Bo Ssam is an easy, flavorful Korean dish you can master at home

March has been pretty indecisive about its weather so far, but one thing’s for sure: As spring gets closer, it’s time to say goodbye to heavier foods and hello to fresh, lighter fare. This week’s recipe is for Bo Ssam, a Korean dish.

My dear friend Julie recently gushed about this delicious dish. It’s from the famed Momofuku family of restaurants in New York City. There’s even a restaurant dedicated to the dish called Ssam Bar. I’m not sure about your travel plans, but mine don’t include New York City for a bit. So instead, let’s venture there through our taste buds.

What makes this dish irresistible? The slow-cooked pork butt, which is salty and sweet and wrapped in lettuce then topped with a delicious ginger-scallion sauce.

This dish is perfect to serve to a small gathering of friends enjoying a lovely dinner in. It seems that everyone’s focus has shifted a bit since the pandemic, and I think we’ll see a trend toward more frequent but less formal gatherings. At least that’s what I hope for – making time for gathering people around my table in a more relaxed way.

This dish is just perfect for that. You eat it as a lettuce wrap, and there’s something playful about eating with your hands. There’s also something so gratifying about slow cooking because there’s not a lot of prep right before your guests arrive at your home. Enjoy.

Recipe from David Chang and Peter Meehan, NY Times Cooking

This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Bo Ssam is an easy, flavorful Korean dish you can master at home."