Tender Gosari Namul (Korean Fernbrake)

gosari namul (Korean fernbrake) topped with sesame seeds and green onion

Tender Gosari Namul (Korean Fernbrake)

Tender gosari namul made with rehydrated Korean fernbrake, garlic, soy sauce, perilla oil, and a little dashima stock. This classic Korean banchan is savory, earthy, and especially good with rice or bibimbap.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Korean

Keyword banchan, bibimbap topping, bracken fern, dried gosari, gosari namul, korean side dish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Soaking & resting time 9 40

Servings

Calories 62

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Ingredients

1½ oz (40 g) dried fernbrake
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced garlic
1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean tuna sauce see note below
1 tbsp (15 ml) perilla oil or sesame oil
1 piece (about 5 x 5 cm / 2 x 2 inch) dried sea kelp (dashima)
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
1 green onion finely chopped
1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Rinse the dried gosari well. Place it in a large bowl, cover generously with water, and soak for 20 minutes.
Drain and transfer the gosari to a pot. Cover with fresh water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the gosari rest in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain and rinse again. Cover with fresh cold water and soak for 8 to 12 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator. The stems should be soft, flexible, and easy to bend. If they still feel firm in the center, soak longer or simmer briefly again.
Drain well and trim off any tough or woody ends. Cut the gosari into bite-size lengths.
Place the prepared gosari in a bowl. Add garlic, Korean soup soy sauce, tuna sauce, and perilla oil. Toss well with your hands and let it sit for about 5 minutes to absorb the seasoning.
Meanwhile, combine the dashima and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook briefly, then remove the kelp.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned gosari and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the dashima stock and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed and the gosari is tender and moist, not dry.
Stir in the green onion and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Vegan Tip: Skip the tuna sauce and season with a pinch or two of salt to taste.

Make-ahead: Rehydrated gosari can be prepared ahead and kept refrigerated until you’re ready to season and cook it. I prefer not to freeze it because the texture can soften too much after thawing.

Nutrition