Haepari-naengchae-bap

Chilled jellyfish salad in a tangy mustard dressing served over rice — a refreshing summer dish.

Haepari-naengchae is a Korean Chinese-influenced cold salad of thinly sliced jellyfish, cucumber, carrots, and sometimes crab meat, dressed in a sharp mustard-vinegar sauce; when served over rice it becomes one of the most refreshing summer meals in the Korean repertoire. The jellyfish — typically dried and rehydrated before service — has a uniquely satisfying crunch and neutral flavour that serves as a vehicle for the bold dressing. Chinese-Korean restaurants (junghwa-yo-ri restaurants) in Korea have served haepari-naengchae as an appetiser since the early twentieth century, when Chinese immigrants from Shandong Province established the foundations of Korean Chinese cuisine. Eating the salad over rice transforms it from a starter into a light main course, particularly popular during the humid summer months when heavy hot foods feel oppressive. The combination of cold ingredients, vinegar brightness, and spicy mustard makes it one of the more reviving bowls in the entire Korean repertoire.