Produce
Lettuce
Also called ssam lettuce, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce
Tender heading or loose-leaf greens used as salad and, in Korean cooking, as ssam wrappers. Red-leaf and green-leaf are the usual grill-side lettuce, not a wet iceberg wedge.
Origin
Domesticated in the Mediterranean and now grown everywhere. The wrap habit is Korean table service; the salad habit is older and wider.
Flavour
Green, watery crunch, slightly sweet in the ribs, a little bitter at the dark edges. Butterhead is softer; romaine is juicier; iceberg is mostly water and snap.
How to use it
Wash and dry thoroughly — grit and leftover water make wraps slip and salads sulk. For ssam, set out whole leaves with ssamjang, rice and grilled meat; the diner builds each bite. A slice of raw garlic or chilli in the wrap is traditional. Tear salad leaves so they fit the fork. Dress at the table, not an hour ahead, or the leaves collapse. Oil first, then acid, if you want an even coat. Do not use iceberg as your only ssam leaf unless that is all you have — it cracks instead of wrapping. Wilted outer leaves can still go into a soup.
Storage
Fridge, loosely wrapped or in a box with a dry cloth. Wash just before use.
Recipes using it
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