Gosari aka Fern Brake (or weird Korean brown vegetable) (2024)

FAQs

What is gosari good for? ›

In Korean culture, gosari is a significant part of many diets as an essential ingredient in bibimbap, one of the most famous Korean dishes, as well as used to make soups and side dishes like gosari namul.

Gosari is the immature frond (known as fiddlehead) of a bracken (aka fernbrake) which grows in the hills and mountains. It has a deep, earthy flavor with a chewy texture, which makes it an essential addition to dishes such as bibimbap and yukgaejang. What is this? You can buy dried gosari (고사리) at any Korean market.

In Korea, bracken (sometimes referred to as 'fernbrake' in Korean recipes) is known as gosari (고사리), and is a typical ingredient in bibimbap, a popular mixed rice dish.

Gosari is one of the most ubiquitous banchans in Korea and eaten throughout the year. It's probably not the first time you have seen it. Its one of the main toppings in traditional Bibimbap. Or you may have tried it in Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup).

Male fern is used to treat nosebleeds, heavy menstrual bleeding, wounds, and tumors. It is also used to expel worms, typically tapeworms, from the intestines. Some veterinarians use male fern to treat worms in animals.

All parts of the plant are toxic in both green and dry forms.

It is not recommended to eat rare bracken under any circ*mstances because of the statistical increase in cancers in countries where brackens are a consumed in high numbers. Ostrich Ferns are of such low toxicity as to be far preferable to meet the dietary interest in fiddleheads.

Rinse the fernbrake a couple of times, drain and put it in a bowl. Cover with fresh cold water and let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight in a cool place, changing the water 2 or 3 times during the soaking. Taste the gosari: It should be soft.

Bracken fern (Pteridium spp.), one of the most abundant plants on the planet, is well known to cause cancer naturally in sheep and cattle. It contains, in some locations, extremely high concentrations of ptaquiloside which almost certainly is its major carcinogen.

Then, boil over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until desired texture is reached. Rinse in cold water and then squeeze out the remaining water. Lastly, comb through the gosari for any tough or woody portions and cut off. These dried bracken slices last up to a year in a cool, dry, airtight container.

What is the nutritional value of fernbrake? ›

You can use shiitake mushroom in place for fernbrake, and increase the amount of leek and mung bean sprouts for the taro stem. I have introduced a simpler version of yukgaejang recipe in my “Korean Cooking Favorites” cookbook that doesn't require these dried vegetables, so check it out.

Fiddlehead ferns are high in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which are often found in so-called "superfoods." They can be especially good for people who don't eat fish, which are also high in essential fatty acids. Potassium. One serving of fiddlehead ferns provides about 11% of the daily potassium you need.

Rattlesnake Fern (Botrychium virginianum) used as a cough medicine for tuberculosis. Hay-scented Fern (Dennstaedtia penctilobula) used for chills and lung hemorrhages. Rock Cap (Polyopdium virginianum) used for sore throat, colds, measles, tuberculosis, cough, and lung congestion.

Bracken was used extensively by native Americans as a medicinal plant, to treat a wide variety of ailments including nausea, stomach cramps, rheumatism, and headaches.

Uses of bracken

The young fronds are cooked as vegetables or in soups in Japan and other parts of Asia. They were once sold in bundles in a similar way to asparagus. The rhizomes have even been used to make bread flour.