Samgyeopsal Gui (Korean Grilled Pork Belly)

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1. 1Step 1: Shred the green onion: wash and trim, cut into 4-inch sections, then slice as finely as possible. Soak in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to crisp and remove raw onion flavor. Drain, pat dry, and serve plain or make the salad.
2. 2Step 2: For plain green onion, transfer to a small bowl and serve as is.
3. 3Step 3: For the green onion salad (Pa Muchim), add a dressing of fish sauce, gochukaru, sugar, and sesame oil. Add the dressing right before serving to prevent wilting.
4. 4Step 4: Wash the lettuce and perilla leaves in a large bowl with enough cold water to submerge the cut ends. Soak for 5-10 minutes to crisp, then drain. For limp lettuce, soak longer.
5. 5Step 5: While the green onion and lettuce soak, make the ssamjang: in a small bowl, combine doenjang, gochujang, sesame oil, sesame seeds, maesil cheong (or maple syrup), green onion, and garlic. Set aside.
6. 6Step 6: Make the sesame oil sauce: in individual small bowls, add 1/4 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add about 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, just enough to cover. Make one bowl per person.
7. 7Step 7: Score the pork belly with a sharp knife and set aside on a plate for grilling.
8. 8Step 8: At the table, heat a grill pan over a butane burner to medium-high. When hot, add the pork belly and cook until golden brown. Snip into bite-sized pieces with scissors as it cooks. Transfer to a platter or enjoy straight from the pan.
9. 9Step 9: Enjoy the pork belly wrapped in lettuce and perilla with green onion, ssamjang, and sesame oil sauce. Add raw garlic and jalapeno slices to the wrap, or grill them briefly for a milder flavor. Rice and kimchi are nice sides.