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BBQ & Meats

Better than Takeout – Wood Ear Mushroom & Velveted Chicken Stirfry

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Wood Ear Mushroom & Velveted Chicken Stirfry. If you like Wood Ear Mushrooms, you’ll absolutely love this dish! It’s simple to make, nutritious and works beautifully with a bowl of hot rice. Wood Ear Mushrooms are very popular in Chinese homecooking. (They’re also used in Korea’s Japchae Noodles). These mushrooms are very crunchy and add a nice contrast to soft veggies in stir-fries. Try ’em out!

You can find Wood Ear Mushrooms at most Asian markets. They are sold dried, so you’ll need to soak them in water before cooking.

For this dish, we will also velvet chicken. Velveting is a Chinese technique that keeps meat incredibly tender and juicy – the process locks in the chicken’s natural juices. It involves blanching the chicken in hot water (or oil) for a brief period of time. But if you’re running low on time… skip it!

Few cooking notes:

  • If you’re running low on time, no need to velvet the chicken – simply stir-fry with the mushrooms
  • Feel free swap out any mushroom with local ones
  • If the stir-fry sauces thickens too much – simply add in a few drizzles of water
  • Serving size: 2 people

That’s it folks! Bookmark this recipe – after you taste it, you’ll be back for more… 🕺

Note: The original recipe is from Shao Z. at Serious Eats (props to her!)

Print Recipe

Wood Ear Mushroom & Velveted Chicken Stirfry

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 250 grams Chicken Breast
  • 1/4 cup Dried Wood Ear Mushroom
  • 2 Shiitake Mushrooms (Or use any local mushroom)
  • 1 handful of Oyster Mushrooms (Or use any local mushroom)

For Velveting Chicken

  • 1 Tablespoon Egg White
  • 2 teaspoons (!) Corn Starch (Or Potato Starch)
  • 2 teaspoons (!) Mirim (Or any cooking wine)
  • 2 big pinches of Salt

Stir-Fry Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon (!) Corn Starch (Or Potato Starch)
  • 1 teaspoon (!) Sesame Oil
  • 2 teaspoons (!) Oyster Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (!) Soy Sauce
  • 1 clove of Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons of Water

Instructions

Velvet chicken

  • Cut chicken breasts into thin slices. Crack an egg and separate the yolk - we'll only use the white. Place the egg white into a small bowl and whisk it. Then scoop out (1 Tablespoon) of the egg-white and place into a mixing bowl. To this, add Corn Starch (2 teaspoons), Mirim (2 teaspoons) and Salt (2 big pinches). Give it a thorough mix. Then add in the chicken and mix - get it evenly coated.

Prep Ingredients

  • Place dried Wood Ear Mushrooms into warm water. Let it rehydrate for 15 minutes. Next, slice Shiitake Mushroom into small pieces. Then, trim the ends of the oyster mushrooms and separate the bundles with your hands.
  • Make Stir-Fry Sauce: Mix Corn Starch (1 teaspoon), Sesame Oil (1 teaspoon), Oyster Sauce (2 teaspoons), Soy Sauce (1 teaspoon), Mince 1 clove of Garlic, and Water (2 Tablespoons)
  • Now, let's check back on the wood ear mushrooms. They should have blossomed - and be much larger in size. Use a pair of kitchen scissors and snip off the small hard stems in the middle. If the mushroom are very big, split them in half as well.

Blanche Chicken

  • Fill a small pot or wok with water. Add-in a drizzle of vegetable oil. Give the coated chicken another mix. Then carefully add it to the boiling water. Mix the chicken pieces around with your chopstick so they don't stick. Then boil for only 40 seconds. Drain the water through a sieve. Set the chicken aside for now.

Do Stir-fry

  • Place wok on a medium-high heat. Add a few Tablespoons of vegetable oil into the frying pan. Once its hot, add the Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms in. Season them with a few pinches of salt (DON'T FORGET!). Then stir-fry for 2 minutes - you want the moisture in the mushrooms to cook-out. Now add in the Wood Ear Mushroom. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Then, empty the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and clean out the wok with a paper towel.
  • Next, we'll cook the chicken: Place in a few tablespoons of cooking oil. Once it's hot, add the blanched chicken in. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the cooked mushrooms back in. Next, add in the stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry everything for a final 30 seconds. (Note: If the sauce thickens too much - simply add in some water).
  • Serve with a bowl of hot rice - enjoy!

 

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Korean Buldak Fire Chicken

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Korean Buldak Fire Chicken. It’s a favorite drunk food for many late-nighters! An addictively stir-fried spicy chicken that’s been marinated in a variety of Korean spices. It became a hit-menu after a food company in Korea introduced a ridiculously spicy ramen called Ssamyang Hot Chicken Noodles! Chances are you’ve seen mukbang reviews on it on Youtube. (And no, they are not exaggerating – the spice is real!)

At my current age, I am not interested in having a “spice hangover” and spending the next day in the bathroom! But I do enjoy that buldak flavor. It’s a spice that’s strangely addictive. So I worked on a buldak recipe that brings that spice level down from a 9 to about a 6! Something that you could genuinely enjoy without sweating… alongside a cup of beer! To add more savoriness, we will throw in some gooey cheese. The combination is heavenly – and an immediate stress reliever!

Now, if you want to make it more spicy for yourself, there are a few ingredients that you can tweak:

  • Increase the Gochugaru from 3 Tablespoons to 4.
  • Increase the Diced Chili Peppers from 2 Tablespoons to 4.

That should do the trick! But again, its up to you… heaven 😇 or hell 👹

Daniel out!

Print Recipe

Korean Buldak Fire Chicken

Ingredients

  • 600 grams Chicken Breast (Or Chicken Thigh)
  • 1/2 whole Onion
  • 2 handfuls Mozzarella Cheese
  • A handful of Green Onion (Garnish)

Buldak Sauce

  • 2 Tablespoons Gochujang
  • 3 Tablespoons Gochugaru
  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Mirim
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
  • 5-6 shakes Black Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Cheongyang Chili Pepper (Or Jalapeno Pepper)

Instructions

Chicken Prep

  • Cut chicken breast (or thighs) into bite-sized pieces.
  • Then make the Buldak marinade: Mix Gochujang (2 Tablespoons), Gochuguar (3 Tablespoons), Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Sugar (1 Tablespoon), Honey (1 Tablespoon), Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon), Sesame Oil (1 Tablespoon), Oyster Sauce (1 Tablespoon), Black Pepper (5-6 shakes), Cheongyang Chili Pepper (2 Tablespoons)
  • Then cut and onion into thin strips. Add it to the chicken and give another good stir. Let it all marinate for 1 hour.

Cook Buldak Chicken

  • Place some vegetable oil into a frying pan or wok. Place it on a medium-high heat. Once its hot, place in the chicken. Give it a few good stirs - then place a lid on. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
  • After 2 minutes, open the lid and give another a good stir. Now reduce to a medium heat. Let it gently simmer for 2 more minutes - without the lid. Take the frying pan off the heat and briefly set it aside.

Bake Chicken

  • Take out an oven-friendly bowl (or microwave-friendly). Add a layer of Mozzarella cheese. Then add a few scoops of the chicken. Spread on another layer of cheese. Then scoop on another layer of the chicken. Finish with another top layer of cheese.
  • Place the bowl into oven (or microwave) and cook until the cheese melts and start to bubble.
  • Take it out and garnish with some chopped green onions. Serve with an ice-cold beer!

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Braised Pork Ribs with Aged Kimchi

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Braised Pork Ribs with Aged Kimchi. In Korean its called deung-kalbi-kimchi-jjim (등갈비김치찜). It’s a fabulous dish to make if you have aged kimchi sitting in the fridge. After a month or so, kimchi begins to develop a deep sour smell and taste. This translates to great flavor when cooked in a stew. Throw in some pork ribs and you got yourself an all-inclusive meal.

This was one of my favorite comfort meals when I was young. I loved splitting the long cabbage pieces with my fingers and placing it onto a heap of rice. Then gnaw away at the ribs! If you enjoy cilantro, I would recommend throwing in some into the stew. My mom tried it once and I LOVED the combination. Here, in Korea – most people DETEST cilantro. So I purposely excluded it in the video. But if I was cooking it for myself, I would garnish with it 😎

Cooking note: Most of the flavor from this stew comes from the kimchi itself. Thus, its hard to prescribe exactly how much gochugaru, soy sauce or etc is required – depends on how salty or spicy kimchi is. However, it should take you 90% of the way to flavor town. Feel free to add a little bit more of any specific ingredient to taste.

Print Recipe

Braised Pork Ribs and Kimchi

Ingredients

  • 600-800 grams Baby Back Pork Ribs
  • 2 Tablespoons Mirim (Soju or sake works too)
  • 1/4 whole Aged Kimchi

Pork Ribs Seasoning

  • 1 Tablespoon Gochugaru
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (!) Sesame Oil
  • 1 teaspoon (!) Mirim
  • 5-6 shakes Black Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey

Stew Broth

  • 2 cups of Anchovy-Kelp Broth
  • 1/3 cup Kimchi liquid

Stew Garnish

  • Handful of Spring Onion
  • Few shakes Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Prep and Blanche Pork Ribs

  • Thoroughly wash each rib under running water. Then fill a pot with water. Place in 2 Tablespoons of Mirim (this helps remove that porky smell). Bring the pot up to boil. Once its boiling, place in the ribs. Then wait for the water to come back up to boil. Once it does, drain the ribs through a strainer. Give each rib one more rinse under running water. Set aside to drip-off excess water.

Make Anchovy Kelp Broth

  • We will need some anchovy-kelp broth. Make it from scratch or use a broth bag. (Note: We'll need 2 cups of broth - so start with about 3 cups of water when making the broth as some of it will evaporate while boiling away)

Season Pork Ribs

  • Place the blanched pork ribs into a mixing bowl. Add-in Gochugaru (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon), Sesame Oil (1 teaspoon), Mirim (1 teaspoon), Black Pepper (5-6 shakes), Minced Garlic (2 Tablespoons) and Honey (1 Tablespoon). Stir-it around with your hands and get an even coating.

Prep Kimchi

  • Cut your 1/4 whole piece of Kimchi in half. Don't cut off the stem piece just yet or else the leaves will separate and turn messy when cooking (reference video).

Make Stew

  • Take out a large pot. Place the seasoned ribs to one side. Then add in the two kimchi pieces. Add-in 2 cups of Anchovy-Kelp Broth. Then 1/3 cup of the leftover Kimchi Juice.
  • Place the lid onto the pot and put it on a high heat. Once it comes to boil, reduce the heat to a LOW heat. We will reduce the stew on a low heat for about 45-50 minutes. Every 10 minutes, give it a stir to prevent any ingredients from sticking to the pot and burning.
  • After 45 minutes, check on the stew. The pork should be ultra-tender and pull-apart easily. Garnish with a few shakes of sesame seeds and spring onion.
  • Before serving, snip off the stem from the kimchi pieces. Then serve with a bowl of fresh hot rice! Bon Appetit.

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Ttukbaegi Bulgogi – Hit Recipe!

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Ttukbaegi Bulgogi. This month, I am excited to have my own mother join us in Seoul.  She’s out here for a month to relax, take health check-ups and to spend quality time with my grandmother and I. In between chit-chats, I was able to nudge her to get back on camera and share some of her favorite recipes with the Neighborhood. Tonight, we start with Ttukbaegi Bulgogi!

Ttukbaegi Bulgogi

Before my dad turned pescatarian, this was his favorite meat dish. But my mom remains an omnivore and tells me that she misses this meat dish from time-to-time. So it was a great opportunity to share this dish in Seoul. Ttukbaegi Bulgogi is thinly sliced beef thats cooked in a claypot, alongside a few scoops of bulgogi broth. What I love about this dish is how fast you can fix up a meal. Simply add beef slices with the broth into a pot and throw-in a small handful of mushroom. That’s it! All you need is a bowl of fresh rice for a filling, homecooked meal. Perfect for solo nights or family meals!

And no, you don’t need to necessarily cook this in a Ttukbaegi pot – use a small-sized pot. However, the Ttukbaegi pot is very nice because the clay retains its heat well and keeps the food hot throughout the entire meal!

Cooking notes:

  • When the meat is coming to boil, use a pair of tongs and scissors to cut the meat into small bite-sized pieces. Otherwise it may be too big!
  • You can store the leftover, uncooked bulgogi in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • This recipe creates about a 4-person serving
  • Make sure to eat with a bowl of hot rice!

I hope you enjoy this dish – it’s one of my mom’s favorite recipes!

P.s. This whole month, I’ll be a bit busier than usual – as I’m playing the role of tour guide for my mom.  We’re on our way to Sinsa Station now. I think she wants to check out all the new skincare brands – heh!

If you guys have any particular recipe requests for my mom, let me know via IG.

Dan-yul out! 🕺

Ttukbaegi Bulgogi
Print Recipe

Ttukbaegi Bulgogi

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Thin Sliced Beef (Use chuck, ribeye, sirloin)

Bulgogi Marinade

  • 4.5 cups Water
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
  • 1 cup Mirim
  • 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey
  • 7 cloves of Garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Seed
  • 5-6 shakes Black Pepper

Raw Ingredients

  • 1 whole Onion
  • 1/2 whole Carrot
  • A small bundle of Enoki Mushrooms
  • A small handful of Dangmyeon Noodles

Instructions

Prep meat

  • Place a few paper towels on your cutting board. Then gently spread the meat slices (1kg) on top. Use a few extra paper towels to pat down the meat pieces - and soak up any residual blood or moisture

Make Bulgogi Marinade

  • Take out a large plastic container and make marinade. Start by adding: Water (4.5 cups), Soy Sauce (1/2 cup), Fish Sauce (4 Tablespoons), Mirim (1 Cup), Vinegar (1 Tablespoon), Sugar (2 Tablespoons) and Honey (2 Tablespoons). Give it a nice stir-around.
  • Now, carefully add-in the thinly sliced meat pieces into the marinade. Use your chopsticks to separate the pieces and make sure they don't clump up.
  • Then on the fresh ingredients: Slice an onion (1 whole) into thin slices. Add it to the marinade. Then julienne a carrot (1/2 a whole) into thin slices and add it to the marinade. Then mince 7 cloves of garlic and add it to the marinade.
  • Finish the marinade with Sesame Oil (3 Tablespoons), Sesame Seeds (2 Tablespoons) and Black Pepper (5-6 shakes) to the marinade.
  • Now the important part. Close the lid and place the plastic container in the refrigerator for a minimum of 5-6 hours. (If you have time, it's even better that you let it marinate overnight).
  • Optional: Take out a handful of Dangmyeon noodles and place into a bowl of cold water. Let it soak for at least 1 hour.

Prep Fresh Ingredients

  • After letting it marinate for 5-6 hours (or overnight), let's do a few final steps.
  • Chop Spring Onion stalk into small pieces. Then chop the stems off the Enoki Mushroom and give it a nice wash.
  • If you're going to add Dangmyeon noodles, drain the noodles from the water and set it aside.

Make Ttukbaegi Bulgogi

  • Take out a Ttukbaegi bowl or use a small pot. Then add a few ladles of the beef pieces. Make sure to add a few scoops of the marinade - enough to barely submerge the meat pieces. Place the bowl on a medium-high heat and bring it up to boil.
  • As it comes to boil, use a pair of kitchen scissors to chop the beef into smaller bite-size pieces (don't forget!). Then give the bite-size pieces a stir so that no pieces stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • Once the pot is boiling, add the soaked Dangmyeon noodles on top. Then a handful of the enoki mushrooms and a handful of the spring onion pieces. Let it all boil together for 1 more minute.
  • Turn off the heat and serve alongside a bowl of rice. Bon Appetit!

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Spicy Stir-Fried Pork Duruchigi

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Spicy Pork Duruchigi. It’s a favorite lunch menu item for many office workers and taxi drivers in Korea. But for some reason, it’s very hard to find dish in Seoul. It’s not on the menus at posh restaurants or tourist-friendly areas. Rather, you need to find your way through back alleys and pop into hole-in-the-wall restaurants. But the detour is worth it. Duruchigi is wickedly good 😈- even the leftovers! It’s cooked differently than bulgogi – you don’t grill it for a crispy surface. Instead, you stir-fry it first, then pour in water and reduce it like a stew. The result is a saucy, almost curry-like, meat than you can spread over a bowl of hot rice! It’s simple, delicious and comforting 🤠

As mentioned, this meat dish is all about the sauce! As such, you need to get some rice cooking in the background. Go do that now so you don’t forget.

For the ingredients, I recommend using thin cuts of pork. At Korean markets, you can ask for dweji-gogi-bulgogi-yong (돼지불고기용) which translates to pork cut for bulgogi. If you don’t have a Korean mart, visit an Asian mart and look for shabu-shabu pork. That cut is even thinner and works great for this dish!

For the marinade, we will be including Maesil (Korean Plum Extract). If you haven’t bought a bottle from Gochujar yet, consider purchasing one now! We will continue to use it in our recipes – especially meat dishes – to add a full-body sweetness to spicy or salty marinades.

Cooking notes:

  • As the broth is coming up to boil, use your chopsticks to separate the thin meat pieces from each other. Don’t forget to do this or they will fuse into one piece – no meatballs here!
  • Don’t forget to add-in the remaining 1/3 of the spicy sauce after reducing it for 15 minutes.
  • Be patient – wait until most of the liquid has evaporated out before serving (that’s when the meat pieces starts tasting really good!)
  • Save the leftovers and throw it into a breakfast omelette with cheese! So goooood!
Spicy Pork Duruchigi
Print Recipe

Spicy Pork Duruchigi

Ingredients

Pork Slices

  • 600 grams Thinly Sliced Pork
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 1 stalk Spring Onion

Spicy Duruchigi Marinade

  • 4 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons of Gochugaru
  • 1.5 Tablespoons of Gochujang
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons of Honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Maesil
  • 2 Tablespoons Mirim (Rice Wine)
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon (!) Minced Ginger
  • 7-8 shakes Black Pepper

Additional Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Water (For Broth)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil (To finish the disH)

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Set aside 600 grams of the thinly sliced pork. Leave them out to thaw if they're frozen - then un-curl each piece if they came curled.
  • Cut onion into thin strips. Cut spring onion stalk into thin pieces.
  • Make Spicy Marinade sauce: Mix Soy Sauce (4 Tablespoons), Gochugaru (3 Tablespoons), Gochujang (1.5 Tablespoon), Sugar (1 Tablespoon), Honey (2 Tablespoons), Maesil (2 Tablespoons), Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon), Minced Ginger (1 teaspoon!), Black Pepper (7-8 shakes)

Make Duruchigi

  • Place the pork slices into a big wok or a large pot. Then add-in the diced onion and spring onion pieces on top.
  • Pour-in about 2/3 of the spicy marinade over the ingredients. Then add-in 3/4 cup of water. Place the wok on a medium-high heat and bring it up to a boil. (Use a soup ladle and spread the marinade around so it mixes evenly with the water. Also, use your chopsticks to split the pork pieces from each other so that way they don't fuse into one piece).
  • Once the stew is boiling, reduce the heat to a medium (don't forget!). Set a timer for 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, you'll notice that 75%-80% of the broth has evaporated away. Add the rest of your spicy marinade in. (Note, you don't have to wait exactly until 15 minutes - if you see that 75% of the broth has evaporated, add-in the rest of the sauce then)
  • After you add the remaining 1/3 of the spicy marinade, let the mixture reduce for another 2 minutes. We want to reduce it until you see a very small layer of broth left in the pot (reference video).
  • After 2 minutes, turn the heat off. Finish by adding-in Sesame Oil (1 Tablespoon). Give it one final stir.
  • Plate the dish and garnish with a few shakes of Sesame Seeds. Serve with a bowl of hot rice. Say Bon Appetit and dig in!

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Dak Hanmari – Korea’s One Chicken Soup

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Dak Hanmari. It’s a famous local chicken stew that you’ll only find in Korea! So what is it? It’s one whole chicken that is slowly cooked to render a deep-tasting chicken broth. A handful of potato and rice cakes are added. Then served with a flavorful soy dipping sauce topped off with garlic, chili pepper and thinly sliced cabbage. The stew is served to your table like a hot-pot – blowing savory steam into your face. After you’re done munching on all the chicken pieces, you can boil the leftover broth to cook some fresh Kalguksu Noodles. It’s like a set menu made with one whole chicken! Now, allow me to show you how to bring out that restaurant flavor at home.

Dak-Hanmari-HeroImage

A few cooking notes:

  • Use a 1kg of mixed chicken pieces (drumstick & thighs). But they should have the skin-on! (That’s where the flavor comes from)
  • After cooking the broth, don’t forget to season it with salt, black pepper and minced garlic.
  • The soy dipping sauce is key! The recipe below includes asian chives – but it’s optional. Tastes great with just the sliced green cabbages!
  • This will be enough for 2 hungry people.
  • This recipe – which was originally made by Chef Baek Jong Won – came out perfect! The broth tastes exactly like my favorite Dak Hanmari restaurants near Sinchon, Seoul.

If you try it out at home, tag us on Instagram. (We really enjoy seeing your dishes!)

That’s it folks – see you next week with anuh-duh recipe! Dan-yul out! 🕺

Dak-Hanmari-HeroImage
Print Recipe

Dak Hanmari - One Chicken Soup

Ingredients

Chicken Broth

  • 1 kg Chicken (Mix of Drumsticks & Thigh, Skin-On)
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 1 stalk Spring Onion (Use the white portion)
  • 6.5 cups Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Mirim (Or any white cooking wine)
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger (Optional)
  • 6-8 Whole Black Pepper

Stew Ingredients & Flavoring

  • 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
  • 6-7 shakes Black Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 2 Medium-Sized Potatoes (Each size of your palm)
  • 2 stalks Spring Onion (Include some of the green part)
  • 1 handful Rice Cake (Tteok)
  • 3 Jujubes (optional, skip if you don't have)
  • 1 serving Kalguksu Noodles (optional, if you're extra hungry)

Dipping Sauce Fresh Ingredients

  • Handful of Cabbage
  • Handful of Asian Chives (Optional)
  • 1 clove Garlic

Base Soy Sauce

  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons of Vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Water

Gochugaru Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Gochugaru

Instructions

Make Chicken Broth

  • Trim off any extra fat from each of the chicken pieces. Get out a large pot. Place in 1kg of chicken pieces. Then cut your onion in half. Add them into the pot. Then add a spring onion stalk (the white portion) in as well. Then add in 6.5 cups of water (1500 ml). Add Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Minced Ginger (1 teaspoon) and Whole Black Pepper (6-7). Place the pot on a high heat and bring it up to boil.
  • Once it comes to boil, use a soup ladle and scoop-off the scum that rises to the top. Then place a lid on and reduce the heat to a MEDIUM-HIGH. Set a timer for 20 minutes (note: if it boils too violently, reduce heat to a MEDIUM)

Prep Fresh Ingredients & Make Sauce

  • In the meanwhile, cut the cabbage into thin slices. And chop the asian Chives into small pieces as well.
  • Now we'll make our sauce. Let's start with the first one: Mix Soy Sauce (1/4 cup), Sugar (1/2 Tablespoon), Vinegar (2 Tablespoons) and Water (1/2 cup). Set it aside.
  • Next make the second sauce. Scoop out some chicken broth from your pot (1/2 cup) and add it to a bowl. Then add in gochugaru (1.5 Tablespoons). Stir it throughly and set it aside.

Build Chicken Stew

  • After 20 minutes of boiling, turn the heat off. Remove the soft veggies from the pot and toss them out. Carefully move the chicken pieces to a large serving wok or a frying pan with high walls. Then transfer the broth as well.
  • Next, let's season the chicken broth: Add Salt (1/2 Tablespoon), 6-7 shakes of Black Pepper and Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon).
  • Next, let's add fresh ingredients to the stew: Cut the 2 potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add them in. Then chop your spring onion stalk into smaller pieces (includes some of the green parts of the stalk). Add that in as well. Next, add in a handful of Korean Rice Cakes (tteok) and three jujubes (optional) if you have them. Place the heat on a Medium-High and bring it up to boil when you're ready to serve.

Prep Dipping Sauce

  • Place a small handful of sliced cabbage, asian chives into a dipping tray. Then mash-up 1 clove of garlic and add that in as well. Pour in the Base Soy Sauce. Then add a few spoonfuls of the Gochugaru Sauce. Now your sauce is ready.

Enjoy Stew & Make Noodles Afterwards

  • Once the soup is boiling and the potatoes turn soft, dig in! Bon Appetit.
  • Remember to save some of the broth if you want to make noodles afterwards.
  • To make Kalguksu Noodles: Bring the leftover broth back up to a boil. Wash-off the extra flour from the fresh kalguksu noodles. Then add it into the leftover broth. (Feel free to add in some water if you're low on broth.) Then season-to-taste with a few pinches of salt and black pepper. Plate and enjoy!!

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Best Mongolian Beef

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Mongolian Beef. Needless to say, it’s one of the classic Chinese-American dishes. I grew up eating it at Panda Express and I enjoyed every bite. Especially with that Orange Chicken and a big scoop of Chow Mein on the side. (Of course, followed by a 2 hour food coma). But hey, there’s a reason its a best-seller. Today, I’ll show you a simple but delicious home recipe on Mongolian Beef. Next time you’re craving Chinese, say no to take-out! Instead, whip it up at home.

Mongolian-Beef

The key texture for this dish is a crispy surface with a tender bite. When frying the beef pieces with starch powder, keep them frying until you get a light-browning on the outside. That way you get it crispy.

Second, make sure that the soy sauce glaze doesn’t burn. When you add the soy sauce, it will start to bubble-up quickly. Immediately add-in the beef pieces toss until it reduces into a glaze.

Note: This is 1-2 person serving size. If you want to make for a family of 4, simply multiply all the ingredients by 2.

Oh and don’t forgot to get your rice cooking in the back… Bon Appetit yall!

Mongolian-Beef
Print Recipe

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

Mongolian Beef

  • 300 grams Flank Steak (Or Sirloin Cut)
  • 4-5 Tablespoons Potato Starch Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim
  • 4-5 Stalks Green Onions
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

Beef Marinade

  • 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

Instructions

Prep Steps

  • Cut the flank steak into thin strips. Place the strips in a mixing bowl. Place in 1 Tablespoon of Mirim and give it a mix. Set it aside for 5 minutes.
  • Cut the ends off of 4-5 stalks of green onion. (If there are larger stalks, split it in half). Then measure with your pointer finger and cut the stalks into finger-length pieces.

Make Marinade Sauce

  • Mix Soy Sauce (2 Tablespoons), Oyster Sauce (1 Tablespoon), Mirim (1 Tablespoon), Sugar (1.5 Tablespoons), Sesame Oil (0.5 Tablespoon)

Fry Beef Pieces

  • Take out a plastic bag or Ziploc. Place in 4-5 Tablespoons of Potato Starch. Then place the beef strips into the bag (note: try to shake off any excess liquid on the beef strips before adding to the starch). Then close the bag and give it a thorough shake. The beef pieces should be well-coated on both sides.
  • Add a layer of oil into a large pot or work. Once the oil gets hot enough, add the beef strips in. Fry them until you see some light browning on the surface - it should be slightly crispy. Take each piece out and rest on a paper-towel or a rack.
  • Next, take out another wok or frying pan. Place it on medium-high heat. Scoop in 1 Tablespoon of oil. Then add 1.5 Tablespoon of minced garlic. Mix it around. Once the minced garlic start to dance and sizzle in the oil, give your marinade sauce a quick stir and add it into the pan.
  • Stir the marinade and once it begins to rapidly bubble, add the beef pieces in. Toss it in the sauce until the beef pieces get coated evenly. Then add-in the green onion stalks. Stir for 30 more seconds. Turn off heat.
  • Serve on top of rice. Bon Appetit!

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Gochujang Chicken & Cucumber Naengguk

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Gochujang Chicken & Cucumber Naengguk. Today, let’s do some yin & yang. We’ll combine a HOT dish with a COLD soup. For the hot dish, we’ll grill-up some gochujang chicken! With gochujang, you can make a delicious, savory marinade in minutes. We’ll pair that with Cold Korean Cucumber Soup! In Korean, it’s also known as Oi Naengguk (오이냉국). My mother loves to make this as a banchan during the summer. It’s cool, tart and refreshes your palate. Ready to roll?

Gochujang Chicken

Cucumber Soup

For the Gochujang Chicken, I recommend skin-on, boneless chicken thighs. The skin will cook and release its natural juices into the pan – mixing with the gochujang and creating deep flavor. Also keep the frying pan on a low heat when cooking the chicken. Anything higher and the gochujang sauce will burn before the chicken is ready.

For the Chilled Cucumber Soup, a key step is use a blender. This ensures that each ingredient is evenly mixed through – especially the minced garlic. If you’re sensitive to garlic, I would recommend reducing the garlic amount from 1 Tablespoon to 1/2 Tablespoon. Or you can even skip it – tastes good without it as well. Also, this soup is meant to be served cold! Make sure to drop-in a few ice-cubes before serving.

(Pro-Tip: If the soup tastes too garlick-y or tart, simply add a few more ice cubes. As they melt, they will dilute the soup and make it taste perfect.)

Alrighty, that’s it – Enjoy Neighbors! I hope you’re enjoying your time in the kitchen with these recipes. This week, I challenge you to turn on some music in the kitchen, dance a bit and get funky! 🕺 Make your own fun!

Gochujang Chicken
Print Recipe

Gochujang Chicken & Oi Naengguk

Ingredients

Gochujang Chicken

  • 300-600 grams Chicken Thigh (Boneless, Skin-On)
  • 4 Tablespoons Gochujang
  • 2 Tablespoons Gochugaru
  • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Mirim
  • 3 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

Cold Cucumber Soup (Oi Naengguk)

  • 1 Whole Cucumber
  • Few shakes of Salt (For wilting the cucumber)
  • 1 Red Chili Pepper (Optional)
  • 4-5 Ice Cubes

Cold Cucumber Broth

  • 2 & 1/3 Cup Water (or use 600ml)
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • 4 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic (add 1/2 Tablespoon if sensitive to garlic)
  • Few shakes Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Gochujang Chicken

  • Take out mixing bowl and thoroughly mix: Gochujang (4 Tablespoons), Gochugaru (2 Tablespoons), Soy Sauce (2 Tablespoons), Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Sugar (3 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon)
  • Take out a bowl or plate. Rub the gochujang marinade onto both sides of the chicken thigh. Then let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (longer the better)
  • Take out a frying pan and place on medium heat. Place some oil into the pan. Once the pan is hot, reduce heat to a LOW (this is important!). Then place each chicken piece skin-side down first. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.
  • After 3-5 minutes, flip the chicken. Then put the lid back on. After another 3-5 minutes, check on the chicken. It should be done by now.
  • Let it rest for a few minutes. Then cut into thin strips and garnish with chives. Serve with a bowl of rice!

Oi Naengguk

  • Take out a mixing bowl. Fill with 600ml of water (or roughly 2 & 1/3 cups). Add Salt (1 Tablespoon), Sugar (4 Tablespoons) and Vinegar (6 Tablespoons) and Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon). Give it a thorough mix.
  • Then pour mixture into a blender. Blitz it for 15-20 seconds. Then chill in the refrigerator until it gets very cold.
  • In the meanwhile, julienne one cucumber into thin strips. Sprinkle 2-3 large pinches of salt over the thin strips. Toss it and set it aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the strips will have wilted and release some water. Wash it under running water and wash-off all the salt. Then use your hands to squeeze the water out of the cucumber strips. Set aisde.
  • De-seed the red chili pepper. Then cut the chili pepper into thin slices.
  • Take the mixture out of the refrigerator. Pour it into a bowl. Add the cucumber strips in. Then a few pieces of the red chili pepper. Then a few shakes of sesame seeds.
  • Finally, drop-in a few ice cubes. This soup tastes best when served extra cold! Bon Appetit!

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Dweji Bulbaek Set – Korean Taxi Driver’s Favorite Meal.

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Dweji Bulbaek Set. It’s a popular lunch menu item at many Gaeseongbi restaurants. Gaseongbi (가성비) is a good term to remember if you’ll be visiting Seoul. What does it mean? It means good value for money. Gaesongbi restaurants are typically mom-and-pop shops that serve good quality food at low prices. Taxi drivers in Seoul usually have their own favorites for each part of Seoul. Around 2pm, you’ll see the parking lots of Gaseongbi restaurants jam-packed with yellow taxi cars.

Dweji Bulbaek is thin slices of pork that’s quickly grilled over charcoal or gas flames. The long flames scorch and caramelize the edges of the meat – making each bite extra delicious. It’s served with a basket of assorted lettuce which you can use as a wrap. Stack on some crispy pork, a piece of raw garlic, a slice of chili pepper, and a dab of Ssamjang paste. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Oh, but it is a set-menu! We can’t forget our side-dish. Today, let’s go with simple but satisfying Gyeran Jjim (Korean Steamed Egg). Restaurants typically offer this or a small pot of Deonjang Jjigae (soybean stew). But today, I’m in the mood for some of that gyeran jjim broth. Ah, I’m getting hungry – no more typing…

What do you say – are you in? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️

Come on in then – let’s get it! 👨‍🍳

Print Recipe

Dwaeji Bulbaek Set Menu

Ingredients

Dwaeji Bulbaek (Pan-fried Crispy Pork)

  • 600 grams Thinly Sliced Pork (Bulgogi Cut or 돼지고기 앞다리살)
  • 4 Tablespoons of Sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of Grated Ginger
  • 2 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 2 stalks of Spring Onion each piece, length of your forearm
  • Handful of Assorted Lettuce & Greens (to use as a wrap)

Gyeran Jjim (Steamed Eggs)

  • 3 Eggs
  • Few pinches of Salt Season the eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon of Minced Spring Onion (or scallions)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Minced Carrot
  • 1 Cup Anchovy-Kelp Broth
  • 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
  • A dash of Sesame Oil (optional, garnish)
  • A dash of Black pepper (optional, garnish)
  • Small pinch Diced Spring Onions (optional, garnish)

Instructions

Dwaeji Bulbaek (Pan-fried Crispy Pork)

  • Cut your thin pork slices into bite-sized pieces. Then add-in Sugar (4 Tablespoons) and mix it evenly into the meat. Place the meat aside for 10 minutes to tenderize.
  • In the meanwhile, cut 1 whole onion into thin slices. Then cut the stalks of spring onion into thin slices as well.
  • After 10 minutes, add the onion and spring onion pieces into your mixing bowl with the meat. Now, add in Fish Sauce (4 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (2 Tablespoons), Grated Ginger (1 teaspoon!). Thoroughly mix everything together with your hands.
  • After the initial mix, finish with some Sesame Oil (2 Tablespoons) and Black Pepper (few shakes). Give it one final mix. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. (If you have some time, let it sit for 1-2 hours, the longer the better!)
  • After letting it sit in the marinade, place a frying pan on medium-high heat. Place a drizzle of oil in. Then place each piece in and let it cook until you start to see browning on the meat pieces. From then on, move the pieces around frequently so that they don't burn and continue cooking until you get nice crisp edges on the meat.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds (optional)
  • Serve alongside a variety of lettuce and greens. Throw in some thinnly sliced cuts of garlic and chili peppers.

Simple Gyeran Jjim

  • Crack 3 eggs into a mixing bowl and thoroughly whisk. Pour the egg mix through a strainer. Season the smooth egg mixture with a few pinches of salt (don't forget!).
  • Then add in a handful of chopped spring onion and chopped carrots into the egg mix. (If you have spinach, add that too!). Give it a final good mix.
  • Place 1 cup of Anchovy-Kelp Broth into a Ttukbaegi pot (or a thick bottomed pot). Season the broth with Fish Sauce (1 teaspoon). Place the pot on medium heat. Once the broth starts to bubble, add in the egg mixture. Give it a few good mixes so the ingredients get evenly distributed. Afterwards, place a lid over the pot and let it cook for ~2 minutes on medium-low heat. Once you smell the egg in the air, you'll know its ready!
  • Garnish the eggs with a touch of sesame oil, black pepper and a sprinkle of chopped spring onions.
  • Bon Appetit!

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Gyudon Beef Bowl – Better than Yoshinoya!

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Gyudon Beef Bowl. There aren’t many rice bowls that are as simple and delicious as Gyudon. Gyudon is the iconic Japanese beef bowl. It was one of my favorite budget meals as an exchange student in Tokyo. My favorite shops in Tokyo always had 3 things in common. The first is razor-thin beef slices. The second is a few grates of fresh ginger. And the third is a raw egg yolk. And when these combine, you get magic… 🌈

Gyudon Bowl

In Korean and Japanese markets, it’s easy to find these razor thin cuts of shabu-shabu beef. But if you don’t have one in your area, put a piece of chuck or ribeye in a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer for 1.5 – 2 hours (will vary depending on thickness). The meat should be slightly frozen, making it meat firm enough to slice through with a well-sharpened knife.

Make sure to add 4-5 grates fresh ginger to the soy sauce mixture. It provides a fresh aromatic lift to the earthiness of the soy-sauce. A key flavor variable!

Finally, my favorite – the raw egg yolk. The Japanese love to drop a raw egg yolk into their rice bowls. I also picked up this habit while living in Tokyo. Now I don’t think twice. The creaminess of the yolk blends nicely with the piping hot rice. Give it shot – why not?

This recipe produces 2 servings – save the second bowl for breakfast.

Dan-yul out 🕺

Gyudon Bowl
Print Recipe

Gyudon Beef Bowl

Make the best Gyudon - yes, better than Yoshinoya!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Bowl Ingredients

  • 300 grams of Thinly Sliced Beef (Chadolbaegi or Shabu-Shabu Cut)
  • 1 whole onion
  • 1/2 cup of Anchovy-Kelp Broth (or use Katsuobushi Dashi Broth)
  • 1-2 stalks of green onion (for garnish)
  • 1 egg yolk (optional, for garnish)
  • Few sprinkles of Shichimi (Japanese 7-spice) (optional, for garnish)
  • 1 bowl of Rice

Soy Sauce Marinade

  • 3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons of Mirim (rice wine) (or any white cooking wine)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
  • 4-5 grates of Fresh Ginger

Instructions

Make Broth

  • Make anchovy-kelp from scratch (see notes below). Or use an anchovy-kelp broth packet to make the broth quickly. We'll only need 1/2 a cup so save the leftover broth for another Korean soup or stew.

Prep Ingredients & Make Soy Sauce Marinade

  • Cut onion into thin slices. Then finely dice green onion stalk. Now take out a mixing bowl and evenly mix: Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Sugar (1 Tablespoon) and Fresh Ginger (4-5 grates). 

Make Gyudon

  • Put a frying pan on medium-high heat. Then add in a drizzle of oil. Add your beef slices in. Once it starts to cook and turn grey on one-side, add in the sliced onions. Stir everything around for 30 seconds.
  • Give your soy sauce mixture another stir and then pour into your frying pan. Then add in the 1/2 cup of broth. 
  • Allow the broth to cook and reduce for about 10 minutes (or until the onions turn soft). You can reduce for longer if you want less broth. Turn off the heat. Use a pair of tongs and grab that succulent meat. Spread it over a bowl of hot rice. 
  • Garnish with green onion, raw egg yolk and few sprinkles of Shichimi. Grab a spoonful of the broth and spread it over the bowl. Bon Appetit. 

Notes

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Seoul Dakbokkeumtang Recipe – with big potatoes!

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Dakbokkeumtang – also known as Dakdoritang. It’s one of our favorite chicken recipes! We made our first version 2 years ago. Since then, we have tried various recipes and wanted to re-introduce a new delicious recipe. What’s changed? We wanted to bring down the spice level by reducing the amount of gochugaru – using equal part gochujang instead. We also replaced the sugar with honey and grated onion- which gives a more balanced sweetness. Finally, we also added anchovy-kelp broth to make the broth uber-delicious.

dak bokkeum tang

Key cooking notes: 

  • The key variable for this dish is time – cook it on a medium heat (with a lid on) for 30 minutes. Then add the carrots in and reduce for another 10 minutes. The sauce should reduce into a curry-like consistency.
  • This dish is too spicy to eat by itself – serve with a bowl of rice
  • This should serve 3-4 people (depending on how hungry you are)
  • If you want to increase servings to 2 whole chickens (2kg//4.5 lbs), multiply the marinade measurements by 1.5.

I hope ya’ll really try making this at home – so delicious!! Let me know how the spice-level was for you 😄

Dan-yuuul Out 🤠

dak bokkeum tang
Print Recipe

Seoul Dakbokkeumtang Recipe

Ingredients

Stew Ingredients

  • 1 kg Chicken (Drumsticks, thighs, all ok) (2 lbs)
  • 250 ml of Milk (enough to submerge chicken pieces)
  • 3 Medium-Sized Potatoes
  • 1/2 a whole Carrot
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 2 Cheongyang chili peppers (or 1 Jalapeno Pepper) (optional)
  • 1 forearm-sized piece of Spring Onion (for garnish)
  • 2 Cups Anchovy-Kelp Broth (Or use water)

Spicy Marinade

  • 10 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons of Gochujang
  • 2 Tablespoons of Gochugaru
  • 6 Tablespoons of Honey
  • 1/2 a whole Onion (Grate this)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Mirim (or use any white cooking wine)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic (~5 cloves)
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper

Instructions

Prep chicken

  • Trim excess skin and the fatty portions off each chicken piece. Place the pieces into a mixing bowl and cover with milk. Let it soak in the milk for at least 30 minutes.

Chop veggies

  • Peel the potatoes and cut them once in half (don't dice into small pieces - we want the potatoes big!). Then roughly chop the carrot, chili peppers, onion and spring onion into small pieces.

Make Spicy Marinade

  • Let's make the marinade: First, use a cheese-grater and grate 1/2 a whole onion. Then mix the following ingredients: Soy Sauce (10 Tablespoons), Gochujang (4 Tablespoons), Gochugaru (2 Tablespoons), Honey (6 Tablespoons), Grated Onion, Mirim (1 Tablespoon), Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon) and Black Pepper (few shakes).

Make Anchovy-Kelp Broth

  • This step is optional - you can always use regular water. Take out an anchovy-kelp broth bag and cook to package instructions. Measure 2 cups of the broth.

Cook Stew.

  • After 30 minutes, drain the milk. Then wash the milk off each chicken piece under running water. Set the chicken aside in a strainer and let it drip-off excess water. 
  • Now place each chicken piece into a large pot or wok. Place 2 cups of the anchovy-kelp broth (or water) in. Add in all of the spicy marinade. Place on high heat and bring the pot up to a boil. 
  • Once it comes up to a boil, place in the potatoes. Then reduce the heat to a medium-heat. Place a (proper-fitting) lid on - lol! Now reduce it for 30 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, open the lid. Give the ingredients a good stir. Then use a soup ladle and skim-off the oil and scum. Place the lid back on and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
  • After the full 30 minutes, open the lid and place-in the carrots, onions and chili peppers. Now we'll reduce for another 10 minutes - so the carrots can turn soft
  • After 10 minutes, it should be finished! Check that the potatoes and carrots are soft. Then garnish with spring onion slices. Plate the dish and serve with a bowl of rice. Bon Appetit!

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Japanese Ginger Pork, Mustard Potato Stir-fry & Steamed Asparagus

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Japanese Ginger Pork. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat pork because it’s so simple to make. All you need is a fresh piece of ginger and a few condiments. To make it balanced meal, we’ll pair it with a potato-stir fry that’s tossed in whole-grain mustard. And finally, we need more greens – let me show you how to steam asparagus in your frying pan. Sounds good? Okay, all aboard! 🚂

Ginger Pork

Each of these dishes are straight-forward, so I’ll leave just a few cooking notes:

  • When making the Ginger Pork, make sure the frying pan does not get too hot before adding in the soy sauce. Or else the soy sauce will burn. Reduce the heat to a medium-low if necessary.
  • When making the Mustard Potato Stir-fry, make sure to pre-cook the potatoes in the microwave. That way it cooks through fully when stir-fried with the other light vegetables.
  • Don’t forget to cook some rice in the background!

Alrighty, ya’ll! Enjoy the weekend – get outside and fit it a nice relaxing walk in!

Dan-yul out 🕺

Ginger Pork
Print Recipe

Japanese Ginger Pork, Mustard Potato Stir-fry & Steamed Asparagus

Course: Easy
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

Japanese Ginger Pork

  • Small piece of Ginger
  • 3-4 pieces of Pork Chop (Thinly Sliced)
  • Small piece of Cabbage
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce (For Marinade Sauce)
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim or any cooking wine (For Marinade Sauce)
  • 1 Tablespoon Korean Mayonnaise (Dipping Sauce - optional)
  • Few shakes of Gochugaru (Dipping Sauce - optional)

Mustard-Potato Stir-fry

  • 2 medium-sized Potatoes
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 2 pieces of Bacon
  • 1/2 Tablespoon of Whole-Grain Mustard
  • Few shakes Salt
  • Few shakes Black pepper

Steamed Asparagus

  • 3-4 stalks of Asparagus
  • 1 Tablespoon of Water
  • Few shakes of Salt
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper

Instructions

Japanese Ginger Pork

  • Slice your pork into thin cut - thickness of each piece should be about half the size of your pinky nail 😉
  • Then make slice along the edge of the pork - this prevents the meat from curling up
  • Then shave-off some thin slices of cabbage. Place it on your large plate. 
  • Now take out a small bowl. Mix-in Soy Sauce (1T) and Mirim (1T). If you're cooking more pork pieces, double the ratio. 
  • Place your frying pan on a medium heat. Then put in some cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, place the pork pieces in. Let the pork cook on both sides until the natural juices from the pork start to drip out into the oil. At this point, grate about 1/2 teaspoon of minced ginger over each piece of pork.
  • Then spread the soy sauce mixture on top of each pork piece. Flip the pork and mix both sides into the sizzling soy sauce. Let it gently cook and reduce for 30-60 seconds. Once you get a nice browning on both sides, take it out of the pan. (Note: Be careful that you don't burn the soy sauce - lower the heat if necessary!))
  • Place the finished pork pieces over the bed of cabbage. Put a dollop of Korean (or Japanese) Mayonnaise on the side of the plate and sprinkle on a touch of gochugaru. Bon Appetit!

Mustard-Potato Stir-fry

  • Wash the 2 potatoes thoroughly. Place them in a microwave-friendly bowl, place plastic wrap over the bowl. Let it cook for 4 minutes. Then let them cool and cut them into small chunks. 
  • Roughly dice 1/2 an onion. Cut the garlic clove into thin slices. And cut the 2 slices of bacon into thin strips.
  • Place your frying pan on a medium heat. Put oil in. Once its hot, add in the onion, bacon and garlic. Stir-fry everything together until you see the onions turn translucent.
  • Now add-in the diced potatoes. Stir everything together until you start to develop a crisp on the potatoes. Then add in the whole-grain mustard (1/2 Tablespoon). Stir-fry everything until it gets evenly coated. (Add more mustard if you'd like)
  • Finally, season with few shakes of Salt and Pepper. Bon Appetit!

Steamed Asparagus

  • Cut the ends off the asparagus. Then slice the asparagus in half. 
  • Put your frying pan on medium-high heat. Place oil in. Once its hot, place the asparagus pieces in. Stir-fry around until the skin on the asparagus starts to blister. 
  • Then add water (1 Tablespoon) and immediately place a lid on. Let it steam for about 1 minute. Then, take off the lid. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Bon Appetit!

 

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Karaage Chicken & Banchans

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Karaage Chicken & Bachans. When I was an exchange student in Tokyo, one of my favorite things to see on the dining hall lunch menu was Karaage. Now, every country has their own version of Fried Chicken. This happens to be Japan’s version – and it’s damn good! My only complaint about eating Karaage in Japan is that they only give 3 or 4 pieces!! So it’s a guilty pleasure to fry-it up at home and splurge. Easily knock-down 10-15 pieces heh! We’ll also pair the fried goodness with some fresh Korean banchans. Together, a heavenly dosirak combo ⛅️

Karaage Chicken

This Karaage chicken recipe is pretty much fail-proof. The only thing is to allow enough time for the chicken to soak-in the marinade. Give at least one hour in the refrigerator. In the recipe video, I also use a few shakes of ginger powder. You can also substitute this powder with freshly grated ginger – 1/2 teaspoon should be enough.

The first banchan is called Mu Namul Jorim (무나물조림). In Korea, you’ll find it served as an ingredient in Bibimbap, but it also tastes great on its own. This banchan is very healthy and takes less than 15 minutes. If you’re cooking it for the first time, I would recommend following our portion size. That way, you know what it should taste like and then you can make it in larger batches afterwards. Feel free to fine-tune the seasoning to your taste-buds.

The second banchan that I refer to in the video is Gwali Gochu Muchim (꽈리고추무침). You can find my mom’s recipe here. Gwali Peppers are hard to find outside of Korean markets, so you can use okra instead. This banchan works very well as a side dish to meat-y main dishes.

If you try making it at home, snap a photo on IG and share with us!

Neighbors, have an amazing, bless’d week ya’ll! Here is a nice quote that I am reflecting on lately:

Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different -C.S Lewis

Karaage Chicken
Print Recipe

Karaage Chicken & Mu Jorim Namul

Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Chicken Karaage

  • 300 grams Boneless Chicken Thigh
  • 1 Egg
  • Enough Potato Starch (Or Corn Starch)

Chicken Marinade

  • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 3-4 shakes Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim
  • Few Shakes Black pepper
  • 3-4 shakes Ginger Powder (or use 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger)

Mu Namul Jorim (Korean Radish Namul Jorim)

  • 300 g Korean Radish (Mu) (Measure the length of your pinky)
  • Small piece Spring onion (Green onions ok)
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 teaspoon Coarse Salt (If using regular salt, use 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon Minced garlic
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Perilla Oil
  • Few shakes Ginger Powder (skip if you don't have powder)
  • Few shakes Black Pepper
  • Few shakes Sesame seeds

Instructions

Chicken Karaage

  • Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (keep skin on). Place pieces into a strainer and give a quick rinse under cold water. Then set it aside for a few minutes and let it drip-off the excess water. Afterwards, place into a mixing bowl. 
  • Add the following ingredients into the mixing bowl: Soy Sauce (2 Tablespoons), Salt (3-4 shakes), Sugar (1 teaspoon), Mirim (1 Tablespoon), Black pepper (few shakes), Ginger Powder (3-4 shakes or 1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger). Give a thorough mix.
  • Place plastic wrap over the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 
  • After 1 hour, take it out of the refrigerator. Crack in one egg into the bowl. Then use a pair of chopsticks and gently stir-it into the mixture. 
  • Take out a plastic bag (or ziploc bag). Pick-out each chicken piece from the bowl and place into the bag. (Don't dump it in - we don't want all the liquid).
  • Next, add enough potato starch to cover the chicken. Close the bag and give it a good shake. Flip the bag upside down and shake it as well to get all the sides evenly coated. (Add more starch powder if needed.)
  • Put oil into a frying pan or pot. Place on medium-high heat and bring the oil up to 180C (350F). Now, gently place each chicken in and cook until dark-golden brown.
  • Optional: You can pick-out the chicken when they're about 80% done. Raise the temperature of the oil and place back-into the oil for a double-fry. It leads to an even crispier skin.
  • Serve with rice and enjoy!

Mu Namul Jorim (Korean Radish Namul Jorim)

  • Cut off a finger-length piece of Korean Radish. (It's better to use the green part because it's sweeter). Then cut the piece into thin cross sections and then julienne into match-stick pieces. 
  • Slice spring onion piece into thin pieces as well.
  • Take out a large pot. Place-in the Korean Radish pieces. Then put in some amount of water (1/4 cup). Now, place the pot on a high heat and bring it up to boil with the lid on.
  • Once it comes to boil, reduce the heat to a medium-low. Then take off the lid and season with coarse salt (1 teaspoon). Place the lid back-on and let it cook for 1 minute (or until the radish turns soft). 
  • Now, place the cooked radish pieces into a mixing bowl. Add-in the spring onion pieces.  And finally the seasoning: Minced Garlic (1 teaspoon), Perilla Oil (1/2 Tablespoon), Ginger Powder (few shakes), Black Pepper (few shakes) and Sesame Seeds (few shakes). Toss throughly and serve it up.
  • Eat with rice and enjoy!

 

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Spicy Korean Pork Ribs (Dwaeji Galbijjim)

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Spicy Korean Pork Ribs. It’s known as Dwaeji Galbijjim in Korean. Pork ribs are slowly boiled and reduced in a savory blend of Korean spices – until the meat easily pulls off the bones. Absolutely one of my favorite ways to eat ribs! This is a perfect weekend dish to drop at the center of the dinner table. Simply pair it with a bowl of hot rice and some veggie banchans on the side. However, do expect a silent dinner… everyone will have their faces buried in the ribs hah!

Spicy Korean Pork Ribs

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Now, the key to this dish is patience! If you take a sip of the broth – while it’s reducing – you may feel like “something” is missing. But reserve your judgement and let the broth reduce by 90%  – or until it turns into the consistency of curry. Then, the flavor will taste just right! The heat from the gochugaru will be rounded out by the slightly tart sweetness from the maesil, honey and pear juice. I love this specific recipe because its not overly sweet. Often times, restaurants and homecooks will add too much sugar. That’s a no-no!

Cooking notes:

  • The sweet potatoes and carrots a nice addition to the dish. Add them if you got it!
  • If you don’t have maesil, skip it. Instead, increase the amount of honey from 2T to 3T
  • Instead of pear juice, you can also substitute with apple or pineapple juice.
  • Serving size: For 2 people, use 1 kg (~2 pounds) of ribs. For 3 people, go with 1.5 kg (~3 pounds).

Alrighty, enjoy Nei’bors! I hope these Spicy Korean Pork Ribs get your endorphins running during this cold winter. Burrr ☃️ 🏃‍♂️😝

NOTE: In the YouTube video below, I made an editing mistake! I cut out the part where I added 5 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce to the spicy marinade. So make sure to add Soy Sauce to your marinade. I’ve corrected this in the written recipe below.

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Spicy Gochugaru Pork Ribs (Dwaeji GalbiJjim)

Baby back pork ribs slowly simmered in gochugaru-based marinade.
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Baby Back Pork Ribs - 1kg ~2 lbs
  • Water - 5 cups
  • Mirim - 1/3 cup

Broth Ingredients

  • Onion - 1/2 whole
  • Spring Onions - 1 piece size of your forearm
  • Bay Leaves - 2 optional
  • Whole Black Pepper - 20 seeds

Stew Ingredients (Optional)

  • Sweet Potato - 1 whole
  • Carrot - small piece length of your forearm
  • Cheongyang Chili Peppers - 2 peppers or use 1/2 a Jalapeno
  • Korean Rice Cake - small handful

Spicy Marinade

  • Gochugaru - 5 Tablespoons
  • Soy Sauce - 5 Tablespoons Don't forget!!
  • Minced Garlic - 2 Tablespoons
  • Maesil - 1 Tablespoon optional
  • Sesame Oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Honey - 2 Tablespoons
  • Mirim - 1 Tablespoon
  • Pear juice - 2 Tablespoons can use pineapple or apple juice too
  • Salt - few shakes 
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Make Broth

  • Soak your pork ribs for 1-2 hours in cold water. This will get blood and debris out of the meat. After soaking, drain and rinse the ribs under cold water. Set aside. 
  • Cut an onion in half - we'll use only a 1/2. Cut spring onion into forearm-sized piece. Set aside 20 pieces of whole black pepper. If you have a cheese cloth or tea bag, place the black peppers into there. Makes it easier to pick out later.
  • Add the pork ribs into a large pot or a wok. Then add Water (5 cups) and Mirim (1/3 cup) into the pot.  Next, add in your Onion (1/2), Spring Onion piece, Bay Leaves (2), and Black Peppers (20) into the pot.
  • Put the pot on high heat and bring up to a boil. Once it comes to boil, place a lid-on and reduce the heat to a medium-high heat. Set a timer for 20 minutes. In the meanwhile, chop-up your stew ingredients.

Chop-up stew ingredients

  • Peel and dice your sweet potato into small chunks. 
  • Peel and dice your carrot into small chunks.
  • Dice the green chili pepper into small pieces 
  • Separate your rice cakes from each other. Set aside.

Make Spicy Marinade

  • Mix Gochugaru (5T), Soy Sauce (5T), Minced Garlic (2T), Maesil (1T), Sesame Oil (1T), Honey (2T), Mirim (1T), Pear Juice (2T), Salt (few shakes) and Black Pepper (few shakes)

Back to The Ribs

  • After the initial 20 minutes of boiling, pick out the spring onion, onion, black peppers and bay leaves from the broth.
  • Now, place the Sweet Potato, Carrot, Chili Peppers into your broth.
  • Add in the Spicy Marinade - all of it! Place the lid back on.
  • Set a timer for 25 minutes - boil on medium heat. (10 minutes in, open the lid. Skim the top of the broth with a ladle and get rid of the scum)
  • After 25 minutes, open the lid and take a look at your ribs. If there is still a good amount of broth leftover, you need to boil for longer. (We needed an additional 10 minutes!)
  • Once there's just a little bit of broth leftover, throw in your rice cakes. The rice cakes need roughly 2 minutes to cook through. 
  • After the broth has fully reduced to about 90%, it should have the consistency of a curry or spaghetti sauce. Turn off the heat - you're done!
  • Plate your ribs and drizzle the leftover "curry" over your ribs. 
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with a bowl of hot rice!
  • Bon Appetit! 

Notes

  • You can substitute pear juice with apple or pineapple juice as well
  • See video below for more details

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Oriental Sauce Donkatsu – Seoul Cafe

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Oriental Sauce Donkatsu. This is the signature dish at a local cafe near our home in Seoul! We were very impressed by the presentation of this all-too familiar dish. The pork cutlet was topped-off with a large pile of thinly-sliced onions. It looked beautiful, fresh and dare-i-say, almost healthy?! Reminded me of a salad. But that’s exactly what it was. One bite and I fell in love with the overall lightness of the dish – it made sense. This weekend, I wanted to stay-home and recreate it in our own kitchen. Here’s what we came up with…

Oriental-Sauce-Donkatsu
Now, the key taste variable is the Oriental Sauce. We’ll start off with soy sauce, for a salty-rich flavor. Balance that with sweetness from honey and sugar. And a touch of tartness from vinegar. Together, these flavors make for a refreshing, spring-y flavor. Gives a nice lift to the monotonous tones of fried foods.

The other ingredients and steps are straight-forward. However, I would like to put an extra reminder here to cut your onion into very thin strips (as thin as you can)! This dish tastes off if you’re biting into thick onion slices. Reference my video to learn how to thinly slice onions without a mandoline slicer.

Bon Appetit! Wishing you a great start to the week!

Dan-yul Out 🕺

Oriental-Sauce-Donkatsu
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Oriental Sauce Donkatsu

A delicious spin on traditional donkatsu.
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Pork loin - 250 grams for 2 people
  • Onion - 1 whole
  • Spring onion - 1 stalk forearm stalk
  • Chili pepper - 1/2 a pepper 
  • Salt - few shakes for seasoning pork loins
  • Black pepper - few shakes  for seasoning pork loins

Pork Crust

  • Flour - 1/2 cup or use Korean pancake mix
  • Eggs - 2
  • Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Oriental Dipping Sauce

  • Soy Sauce - 3 Tablespoons
  • Honey - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
  • Mirim - 1 Tablespoon
  • Vinegar - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame seeds - few shakes
  • Spring onion - few diced pieces
  • Chili pepper - few diced pieces

Instructions

  • Cut one onion into very thin slices (thin enough to be translucent). Take out a mixing bowl and soak the pieces in cold water to get rid of the harshness.
  • Make dipping sauce: Mix Soy Sauce (3T), Honey (1T), Sugar (1T), Mirim (1T), Vinegar (1T).  Then sprinkle a few shakes of sesame seeds, diced spring onion and diced chili peppers. 
  • Butterfly your chunk of pork loin into thinner piece (reference video). Then cut the large pork slice in half. Now, use the back of your knife (or a tenderizer) and tenderize the meat. If you want a thicker piece, don't pound away too much. 
  • Season the pork piece with salt & pepper - on both sides. 

Make Donkatsu

  • Take out three plates. Fill the first one with flour (or Korean pancake mix). Second one with 2-3 eggs - and beat the eggs. Third plate with bread crumbs. 
  • Take each pork piece and coat in the following order: (1) Dip in flour, then shake off excess flour (2) Dip in egg wash - drip off excess egg-wash (3) Coat with bread crumb - shake off extra crumbs
  • Repeat and set aside. 

Fry donkatsu

  • Fill a large frying pan with a good amount of oil. 
  • Put on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot - throw in some breadcrumbs. If the breadcrumbs dance and sizzle, the oil is ready. 
  • Carefully place in the pork piece. Fry until golden brown on both sides. (Note: Control your oil - if it splatters too much or you see smoke, turn the heat off)
  • Afterwards, let each fried pork cutlet cool-down on a wire-rack.
  • Drain your onion pieces. Let them drip off excess water. 

Plating donkatsu

  • Place donkatsu on a plate. Put the onion pieces on top of the donkatsu. Garnish dish with a few handful of diced spring onion and diced chili peppers. Serve with Oriental Dipping Sauce (on the side)

Notes

  • Feel free to replace pork loin with chicken breast
  • You can use thinner cuts of pork loin - no need to buy a large chunk like we did.
  • Reference video for more details

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