Sweet and Spicy Deodeok Gui (Grilled Deodeok Root)

Ingredients

• After washing the dirt off the deodeok, pour rolling boiling water over it, let it sit for about 1 minute, and rinse in cold water; less sap will come out and the skin will peel easily.

Steps

1. Prepare the deodeok

   

   

   

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   Deodeok has a lot of dirt on it, so wash it under running water to remove it.

   Deodeok produces a white sap rich in saponin, which is healthy but troublesome to deal with while trimming.

   I will show you how to peel it easily with less sticky sap.

   Pour rolling boiling water over the deodeok, let it sit for about 1 minute, rinse in cold water, and roughly wipe off the moisture.

2. Peel and roll out the deodeok

   

   

   

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   First cut off the top crown of the deodeok, then peel off the skin by pulling it as you rotate the root.

   When peeling it raw without blanching, the skin clings to the flesh so you have to pare it away, but after blanching, a slight gap forms between the skin and flesh so it peels cleanly.

   Also, less sap comes out, making it really easy to clean. 800 g of deodeok became 650 g after trimming.

   

   

   

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   They were thick and large, so I split them in half. Press with a rolling pin or a bottle to roll them out to your desired thickness. I also cut them to a manageable length.

3. Make the oil base and sauce

   

   

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   Mix 4 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 2 tbsp soy sauce to make the oil-and-soy base (yujang).

   While making the base, mix the gochujang sauce as well.

   Add 4 tbsp gochujang, 4 tbsp regular soy sauce (or brewed soy sauce), 2 tbsp gochugaru, 3 tbsp corn syrup, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 4 tbsp minced green onion, and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix well, taste a little with your finger, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

   Since the deodeok is pre-seasoned with the oil base, the sauce should not be too salty.

4. Brush with oil base and pre-grill

   

   

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   First, brush the oil base evenly over the deodeok using a brush.

   Pre-seasoning with the oil base for a first grill, followed by a second brief grill with the gochujang sauce, is the secret to grilling deodeok without burning.

   If you grill it with the spicy sauce right from the start, the sauce burns before the deodeok cooks through.

   Lightly grill the oiled deodeok on both sides in a gently heated pan. Because the base contains toasted sesame oil, it will grill nicely without adding any cooking oil.

5. Apply sauce and grill

   

   

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   Now spread the gochujang sauce evenly so it does not clump. Flip over, brush the other side with sauce, and grill briefly.

   The sauce burns quickly once it touches the pan, so it is important to keep the heat low and prevent burning.

Ppunwife's tips

• Pre-seasoning with the oil base for a first grill and then brushing with the gochujang sauce for a second brief grill is the way to make deodeok gui without burning.
• Because the sauce burns quickly when it touches the pan, it is important to grill over low heat so it does not burn.
• Scraping up the sauce stuck to the bottom of the pan and spreading it back on while grilling gives the deodeok gui a wonderful smoky charred flavor.

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