Ssam

Ssam is a South Korean technique that encompasses various dishes that are made by wrapping different ingredients in raw or blanched lettuce, other green leafy vegetables, as well as seaweed or other wrappers. The dishes are classified depending on the filling or the variety of a wrapper.

The most popular ssam is sangchu which consists of a lettuce wrapper and various ingredients such as rice, pork, or kimchi. Other popular options include bossam, made with sliced and steamed pork and vegetable wraps, while the most basic variety is ssambap—which consist of rice wrapped in lettuce or other leaves.

The most common condiments added to ssam include sliced vegetables such as onions or scallions and ssamjang—a spicy dip based on gochujang paste. In restaurants, ssam wrappers are usually assembled when the main dishes such as barbecued meat or seafood are served—and the guests are then allowed to stack their bite-sized ssam using preferred wrappers and condiments.