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You are here: Home / Korean / Gosari aka Fern Brake (or weird Korean brown vegetable)

Gosari aka Fern Brake (or weird Korean brown vegetable)

Published: Sep 5, 2020 · Updated: Jul 2, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Korean weird brown vegetable known as gosari on a white plate

If you’re wondering what that long stranded brown vegetable in your bibimbap is, it’s a classic Korean side dish called gosari. The hardest part is not making it but finding it.

Korean gosari on a white plate

What do you call it?

For the longest time, this was just a “weird Korean brown vegetable.” One time I asked what it was in a restaurant, and they replied “mountain vegetable.”

If you knew this was called gosari in Korean, you really do deserve an honorary medal.

The pronunciation, btw, is not so much “GO-SORRY” but more like “goh-so-ree” with a soft g and a little roll to the r.

Other names you may see this dish called:

  • Gosari namul (the Korean name of this dish)
  • Fern bracken
  • Bracken fern
  • Fernbrake
  • Pteridium Aquilinum (the scientific name)
  • Fiddlehead ferns
  • Bracken fiddleheads
dried fernbraken on a white background
Dried fern brake can come with or without the little white flowers on top. I don’t see too much difference in flavor, just personal preference on which one you use or can find.

It is commonly found in bibimbap rice bowls or the hot beef noodle soup known as yukaejang.

Fern origins

According to Lee Wade’s Korean Cookery cookbook, gosari is “edible racken, young shoots, gathered in April and May and sold fresh at that time, when they are delicious. Large quantities are also dried…those that have been dried are not so good to eat as the fresh ones.”

4 pictures of fiddlehead ferns aka fernbrake in the wild

Now how you get this dark brown vegetable from a bright green fern always confused me, but it starts green and turns brown when it dries.

Where do you buy it?

Fresh bracken can be foraged in the wild. However, it can be found in the dried vegetable aisle of the Korean supermarket or on Amazon:

Dried without flowers here – assi brand

Dried with flowers here – ROM America brand

In addition, it can be found in the refrigerator section of the Korean market, usually near the pickled vegetables, already rehydrated and ready to go.

a bundle of fresh fern braken for drying

How many calories are in gosari?

Per the USDA, 100g of raw fiddlehead ferns is 34 calories.

With additional seasonings, one serving in this recipe below is 51 calories.

Does it cause cancer?

Fiddlehead ferns have ptalquiloside, a known carcinogen. However, studies have shown that boiling and salting the vegetable can denature and greatly reduce this toxin.

As we know, many things cause cancer, including the char on grilled meat, red food color, and stress.

To each their own, and everything in moderation as Julia Child would say.

How to cook it

Time needed: 1 hour.

Rehydrating the gosari takes the longest time. After that, it’s a quick stir fry.

  1. Cook fern brake

    Put dried fern brake into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes, covered. dried gosari in a red pot with water

  2. Turn off the heat and let fern brake sit.

    This will allow it to soften further. cooked korean fernbrake in a red pot with water

  3. Drain and chop

    Chop into thirds to make manageable sized pieces for eating. hydrated Korean gosari cut into thirds on a white cutting board

  4. Saute

    Heat a pan with oil and stir fry with minced garlic over medium heat. cooked fernbrake in a black pot with smashed garlic

  5. Season

    Finish with soy sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if needed.cooked gosari in a black wok

  6. Serve hot, room temperature or cold.

    Keep for up to a week in the fridge. Korean weird brown vegetable known as gosari on a white plate

Helpful Tips

  1. You can buy dried fernbrake in the vegetable aisle or presoaked fernbrake in the refrigerator section of Korean markets.
  2. Fernbrake can come with or without flower buds at the top. Either variety will work depending on your preference or what you can find.
  3. If you care not to cook your fern brake for 45 minutes, you can soak overnight to reduce cooking time. The texture should be soft but not mushy.
  4. If you prefer not to cook with sesame oil due to its low smoke point, you can use another oil and finish with a little bit of sesame oil after cooking for flavor.
  5. This will last up to a week in the fridge.
  6. Serve as a side dish or add to Korean dishes such as bimbap or yuk gae jang.
Korean weird brown vegetable known as gosari on a white plate
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Korean Fernbracken

This classic Korean side dish has an earthy, forest floor flavor with a texture that is slippery and fun to chew. It just needs to be hydrated well and stir fried with simple ingredients.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Korean
Diet Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword weird brown Korean vegetable
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 51kcal
Author Asian Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 oz dried fern brake about a small handful of dried strands
  • 2 Tb sesame oil, or other oil see Note 4
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tb soy sauce

Optional Garnish

  • toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Put fern brake in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes until the strands are hydrated and thick.
  • Turn off the heat and let sit for another 15-20 minutes. This helps them soak up more water and get softer. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat a pot to medium heat. Add the garlic and gently stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the hydrated and drained fern brake. Add soy sauce and stir fry for a few minutes until heated through. Taste and check for seasoning. Add salt if needed.
  • Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.

Notes

  1. You can buy dried fernbrake in the vegetable aisle or presoaked fernbrake in the refrigerator section of Korean markets.
  2. Fernbrake can come with or without flower buds at the top. Either variety will work depending on your preference or what you can find.
  3. If you care not to cook your fern brake for 45 minutes, you can soak overnight to reduce cooking time. The texture should be soft but not mushy.
  4. If you prefer not to cook with sesame oil due to its low smoke point, you can use another oil and finish with a little bit of sesame oil after cooking for flavor.
  5. This will last up to a week in the fridge.
  6. Serve as a side dish or add to Korean dishes such as bimbap or yuk gae jang.

Nutrition

Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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