Exquisite Gujeolpan: A Traditional Korean Nine-Section Platter
Exquisite Gujeolpan: A Traditional Korean Nine-Section Platter
#Gujeolpan #RoyalCuisine #KoreanFeastFood #BridalFood #CourtCuisine #StirFriedVegetables #Japchae #HolidayFood #TraditionalKoreanFood #FiveColorDish
Introducing Gujeolpan, a visually stunning and delicious traditional Korean dish, often prepared with great care as a ‘Ibijai’ (food gift for a bride’s family). It features nine vibrant ingredients, each seasoned and stir-fried to perfection, then wrapped in delicate, thin crepes called ‘miljeonbyeong’. The dish celebrates the ‘Obangsaek’ (five cardinal colors: yellow, blue, white, red, black), bringing both aesthetic beauty and nutritional balance. (Tip: This recipe uses wood ear mushrooms as a substitute for shiitake mushrooms, which were accidentally received. Feel free to use shiitake or other mushrooms according to your preference.)
Cucumber Namul Ingredients- 3 mini cucumbers
- Cooking oil
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Carrot Stir-fry Ingredients- 1 carrot
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
Napa Cabbage Stir-fry Ingredients- 4 leaves napa cabbage
- Cooking oil
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
Dried Shiitake Mushroom Stir-fry Ingredients- 25g dried shiitake mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry Ingredients- 25g wood ear mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Radish Greens Stir-fry Ingredients- 40g radish greens
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Culantro Stir-fry Ingredients- 100g culantro
- A little cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Beef Stir-fry Ingredients- 400g beef (for japchae)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp soju (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp plum extract
Egg Garnish Ingredients- 2 eggs
- 2 pinches of salt
- Cooking oil
Gujeolpan Assembly Ingredients- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 carrot
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
Napa Cabbage Stir-fry Ingredients- 4 leaves napa cabbage
- Cooking oil
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
Dried Shiitake Mushroom Stir-fry Ingredients- 25g dried shiitake mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry Ingredients- 25g wood ear mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Radish Greens Stir-fry Ingredients- 40g radish greens
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Culantro Stir-fry Ingredients- 100g culantro
- A little cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Beef Stir-fry Ingredients- 400g beef (for japchae)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp soju (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp plum extract
Egg Garnish Ingredients- 2 eggs
- 2 pinches of salt
- Cooking oil
Gujeolpan Assembly Ingredients- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 25g dried shiitake mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Wood Ear Mushroom Stir-fry Ingredients- 25g wood ear mushrooms
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Radish Greens Stir-fry Ingredients- 40g radish greens
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Culantro Stir-fry Ingredients- 100g culantro
- A little cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Beef Stir-fry Ingredients- 400g beef (for japchae)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp soju (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp plum extract
Egg Garnish Ingredients- 2 eggs
- 2 pinches of salt
- Cooking oil
Gujeolpan Assembly Ingredients- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 40g radish greens
- Cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Culantro Stir-fry Ingredients- 100g culantro
- A little cooking oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of minced garlic
- 1 tsp chopped green onion
Beef Stir-fry Ingredients- 400g beef (for japchae)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp soju (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp plum extract
Egg Garnish Ingredients- 2 eggs
- 2 pinches of salt
- Cooking oil
Gujeolpan Assembly Ingredients- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 400g beef (for japchae)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp soju (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp plum extract
Egg Garnish Ingredients- 2 eggs
- 2 pinches of salt
- Cooking oil
Gujeolpan Assembly Ingredients- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Egg yolk garnish
- Egg white garnish
- Cucumber namul
- Carrot stir-fry
- Napa cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushroom stir-fry
- Wood ear mushroom stir-fry
- Radish greens stir-fry
- Culantro stir-fry
- Beef stir-fry
- Duck wraps (or miljeonbyeong) as desired
Mustard Sauce Ingredients- 5 Tbsp ‘Chamsauce’ (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by rehydrating the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms. Soak them in lukewarm water for about 15 minutes until soft. Once rehydrated, squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Step 2
While the mushrooms are soaking, thinly slice the napa cabbage into thick shreds. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of coarse salt over the cabbage and let it sit for a short while to wilt slightly. This will make it more tender when stir-fried.
Step 3
Similarly, slice the mini cucumbers into thin rounds. Sprinkle them with coarse salt and let them sit briefly to draw out some moisture, which helps maintain their crispness.
Step 4
Julienne the carrot. Squeeze the rehydrated shiitake and wood ear mushrooms thoroughly and julienne them as well. Rinse the wilted napa cabbage and sliced cucumbers under cold water to remove excess salt, then drain them well.
Step 5
Prepare the radish greens by blanching them in boiling water for a moment. Drain them well, squeeze out any excess water, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. (Optional Tip: If using culantro, blanch it similarly, squeeze out water, and cut it to match the length of the other vegetables.)
Step 6
Now it’s time to stir-fry the ingredients. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with cooking oil. Add the julienned carrots and stir-fry briefly with a pinch of salt until tender-crisp. Stir-frying brings out their natural sweetness.
Step 7
For the remaining vegetables like wood ear mushrooms, cucumbers, napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, radish greens, and culantro, heat a pan with cooking oil. Add minced garlic, chopped green onion, and salt. Stir-fry quickly over high heat, ensuring each ingredient is cooked but retains some texture.
Step 8
Here are the beautifully stir-fried vegetable components for the Gujeolpan. Notice the vibrant colors achieved through careful preparation. (Ingredients shown in photo: Wood ear mushroom stir-fry, shiitake mushroom stir-fry, cucumber namul, carrot stir-fry, napa cabbage stir-fry, etc.)
Step 9
Next, we prepare the beef, a key component of Gujeolpan. Use thinly sliced beef, ideally the type used for ‘Japchae’.
Step 10
In a bowl, combine the beef with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons mirin, 1 tablespoon soju, 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, and 2 tablespoons plum extract. Mix well to ensure the marinade coats the beef evenly. Heat a lightly oiled pan and quickly stir-fry the marinated beef until cooked through.
Step 11
Once the beef is fully cooked, turn off the heat and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil for a rich, nutty aroma. This finishes the beef component.
Step 12
The stir-fried beef, radish greens, and (culantro) are now ready, completing the main cooked fillings for the Gujeolpan.
Step 13
Finally, let’s prepare the egg garnishes to add elegance. Separate the yolks and whites of 2 eggs. Season each with a pinch of salt. Lightly oil a heated pan and cook the egg whites into a thin crepe, followed by the egg yolks. Aim for even thickness.
Step 14
Once the egg crepes have cooled slightly, thinly julienne both the egg white and egg yolk garnishes. These finely cut strips will add visual appeal to the dish.
Step 15
Prepare your Gujeolpan serving dish, or a tiered lunchbox, or a large round platter. Now, artfully arrange each of the nine colorful cooked ingredients around the outer edge of the dish, leaving the center empty for now.
Step 16
For the center of the Gujeolpan, you can place thinly cooked ‘miljeonbyeong’ (Korean crepes) layered on top, or as shown here, use duck wraps (‘ori ssampi’) for an elegant presentation. Fill the center space with your chosen item.
Step 17
With the Gujeolpan assembled, it’s time to prepare dipping sauces. (Tip: If you have a pre-made mustard sauce, you can use it.) For a homemade mustard sauce, combine 2 tablespoons prepared mustard with 5 tablespoons ‘Chamsauce’ and 1 teaspoon sesame oil, mixing well. For a spicier, sweeter, and tangier option, try mixing chili sauce, ‘hoechang’ (vinegar-based sauce), and barbecue sauce. Enjoy your Gujeolpan by wrapping the colorful ingredients in miljeonbyeong or lettuce with your preferred sauce. Your beautiful Gujeolpan is complete!
