dried bracken fern (gosari)
Dried young shoots of bracken fern, soaked and cooked before use; tender yet chewy, earthy, faintly smoky.
Caution: Bracken fern must never be eaten raw; the dried shoots need long soaking, thorough boiling and further soaking in fresh water to reduce bitterness and harmful compounds.
Gosari are the young, still-curled shoots of bracken fern, gathered in spring, blanched and dried. Dry, they are dark brown, hard and wiry; they only turn tender after long soaking and cooking. Once cooked they have a fibrous, pleasantly chewy bite and an earthy flavour reminiscent of mushrooms and forest floor, with a faintly smoky note. Because of that texture and the way they soak up seasoning, they are usually stir-fried with soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil as a side dish or added to robust soups. Look for them dried in Korean or well-stocked Asian grocers and online, sometimes also pre-soaked and vacuum-packed or frozen.
Substitute:
There is no truly equivalent substitute, as the fibrous bite and earthy, smoky tone are distinctive. The closest option is shiitake stems cut into strips or soaked dried shiitake, which bring earthiness and chew but taste more of mushroom and are less fibrous; when in doubt, it is better to leave the ingredient out.