3 easy Korean salmon recipes to try at home

Despite its many health benefits, salmon, known as "yeoneo" in Korean, has been considered a premium ingredient for many in Korea, largely due to its high cost.

But that barrier seems to be coming down as prices for raw salmon in Korea — mostly imported from Norway — have dropped noticeably, by as much as 40 percent from last year.

To help home chefs take advantage of the price drop, The Korea Times has compiled three easy salmon recipes that are popular among Korean households.

1. Yeoneo gimbap (salmon seaweed rice roll)

Ingredients:

300g sliced salmon

1/4 chopped onion

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

3 eggs

1 sheet of seaweed

2 leaves of lettuce

Yeoneo gimbap, a popular Korean seaweed roll featuring salmon, stands out from the usual versions by incorporating a creamy sauce. Start by mixing chopped onions with mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside.

For the filling, you only need scrambled eggs and lettuce. Scramble the eggs into a thin layer, roll them while still slightly runny, let cool, then slice into thick strips.

To assemble, place the seaweed sheet, spread cooked rice evenly and layer with lettuce, egg, salmon and sauce. Roll everything together using a bamboo mat. Alternatively, you can serve the sauce on the side as a dip.

2. Yeoneo hoedeopbap (rice bowl topped with raw salmon)

Ingredients:

300g sliced salmon

1/4 chopped onion

Lettuce or other leafy greens

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

Crushed sesame seeds

Hoedeopbap is a rice bowl topped with raw fish and vegetables, often served with a gochujang-based sauce. While flatfish is commonly used, salmon is a flavorful alternative.

To make the sauce, commonly known as chojang in Korea, mix gochujang with sugar, vinegar and sesame oil. Chop lettuce into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl of rice, layer lettuce, onion and salmon. Sprinkle with crushed sesame seeds and serve with the gochujang sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

3. Yeoneojang (soy sauce-marinated raw salmon)

Ingredients:

300g sliced salmon

120ml soy sauce

45g sugar

1/4 sliced onion

1/4 sliced lemon

1 sliced chili pepper

In Korean cuisine, "jang" dishes refer to ingredients marinated in soy sauce — most famously ganjang gejang (soy-marinated raw crab). This is different from other types of jang, which encompass Korea’s fermented condiments such as ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (chili paste).

This soy sauce-marinated salmon is simpler than gejang, but equally full of flavor.

First, prepare the marinade by boiling the same amount of soy sauce and water with sugar. Let it cool completely. In a container, combine the sliced salmon with onion, lemon and chili pepper. Pour the cooled marinade over the fish, cover and refrigerate for three to six hours. Serve with a bowl of rice.