Shredded Romaine in a Korean Sesame Vinaigrette

Now that I had the meat in the form of the kalbi or Korean barbecue short ribs and the heat in the form of the Korean style salsa roja , the next items up for the Kogi short rib tacos were the fresh ingredients. For me, the fresh ingredients play an important roll in any taco whether it be in the form of a fresh salsa such as a pico de gallo or something a simple as chopped tomatoes and lettuce. The fresh ingredients add some extra layers of texture and a refreshing juicy break from the heat of the tacos. The Kogi short rib tacos are described as having a “julienne romaine lettuce and cabbage tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette” in them. From the dressings name I used the soy sauce and some gochugaru, a Korean red chili powder. From there I used sesame oil for the oil and lime juice for the ‘vinegar’ thus adding the Texmex element. This ‘salad’ turned out pretty good despite being so simple. It worked even better in the tacos after letting it sit for a while to let the flavours mingle and to allow the lime juice to just start to wilt the lettuce. I imagine that this spiced romaine would do well as a condiment on many spicy meat dishes.