Name: Choregi Salad
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2-4
Ingredients: 100 g mixed greens; 50 g apple or nashi pear, thinly sliced; 50 g cucumber, thinly sliced; 20 g red onion, thinly sliced; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp fish sauce; 1 tsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), optional

This is the little salad that shows up at the Korean BBQ table — bright, crunchy, and impossible to stop eating between bites of grilled meat. Choregi (チョレギ) is the Japanese-Korean name for these sesame-dressed leaves, and it’s the kind of thing you’ll want to make on repeat once you taste the dressing.

The magic is in the balance: salty soy, a little sugar, sharp rice vinegar, a whisper of fish sauce for depth, and gochugaru for gentle heat. Thinly sliced apple or nashi pear brings sweetness and crunch, cucumber keeps it fresh, and red onion gives it bite.

Dress it at the very last second. The greens should still be crisp and the whole thing should taste like the first cold, perfect bite of summer.

The Recipe

Serves: 2–4 • Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

100 g mixed greens
50 g apple or nashi pear, thinly sliced
50 g cucumber, thinly sliced
20 g red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), optional

Instructions

Make the dressing: Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and chili flakes until the sugar dissolves.
Prep the vegetables: Thinly slice the apple (or nashi pear), cucumber, and red onion. Keep everything cold and crisp.
Toss: Combine the mixed greens, apple, cucumber, and red onion in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently just before serving.
Finish: Scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Notes

Dress at the last moment so the greens stay crisp.
Nashi pear gives the most authentic sweet crunch, but a firm apple works beautifully.
Leave out the fish sauce and add a splash more soy to make it vegetarian or vegan.

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