Bellflower Root and Cucumber Salad

Tear the bellflower root into bite-sized pieces, 5-6cm long.

Place the cut bellflower root in a large bowl, add coarse salt, rub vigorously to remove the bitter taste, then rinse in water and drain.

Season the prepared bellflower root with 1/3 cup starch syrup, 1/3 cup vinegar, and 1/2 tbsp salt, mix well, and let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Rub the cucumber with salt in your hands to remove impurities from the thorns, then wash thoroughly.

Cut the cucumber into 0.5cm thick slices.

Add 1/2 tbsp salt and 1/2 tbsp sugar to the sliced cucumber, mix evenly, and let it pickle for 20 minutes.

Make the sauce by mixing 3 tbsp red chili powder, 3 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp soup soy sauce, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp minced green onion, 2 tbsp green plum syrup, 3 tbsp sugar, and 4 tbsp vinegar.

Place the prepared sauce in the refrigerator to let it mature.

Place the marinated bellflower root and pickled cucumber in a cotton cloth separately and squeeze out the moisture tightly.

Place the squeezed bellflower root and cucumber in a bowl, add 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, perilla seed powder, whole sesame seeds, and an additional 1/2 tbsp sesame oil for aroma.

Finally, toss the bellflower root and cucumber with the sauce, adjusting the salt to taste.