang-based sauce, offering a wonderful crunchy texture and a savory-sweet flavor profile. The slight bitterness of the bellflower root is mellowed out, making it enjoyable for everyone. It’s fantastic as a rice accompaniment or even as a snack with drinks! Let me guide you through the simple steps.
Main Ingredients- Bellflower root (Doraji) 200g
- Coarse salt 2 Tbsp
Sweet & Spicy Sauce- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Apple vinegar 3 Tbsp
- Minced green onion 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Sesame seeds (toasted) 1/2 Tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Apple vinegar 3 Tbsp
- Minced green onion 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Sesame seeds (toasted) 1/2 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your fresh bellflower roots. I’m using young roots here. If you have thicker roots, use a knife to scrape off the skin, then wash them thoroughly. Rinse them under running water two to three times to remove any dirt or debris.
Step 2
After washing, gently tear the bellflower roots into bite-sized pieces with your hands, or thinly slice them to about 0.3 cm thick using a knife. It’s important to slice them thinly so the seasoning can penetrate well; thicker pieces might not absorb the flavor as effectively.
Step 3
To remove the bitterness and astringency of the bellflower root, add about 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and rub them vigorously with your hands. Kneading them like this for about 5 minutes will effectively draw out the bitter taste. After rinsing out the salt thoroughly with cold water, gently squeeze out as much excess water as possible with both hands. Excess water can dilute the seasoning and make the salad bland.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the delicious sweet and spicy sauce. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of apple vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of minced green onion and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic for fragrance, plus half a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty flavor. (Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to your preference.)
Step 5
Add the squeezed bellflower roots to the bowl with the sauce. Pour all the prepared sauce over the roots. Now, gently mix everything together with your hands, massaging the seasoning into the bellflower root until it’s evenly coated. Be gentle to avoid mashing the roots.
Step 6
And there you have it – a perfectly sweet, tangy, and crunchy bellflower root salad! Transfer it to a serving dish for a beautiful presentation. It’s delicious served immediately, but chilling it in the refrigerator for a bit will make it even more refreshing. Enjoy your meal with this wonderful Doraji Saengchae!