Korean Sea Snail Salad

First time I read this sea snail salad recipe, I was excited. It seemed like a either-you-like-it-or-you-hate-it kinda recipe. And I am that kind of person who's quite adventurous in food, in my own opinion at least.

In a week, I've been making the salad twice, and I am still craving for it. It has strong flavor, the acidity, the spiciness, the crunch, I totally fall for it.

If you can't find the sea snail, you can try chicken gizzard instead. I find it quite similar in texture and flavor. Dump the gizzard with crushed ginger in boiling water until soft and diced, and you are ready to go.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients

1 canned golbangyi (Korean sea snail)

1/4 cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 onion thinly sliced

1/2 carrot, julienned

1 small cucumber thinly sliced diagonally

1 clove garlic finely minced

2 T Korean chili paste

2 T Korean chili flakes

2 T white or rice vinegar

1 T sugar

2 T juice from the canned golbangyi

1 T toasted sesame seeds

1 green onion chopped

Korean thin wheat noodles/vermicelli 

Directions 

1. Drain the golbangyi and reserve 2 tablespoon of juice. Rinse the golbangyi and cut in half if the pieces are too big.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cabbage, onion, carrots, cucumber, and the golbangyi. Set aside.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, chili paste, chili flakes, vinegar, sugar, golbangyi juice, and sesame seeds. Mix them well to make the sauce.

4. Drizzle the sauce over to the golbaygi and vegetable mixture and toss well. Chill in the fridge while you are cooking the vermicelli.

5. Cook the vermicelli in a package direction or boil in the water for 3-4 minutes. Rinse it in the cold running water and drain well.

6. Put the salad in a bowl with the vermicelli. Mix well before serve.