Jellyfish Salad (Haepari Naengchae)
Haepari naengchae is a Korean jellyfish salad with lots of different textures, colors, and flavors. It is super refreshing and healthy!
- Prep time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/2 lb salted jellyfish
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs (yolks and white separated)
- 1 Persian cucumber
- 1 small bell pepper, any color
- 1/2 Asian pear
- 2 sticks imitation crab
- 1 green onion (optional, for scallion curls)
- 1 tbsp hot mustard powder
- 1 tbsp warm water
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp mayo (optional, not traditional)
Instructions
- 1
Thoroughly rinse off the salt and soak the jellyfish in cold water for 1 hour. Prep the other ingredients in the meantime.
- 2
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and season each with a pinch of salt. Gently whisk together (try not to create too many bubbles).
- 3
On a non-stick pan over low heat, add a very thin layer of oil (wipe with a paper towel to make a thin layer), then add the egg yolks and let it spread on its own. Flip over once the top is almost set, then turn off the heat.
- 4
Repeat with the egg whites, then set aside to let it cool.
- 5
Cut the egg yolks and egg whites into thin strips.
- 6
Wash the cucumber then cut out the core where the seeds are. Either throw it away, repurpose it, or just eat them like I do :) Cut the rest of the cucumber into thin strips.
- 7
Remove the skin from the Asian pear and cut into thin strips. Soak in sugar water so they don't oxidize.
- 8
Cut bell pepper into thin strips- I used red and orange, and you also need to shred or cut the imitation crab meat.
- 9
Combine the mustard powder with warm water and mix until a paste forms. Then add rice vinegar, salt, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, & sesame oil. This isn't traditional, but my best friend adds mayo to her vinaigrette. It gives it a touch of nuttiness and mellows out the vinegar. I like it with or without, but if you prefer a lighter & more refreshing dressing, I would leave the mayo out.
- 10
Mix until smooth then keep in the fridge until ready to use. This can be made a day ahead and will actually taste better as it marinates!
- 11
Drain the soaking water for the jellyfish, then put it in a colander and pour 2-3 cups of boiling hot water over it. Careful not to cook the jellyfish- we are just very quickly blanching it so it shrivels up and changes the texture a bit. You don't have to do this step, but I prefer the texture of the jellyfish this way.
- 12
Squeeze out all the moisture then cut the jellyfish if your pieces are very long.
- 13
Add salt, sugar, and rice vinegar. Mix together and refrigerate until ready to use.
- 14
Pour the hot mustard vinaigrette over the dish and serve cold. This plating is how it is traditionally served, and people can just grab whichever ingredients they like and make themselves a plate.
- 15
Or you can toss it all together and serve it this way, which is what I did for my pop-up as the first course.