My jar of bulgogi sauce was empty, and I really couldn’t be bothered driving to town, even though I was craving it today. Instead, I walked around the village and woodland and picked whatever fruits were available in this freezing weather.
Bulgogi sauce is a marinade that gives bulgogi (a Korean “fire meat” dish) its signature flavour. It is sweet, fruity, savoury, and slightly tangy, and can also be used in many other ways.
No time to waste, catching the short daylight. The place is still frozen, and with more snow coming soon, this might be the last chance to pick the edibles before they all fall to the ground.
By the doorstep are beautiful orange berries called firethorn. They are edible and add a nice tang to the sauce. They are rich in vitamin C, a little boost for the immune system in the middle of winter. Most people here use them as ornamentals, but I like that they brighten both the garden and my cooking.
Then this everbearing crab apple. The birds love them, I watch them eat every day: blackbirds, blue tits, and all sorts. Crab apples are tart and astringent, which helps with digestion and adds a lively tang to sauces. Even so, there are still plenty of fruits around here that humans aren’t keen to use, and birds can’t fully consume either.
I also picked a few hawthorns, which are said to support circulation and give a gentle lift to the heart.
And rosehips, bright, cheery, and packed with vitamin C, help skin, joints, and immunity.
I noticed some parts of the woods are icy while others aren’t. Sunny spots stay clear, while shady or low areas stay frozen longer.
Along the way, I saw a beautiful lost dog sniffing about, and his owner from far was shouting his name, "Steven".
He was eating rosehips on the ground, so I gave him some more to eat.
And here’s Blu, who cannot tolerate stepping on snow, so he changed his mind halfway through the icy adventure and headed home.
I found some pears on the ground that are overripe, which makes them more ideal for making sauce.
So I had had enough and headed home to make the bulgogi-style sauce. As I had no gochujang, I used soy sauce as a replacement. Not the same, but it worked out well; it gives a rich, savoury base to the fruity, tangy sweetness I had collected from the woods and garden.
I gathered 750 grams in total to make the fruit base. Roughly 300 g crab apples, 200 g berries, 200 g pears
RECIPE:
🍐 Foraged Bulgogi-Style Sauce
Ingredients:
Fruit base (700 g total)
Liquids & seasoning
300 g soy sauce or fish sauce
200 g water
180 g honey or sugar
30 g garlic
14 g ginger
50 g rice wine or mirin
50 g sesame oil
8 to 12 g chilli powder
60 g vinegar
🔥 Method
Cook the fruits
Add the crab apples, berries, pear, and water to a large saucepan. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
Until all fruit is soft and broken down.
Blend or strain
Blend lightly.
Push through a sieve to remove the pulp, stalks and seeds.
Build the sauce
Return the fruit base to the pan. Add all remaining ingredients.
Simmer gently for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until glossy and slightly thickened. The sauce should coat a spoon but still pour easily.
Jar the sauce
Pour hot sauce into sterilised jars. Leave 1 cm headspace. Wipe rims clean and seal immediately.
Refrigerate up to 3 months Frozen in portions: up to 1 year
🍎 Other ways to use the sauce: Dip for grilled meats, tofu, or dumplings Sticky glaze for roasted vegetables or stir fries Marinade for beef, chicken, mushrooms, or tempeh etc. Drizzle over rice bowls or noodles
Very versatile sauce, I brushed it on my grilled chicken and lifted it's flavour. It is a very tasty, savoury, sweet sauce, with a nice fruity tang and a fiery chilli. A little goes a long way!
It satisfied my cravings, and it warmed me up on this cold day.
Have alovely day, Mariah :)