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Seafood

Myeolchi Bokkeum – Master Recipe

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Myeolchi Bokkeum. It’s a classic Korean banchan – dried anchovies that are stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce glaze. This is the go-to banchan for many young mothers because its easy to make in bulk and keeps for a long time in the refrigerator. All you need is a fried egg on the side, maybe one other banchan and you got yourself a nice balanced meal. ☺️

Myeolchi Bokkeum

When I was young, I wasn’t a big fan of myeolchi bokkeum – mostly because it was made with anchovies. I knew it tasted good but my chopsticks never reached for it. But as I grew up, I started to appreciate the taste more. Especially when I tasted the banchan at restaurants that served it with sliced almonds and aromatics like garlic and chili peppers. So today, we’re excited to share with your (upgraded) version – we think it’s the best recipe out there!

Cooking tips:

  • Make sure to toast your nuts before using them in this recipe – it brings out the natural flavors of the nuts
  • Don’t skip on the honey – we need the sweetness and its stickiness to make the anchovies clump together. Otherwise, very cumbersome to eat with chopsticks!
  • The chili pepper and garlic are essential. They add aromatic notes to the entire dish

The recipe below will make a 2-person serving size. You can always multiple the ingredients by 2 or 3 to make a larger batch. Store any leftovers in a Tupperware and place in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

If you don’t have a Korean mart nearby, you can also purchase great quality mini-anchovies from Gochujar.

Let us know how you like it! Perhaps we do a few more basic banchans (mit-banchan) in the near future 🙂🙃

Danyul out!! 🕺

Myeolchi Bokkeum
Print Recipe

Myeolchi Bokkeum - Stir-fried Dried Anchovies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of Dried Anchovy (small-sized)
  • 3/4 cup of Mixed Nuts
  • 6-7 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 whole Cheongyang Chili Pepper (or substitute with 1/2 Jalapeno Pepper)
  • 1 stalk of Spring Onion (forearm length)

Sticky Soy Glaze

  • 1/2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey

Garnish

  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Measure 1 cup of small dried anchovies. Set it aside. Give a rough chop to the mixed nuts (3/4 cup). Cut garlic (6-7 cloves) into bite-sized chunks. Then dice the chili pepper into small pieces. And dice the spring onion stalk into small chunks as well.

Cook Anchovies

  • Place frying-pan on a medium-low heat. Do NOT place any oil into the frying pan. Once the pan is hot, placed the mixed nuts in. Stir it around in the pan for 1-2 minutes or until the nuts get slightly toasted. Set aside and wipe out the pan.
  • Now raise the frying pan to a MEDIUM heat. Place in some vegetable oil (~2 Tablespoons). Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic pieces. Stir the garlic pieces until they get a slight browning. Then add in the dried anchovies. Stir the anchovy around with the garlic for 2-3 minutes.
  • After 2-3 minutes, quickly add in Soy Sauce (1/2 Tablespoon), Sugar (1/2 Tablespoon) and Mirim (1 Tablespoon). Stir everything together well so that its evenly mixed. Then add the nuts, diced spring onion and chili pepper pieces. Stir everything together for another 1-2 minutes.
  • After 1-2 minutes, finish by adding-in Honey (2 Tablespoons). Give it a final stir and mix everything evenly. This honey will turn the dish nice and sticky. Now turn off the heat and garnish with Sesame Seeds (1/2 Tablespoon).
  • Serve with a bowl of hot rice. Save leftovers in Tupperware and place in the refrigerator. It should stay good for up to 2-3 weeks.

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Korean Shrimp Box for Lunch

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Shrimp Box. This simple dish has been trending in Korean social media! Shrimp Box is a bed of rice topped off with delicious, sauce-covered, stir-fried shrimp. Over the weekend, we tried a few home recipes and were most impressed with Chef Baek Jong Won’s version. In his recipe, the garlic-butter shrimp is sautéed in butter and a drizzle of fish sauce. At first, it didn’t seem like a good match – but when you taste it – you’ll notice the difference. The fish sauce seasons the shrimp while adding a layer of umami! As for the chili shrimp – we build a sauce from scratch using gochugaru, vinegar and ketchup. It’s a fun cooking experience with a delicious meal at the end! Give it a go ☺️

Shrimp Box

One cooking note: Most of the flavor will come from the minced garlic. Add the shrimp in as soon as you add the garlic so they don’t burn. Then give the minced garlic enough time for it turn slightly brown. Once you see slight browning, immediately reduce the heat. Then proceed with the rest of the steps.

As a side note: This recipe has got me reminiscing about Hawaii! I am imagining myself spending an afternoon (trying) to catch a wave… 🏄‍♂️ and then wolfing down a shrimp box with a beer afterwards. Ahhh- Surfs up yall!

Shrimp Box
Print Recipe

Shrimp Box

Ingredients

Garlic-Butter Shrimp Topping

  • 1 Cup Shrimp
  • 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • 1.5 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon of Butter
  • 1/2 Tablespoon of Fish Sauce
  • Few sprinkles Black pepper

Chili Shrimp Topping

  • 1 Cup Shrimp
  • 3 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons of Ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon of Gochugaru
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon of Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons of Water
  • 1 Tablespoon of Butter
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper

Instructions

Butter-Garlic Shrimp

  • Prep your shrimp: De-shell, de-vein and pull of the tail. Also mince the garlic - set aside 1.5 Tablespoons worth.
  • Put frying pan on medium-high heat. Place vegetable oil in (3 Tablespoons). Once the oil is hot, place in the minced garlic (1.5 Tablespoons). Then immediately place in the shrimp as well. Stir-both around until the minced garlic starts to slightly brown. Then turn the heat down to a low (!)
  • Quickly add in the butter (1 Tablespoon). Then add in the fish sauce (1/2 Tablespoon). Along with a few shakes of black pepper. Raise the heat back to a medium-high. Stir-fry for additional 30 seconds.
  • Place it over some rice. Bon Appetit!

Chili-Shrimp Topping

  • Prep your shrimp: De-shell, de-vein and pull of the tail. Mince garlic - set aside 1 Tablespoons worth. Then prep the rest of the ingredients and place it next to your stovetop (We will need to use them quickly).
  • Put frying pan on medium-high heat. Place some vegetable oil in (3 Tablespoons). Once the oil is hot, place in the minced garlic (1 Tablespoon). Immediately, place in the shrimp as well. Stir-both around until the minced garlic starts to slightly brown. Then turn the heat down to a low.
  • Add-in Ketchup (2 Tablespoons), Gochugaru (1 Tablespoon), Sugar (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon), Vinegar (1 Tablespoon). Put the heat back up to a medium-high and mix everything together.
  • The sauce will become thick. So dilute it with water (2 Tablespoons). It should now turn into a sauce. Finish it off with butter (1 Tablespoon).
  • Place it over some rice. Bon Appetit!

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Soju Steamed Clams & Shrimp Fried Rice

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Soju Steamed Clams… and shrimp fried rice! This past weekend, we stumbled across a new Chinese restaurant that opened in our neighborhood (near Sharosugil). We weren’t in the mood for Chinese, but the ambiance was too nice. We saw people out on the patio – lounging out in the sun – sipping on beers and slurping up clam shells. We couldn’t help ourselves – had to try too 🤷‍♂️🙋‍♂️

Soju Steamed Clams

Their hit-menu items were (1) Soju Steamed Clams and (2) Shrimp Fried Rice. We were tempted to order a plate of fried dumplings on the side – but resisted due to the fact of an ongoing “diet” (lol). The two dishes paired wonderfully and better yet, was light on the stomach. We loved it so much we went back the next night. I took a few mental notes of the ingredients and re-created it at home. Here it is nei’bors:

Shrimp-Fried-Rice

Soju Steamed Clams
Print Recipe

Soju Steamed Clams & Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients

Soju Clams

  • 1 kg Manila Clams (Bajirak, 바지락)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Kosher Salt (for purging clams)
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 3 Dried Red Chili Peppers (Thai Bird's Eye Chili)
  • 2 Tablespoons of Butter
  • Few shakes of Black Pepper
  • 1 cup of Soju (White Wine ok too)
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 stalk of Spring Onion garnish

Shrimp Fried Rice

  • 2 stalks of Spring Onion (length of your forearm)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 inches of Carrot
  • 5-6 Shrimp
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 2 cups of Rice
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

Instructions

Soju Steamed Clams

  • You want to purge the clams: Place the clams in a large mixing bowl. Pour-in enough cold water to submerge the clams. Then sprinkle some kosher salt (1T) into the water. Cover the mixing bowl with aluminum foil or a lid. (They will purge better in darkness). Set aside for at least 1 hour.
  • In the meanwhile, slice garlic cloves into thin slices. Crumble the dried red chili pepper into small pieces. And dice the spring onion into very thin slices.
  • After 1 hour, drain-out the water from the clams. Give one final wash and set aside in a strainer.
  • Take out a large pot or wok. Place it on a medium-high heat. Drop in some butter (2 Tablespoons). When butter starts to sizzle, add in the garlic pieces and chili flakes. Stir it around for 10-15 seconds. Once the garlic pieces start to slightly brown-up on the edges, add-in the clams. Carefully toss the shells in the butter.
  • Then add in the soju (1 cup). Wait until the soju comes up to boil. Let the soju boil for 1-2 minutes - so it can evaporate the alcohol. Then add-in 1 cup of water. Give it a good stir and let it come back to boil. Then boil for another 1-2 minutes (or until the 90% of the shells open up). At this time, give the broth a taste. If there is a strong alcohol taste, you can boil it for 30 more seconds and/or dilute it with more water (about 1/4 cup more).
  • Move the clams to your presentation bowl. Then pour that delicious broth over the clams. Garnish with the diced spring onion slices and a few shakes of black pepper.

Chinese-Style Shrimp Fried Rice

  • Cut spring onion stalks into thin rounds. Dice carrot piece into small bite-sized pieces. Chop a few of the shrimp into small bite-sized pieces. But keep a few of the shrimp whole for a nice presentation.
  • Scoop out two cups of rice and fan it out in a mixing bowl. (We want the rice to lose moisture and steam before we stir-fry it).
  • Put a frying pan on medium-high heat. Place some oil in. Once hot, place the spring onion pieces in. Let it sizzle in the oil and flavor it. After 15-20 seconds of sizzling, move the spring onion pieces to one side of the frying pan.
  • Crack 3 eggs into the other side of the frying pan. Use a wooden spatula or spoon to scramble the eggs. Try your best to keep the eggs separate from the other ingredients.
  • Then drop the shrimp into the middle of the frying pan. And pour the carrot pieces over the spring onion. Give it 15-20 seconds to sizzle and cook
  • Now the eggs should be fully cooked and won't stick to the other ingredients. Mix all of the ingredients together. Use your wooden spatula to stir and break down the size of the scrambled eggs. Now add in your rice. Use your spatula to mix the rice evenly into the other ingredients.
  • Then add-in Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon). Stir-fry until the soy sauce is well incorporated. Then finish with Sesame Oil (1/2 Tablespoon). Give one final stir to the rice.
  • Bon Appetit!

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Kkomak Bibimbap! Trending Dish in Seoul

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Kkomak Bibimbap. This was a trending dish during this winter in Seoul! Many of the department stores featured it as a special menu in their food courts, but the lines are always too long. So this weekend, we decided to give a try in our studio kitchen. The dish is all about fresh cockles. Blood cockles to be precise – also known as Kkomak in Korean.  They’re small, saltwater clams that grow plump and sweet during winters in Korea. By themselves, they taste ok. But if you add gochugaru, soy sauce and maesil, it take the clams to Flavor Town! Better yet, add some rice to the marinade and you got yourself an incredible meal! Allow me to show you how…

Kkomak Bibimbap

This recipe is rated a medium difficulty. There are a few areas where you could make (irreversible) mistakes. I’ll highlight them below so you pay extra close attention to them:

  • The 1st error is not purging the cockles: Remember to take the time to purge your clams before you start cooking. Nobody want’s to bite into sand-y clams 😖
  • The 2nd error is overcooking the cockles: If they’re boiled for too long, they shrivel-up and turn rubbery. To prevent this, bring a pot of water up to a boil first. Then add-in your cockles and set a timer for 3.5 minutes. After 3.5 minutes, most of the clams will have opened their shells – at least a small opening. Take one clam out and taste it to see if it’s fully cooked through.
  • The 3rd error is not saving any cockle broth: A few scoops of the broth adds deep flavor to the Soy Sauce Marinade. Make sure to scoop out a ladle of the broth and set it aside before emptying out the pot of boiled clams.
  • The 4th error is adding too much Soy Sauce Marinade or Gochugaru when seasoning the cockles: I recommend only adding-in about 1/3 of the Soy Sauce Marinade and 1 Tablespoon of Gochugaru. Start there and mix everything together. Then add a little more if you need

I hope I haven’t scared you off with those bolded letters… heh, take it as a challenge!
You’ll be rewarded with an incredible dish… 화이팅!

Dan-yul out🕺

Kkomak Bibimbap
Print Recipe

Kkomak Bibimbap

Course: Medium

Ingredients

Fresh Ingredients

  • 1 Cup De-shelled Cockles (buy 800g of fresh cockles)
  • 1.5 cups Cooked Rice

Soy Sauce Seasoning

  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirim
  • 1 Tablespoon Maesil
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Cockle Broth (from boiling)
  • 4-5 Shakes of Sesame Seeds

Marinating the Cockles

  • 5 stalks of Green Onion
  • 2 Whole Cheongyang Chili Peppers (Or use 1 Jalapeno)
  • 1 Tablespoon Gochugaru (Add 2 if you like it spicy)
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

Make Bibimbap

  • A Drizzle of Sesame Oil (to finish marinating the rice)
  • 1 Spoonful of Leftover Soy Sauce Seasoning (from above)

Instructions

Purge the Cockles

  • Fill a mixing bowl with cold water. Mix-in a handful of salt with the water. Add the cockles in. Then cover the bowl with some aluminum foil. Let the clams sit in darkness for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water.  Then, give the cockles a thorough rinse and scrub under running water. 

Boil the Cockles

  • Bring a large pot of water up to boil. When it comes to a roaring boil, add in your cockles. (Set a timer for 3.5 minutes.) Use a wooden spoon and stir the cockles in one direction (this helps the meat stick to one side of the shell). After 3.5 minutes, sample one of the clams and see if it is fully cooked through. If it's not, let it boil for just a bit longer. 
    IMPORTANT: If they are fully cooked, don't drain the pot just yet. Use a soup ladle and take out one scoop of the broth. Set it aside for later - we'll use this broth when making the cockle marinade. Now drain the broth and move the cooked cockles to a large mixing bowl.
  • Take the shells off each cockle. I would recommend doing this over a small mixing bowl - that way you can collect some more delicious broth. Note: For shells that don't open easily, use your spoon and pop the back of the shell (reference video). You want enough meat to fill 1 cup. 

Make Soy Sauce Marinade

  • Throughly mix-in Soy Sauce (3T), Mirim (1T), Maesil (1T), Minced Garlic (1/2T), Cockle Broth (2T). Give it a good stir. 
    Then add in 4-5 shakes of Sesame Seeds. Stir everything together

Prep Fresh Greens for Cockle Marinade

  • Dice your green onion (5 stalks) into small pieces. Then dice your 2 chili peppers into small pieces as well. 

Season the Cockles

  • Take out another mixing bowl. Add in 1 cup of cooked cockles. Then add in the chopped green onions and chili peppers. Next, add in the gochugaru (1T). Then add-in 1/3 of the Soy Sauce Marinade you made - don't add everything at once! Give it all a good mix - feel free to add more Soy Sauce Marinade or Gochugaru if you need. 
    Finally, finish it off with 1T of Sesame Oil. Give it a final mix. 

Make Bibimbap

  • Scoop out 2/3 of the seasoned cockles and place it to one-side of your plate. Leave the other 1/3 of the marinated cockles in the mixing bowl. Now, add freshly cooked rice (1.5 cups) into the mixing bowl. Mix until the rice is evenly coated in the marinade. 
    Give the rice a taste. Next, we added 1 additional spoonfuls of the Soy Sauce Marinade into the rice. Feel free to do the same if you'd like. 
    Finally, finish the rice with a drizzle of sesame oil. Give it a final mix!
  • Add the mixed rice (bibimbap) to the other side of the plate. Garnish with a few shakes of sesames seeds and sliced green onions. Bon Appetit!

Notes

See video below for more details

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Jjamppong – Spicy Korean Seafood Noodles

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Jjamppong… or Jajangmyeon? They’re the two most popular dishes at Korean-Chinese restaurants. I think these two dishes account for more than 90% of total sales. In fact, if you go with Koreans, you never ask for the menu. Just count the number of hands that want Jjamppong or Jajangmyeon. Occasionally, you get that one guy (or girl) that wants Shrimp Fried Rice. I personally am more of a Jjamppong guy. That’s because I love seafood and spice! And this dish brings the two elements together. My one complaint is that restaurants give 1-2 shrimps and maybe 4-5 mussels. It forces you to strategically eat the seafood pieces – you know, save one one the side so it lasts… hah! Today, I’ll show you how to make it at home, so you can splurge on the ingredients 🙌

Jjamppong

This specific recipe is from Chef Baek Jong Won. He has a large chain of Korean-Chinese restaurants in Korea (and even a few in the US) that specialize in Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong. I like this recipe because it’s simple to make and includes a good ratio of vegetable to seafood. Now, allow me to add a few cooking notes:

  • This will make enough broth for 4-5 people
  • For a deeper-tasting broth, I highly recommend replacing water with anchovy-kelp broth!
  • If the broth turns out too spicy for you, dilute with more water or broth. Then season-to-taste with more salt and black pepper.
  • Traditionally, mussels are used when making Jjamppong. The black shells provide a good visual balance to the redness of the soup.
  • Feel free to thrown in any other seafood into the soup.
  • If you don’t have a Korean mart nearby, try making flour noodles at home!
Jjamppong
Print Recipe

Korean Jjamppong

Course: Medium

Ingredients

Fresh Vegetables

  • 2 stalks Spring Onion each, length of your forearm
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 1 piece of Carrot length of your pinky
  • 1 piece of Zucchini length of your pinky
  • A small piece of Cabbage similar size to your julienned carrot & zucchini
  • 1/2 teaspoon Grated Ginger
  • 1 Whole Chili Pepper (optional, for garnish)

Fresh Seafood

  • 15-20 Clams (or Mussels)
  • 10-15 Shrimp
  • 1 whole Squid
  • 150 grams Pork use any cut

Making Broth

  • 3-4 Tablespoons of Cooking Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup of Gochugaru
  • Enough Water to cover ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons of Salt add more to taste
  • 10-13 shakes of Black Pepper

Noodles

  • 1 servings of Flour Noodles

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Cut spring onion into small thin circles. Julienne onion, carrot, zucchini and cabbage into thin slices. Grate a small piece of ginger. (Optional: Slice chili pepper into thin slices)
  • Fill a large bowl with cold water and a few shakes of salt. Then place in your clams (or mussels). Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside for 15-20 minutes. The clams will purge themselves during this time. 
  • Peel, devein and wash shrimp.
  • Next, clean-out the squid and cut it into bite-sized strips.
  • Also, cut the pork into small bite-sized strips.

Cook ingredients

  • Place a large pot (or wok) on high heat. (You want high heat!) Then add-in a good amount of oil (3-4 Tablespoons). Once the oil turns hot, place in the diced spring onion pieces and the minced ginger (1/2 teaspoon). Stir both around for 1 minute or until you can smell the aroma of the spring onions.
  • Now add in the pork pieces. Stir it around until most of the pink in the meat is gone.
  • Then add in the squid pieces. Stir it around for 30 seconds.
  • Then season the stir-fry with Soy Sauce (2 Tablespoons). Then immediately add-in the sliced onions, cabbage, carrot and zucchini. Mix everything around for 1 minute. 
  • Now, add in 1/2 cup of gochugaru. Mix it around and get everything evenly coated. Then immediately add in water so the gochugaru doesn't burn. Pour just enough water to cover the top of your ingredients.
  • Once the pot comes up to boil, place in your shrimp and clams (or mussels). 
  • Let the stew boil away until the clams (or mussels) start to open. Then season the stew with some salt (2 Tablespoons). Take a sample of the broth and add more salt - if needed. 
  • Next, add 10-12 good shakes of black pepper into the broth. Our master pot is now finished - all we need is noodles!

Cook Noodles

  • If you'll use flour noodles, give the noodles an initial soak in cold water. This will remove the extra flour that is covering the noodles.
  • Next, briefly boil your noodles according to the package instructions. 

Serve-a-bowl

  • Place the freshly cooked noodles at the center of your bowl
  • Then add a few scoopfuls of the Jjamppong broth over your noodles.
  • Now, enjoy life. Bon Appetit!

 

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Shrimp Jeon Set Menu & 2 Veggie Banchans

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Shrimp Jeon Set Menu. Today, we’re going to make a very healthy and delicious set-menu meal. For our main dish, we’ll start off with savory shrimp pancakes. We’ll pair that with a rustic oyster mushroom stir-fry, tossed with perilla powder. Then refresh our palate with spicy soybean sprouts. Sounds amazing no?

Banchan-Lunch-3-1-Upgraded

I was brainstorming new jeon recipes for this video. I wanted to stay away from ham (or Spam), because it over-used in most jeon recipes. So I experimented with shrimp and I think it turned out great. The shrimp was juicy, slightly sweet and developed a nice crust with the egg. Plus you got two shrimp pieces in one bite!

Today, we’re also using Deulkkae (Perilla Powder) – which has a high amount of Omega 3. It’s an underrated ingredient – even in Korea – that’s typically reserved for stews or noodles. But I think it’s works excellent in veggie stir-fries. Coupled with perilla oil, the two ingredients bring out an amazing herbal lift to the earthy taste of mushrooms. Matter of fact, I genuinely think this dish would work well in a Michelin-starred Restaurant! 🙃

The final dish, Kongnamul-Muchim, is a common Korean banchan. Today, we’ll add some gochugaru and aromatics to the dish. This spice will help off-set the oiliness of the shrimp pancakes and the earthy flavors of the perilla powder. That way, we got a nice balanced meal.

Enjoy ya’ll! Dan-yul out 🤠

Banchan-Lunch-3-1-Upgraded
Print Recipe

Shrimp Jeon, Deulkkae Beoseot & Kongnamul-Muchim

Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Shrimp Jeon

  • 20 whole Shrimp
  • 1 cup Korean Pancake Mix (or Flour)
  • 2 Eggs
  • Few shakes Salt
  • Small piece Carrot
  • Small piece Spring Onion (or Scallions)

Deulkkae Beoseot

  • 300 grams Oyster Mushrooms
  • 4 Shiitake Mushrooms
  • Small piece Zucchini (length of your finger)
  • 1/2 whole Onion
  • 1/2 whole Cheongyang Chili Pepper (or use Jalapeno pepper)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon(!) Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Perilla Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Perilla Powder (Deulkkae)
  • Few shakes Black pepper (optional)

Kongnamul Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Soybean Sprouts)

  • 300 grams Soybean Sprouts
  • Small piece Spring Onion
  • Small piece Carrot
  • 2 Tablespoons Gochugaru
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 5-6 shakes Salt
  • Few shakes Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Shrimp Jeon

  • Turn on some music. Peel and devein shrimp. Take off the tail piece as well (reference video).
  • Dice carrot and spring onion into small pieces. 
  • Break eggs into a bowl and whisk it up. Season it with salt. Then add-in the carrot and spring onion pieces into the mixture. Stir again.
  • Place Korean pancake mix (or flour) onto a plate. 
  • Thoroughly coat each shrimp in the flour. Tap-off the extra flour. Then dip the shrimp into the egg wash. Repeat for each shrimp.
  • Put a frying pan on medium-low heat. Put some oil in. Once its hot, add in one shrimp piece. Then add another shrimp next to it, facing upside down - so it looks like a circle (reference video). Add a few drops of egg mixture to the middle to bind it together. Repeat for all shrimp. Cook until both sides get nice and crispy. Bon Appetit!

Deulkkae Beoseot

  • Wash mushrooms. Use your finger to split the oyster mushrooms from each other. Cut Shiitake mushrooms into thin slices. 
  • Then cut zucchini into thin slices. Cut onion into thin slices. De-seed chili pepper and cut it into thin slices. 
  • Bring a pot of water up to boil. Then add a few shakes of salt into the water. Once the water is boiling, blanche the mushrooms for 10 seconds. 
  • Drain the water and squeeze the water out of the mushrooms - use a cheese cloth or squeeze bag. After squeezing, detangle the mushrooms from each other by tossing them with your hands.
  • Put a frying pan on medium heat. Put some oil in. Once its hot, place in minced garlic (1/2 Tablespoon). Place in the onion and zucchini and stir-fry for 1 minute. 
  • Then add the mushrooms, chili pepper slices and season with salt (we'll only use 1/2 teaspoon now). Stir-fry everything for 3 minutes. 
  • After 3 minutes, add in the perilla oil (1 Tablespoon) and perilla powder (1T) and a few shakes of black pepper (optional). Finish-off the dish with the other 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Taste and give it one last-stir. Enjoy!  

Kongnamul Muchim (Spicy Seasoned Soybean Sprouts)

  • Give your Soybean Sprouts a quick wash under running water. Pick out any sprouts that are off-color or bad.
  • Slice carrot into thin match-stick pieces. Dice spring onion into small pieces.
  • Bring a pot of water up to boil. Once its boiling, place the soybean sprouts in. Boil for exactly 5 minutes. 
  • After 5 minutes, immediately drain the hot water and cool the sprouts down in cold water. Then drain the water and let the sprouts drip-off excess water in a strainer (Note: don't squeeze the water out of the sprouts).
  • Take out a mixing bowl. Now add-in the soybean sprouts, carrot and minced spring onion. 
  • Now add the seasoning: Gochugaru (2 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (1/2 Tablespoon), Sesame Oil (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon) and Salt (5-6 shakes). Put a plastic glove on and toss everything together.
  • For garnish: Crush up sesame seeds and sprinkle over the top, along with a few pieces of spring onion. Bon Appetit ya'll! 

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Spicy Braised Mackerel with Radish – Godeungeo Jorim

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Godeungeo Jorim. That’s the Korean name for Spicy Braised Mackerel with Korean Radish. This fish dish is one my mom’s favorite Korean dishes. She has a deep love for braised radish, even more so than the mackerel! Together, this dish has everything you need in a meal –  veggies, clean protein and plenty of spice! With a bowl of rice, this dish will have you singing 🎤

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The first step is to minimize any fishy odors. The best way is to use fresh fish! When you’re at the market, pick out mackerel that has clear eyes, firm flesh and glossy skin. Ask the butcher to clean the fish out for you (leave skin-on). If you buy it whole, here’s a straightforward video on how to clean it yourself (you’ll learn more by doing it yourself!)

Before we braise the fish, we’ll soak it in rice water for 10-15 minutes. The starches in the rice water will cling onto the odors from the fish. As an alternative, you can also also soak the fish in milk for 10-15 minutes. It works the same (there’s a substance in milk called casein which will cling onto the odors).

After that, it’s straightforward. Make the braising sauce and let it cook until the broth reduces into a sauce. They key part with this is patience. You’ll know when it’s ready when you see large bubbles coming from the bottom of the pot. That’s when the sauce starts to taste real good!

Alright, enjoy guys… more Korean seafood recipes to come!

Dan-yul out 🙃

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Godeungeo Jorim

Spicy Braised Mackerel with Korean Radish
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Fresh Mackerel - 1 whole
  • Korean Radish - a medium-sized piece length of pointer finger, 500 g
  • Spring Onion - small piece length of your forearm
  • Water - 1 Cup

Spicy Braising Sauce

  • Soy Sauce - 4 Tablespoons
  • Gochugaru - 1 Tablespoon Korean chili pepper flakes
  • Gochujang - 2 Tablespoons Korean chili pepper paste
  • Honey - 2 Tablespoons
  • Mirim - 2 Tablespoons or any cooking wine 
  • Garlic - 1 teaspoon !
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

  • Cut your cleaned mackerel into medium-sized sections (cut each piece about to the second crease in your pinky finger - reference video). 
  • Peel the Korean Radish. Cut into thin circles. Then cut each circle in half. 
  • Cut Spring Onion pieces into thin slices. 
  • Make Braising Sauce: Thoroughly mix Soy Sauce (4 Tablespoon), Gochugaru (1 Tablespoon), Gochujang (2 Tablespoon), Honey (2 Tablespoon), Mirim (2 Tablespoon), Garlic (1 teaspoon!) and Black Pepper (few shakes)
  • Take out a large pot. Add Korean Radish on the bottom. Then place the mackerel pieces on top. Then add spring onion pieces over the top. 
  • Add in the Spicy Braising Sauce. Next, add in the water (1 cup) into your marinade bowl and wash out the remainder into your pot. 
  • Put the pot on medium-high heat. Place lid on. Bring up to a boil. 
  • After it comes to boil, we'll reduce it for 20-25 minutes (with the lid on) (Note: 10 minutes in, open the lid and make sure the fish pieces are submerged into the sauce as well)
  • After 20-25 minutes, the broth will have reduced into a small layer of sauce. You'll see large bubbles  form at the bottom of the pot (reference video). Now, turn the heat off. 
  • Plate and enjoy with a bowl of hot rice!

Notes

  • Be patient - wait till the broth reduces to a layer of sauce! 
  • See video below for more details

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Korean Grilled Mackerel – Everyday Korean Breakfast

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Grilled Korean Mackerel. Koreans grow up eating mackerel. A staple for Korean homecooking! It was the same for my family. My mom cooked it for breakfast and the smell of roasted fish would sneak into my room and nudge me out of bed. At the dining table would be crispy mackerel, steamed rice, doenjang jjigae and a few veggie banchans on the side. Sounds like an amazing breakfast, no? Today, I wanted to revisit momma’s grilled mackerel.

Korean Grilled Mackerel

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The most important thing for any fish dish is to buy fresh fish. Fresh mackerel will have firm flesh, clean skin and bright eyes (not murky). Ask the market to clean the fish for you. Cuts out lot of the prep work.

Next, we’ll do a few things to minimize fish odor:

First, you’ll want to soak the fish in rice water to remove alot of the odor from the skin.
(Note: You can also soak the fish in milk for 10-15 minutes. There’s a substance in milk called Casein that binds to the fish odor).

Next, we’ll add some instant curry powder to our flour mix. An equal ratio (1:1) of curry powder to flour. This curry powder will not only minimize fish odor but also season the fish.

With these few tips, you can enjoy the natural flavors of grilled mackerel. Check out the steps in full below.

Korean Grilled Mackerel
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Korean Grilled Mackerel

Pro-tips on how to pan-fry mackerel. 
Course: Easy
Servings: 1 people

Ingredients

  • Fresh Mackerel - 1 whole
  • Rice water - enough to submerge the fish reference video
  • Flour - 1 Tablespoon
  • Curry Powder - 1 Tablespoon
  • Lemon - optional 

Instructions

  • Clean the fish and take out its innards.
  • Soak the cleaned mackerel in rice water (or milk) for 10-15 minutes. 
  • Then rinse the fish off under cold water. 
  • Place the fish on a few paper towels. Pat it down dry.
  • Then mix the Flour (1T) & Curry powder (1T) together. 
  • Sprinkle the batter over the fish and coat both sides. Make sure to give the fish a few gentle pats to take off extra batter.
  • Cut the fish into two halves (if you haven't done already)
  • Put frying pan on a medium-high heat. Place in oil. Once it's hot, place the pieces in skin-side down. Let it grill for 1 minute, until the skin turns crispy. 
  • Once it's crispy, flip it over to the otherside. Reduce the heat to a low. And let it fully cook through for 3-5 minutes.
  • Once crispy on both sides, take out the pan and plate. 
  • (Optional: Give a few squeezes of fresh lemon over the fish)
  • Enjoy with a bowl of hot rice. (Be careful of the fish bones!) 

Notes

  • Please be careful of fish bones!
  • See video below for more details

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Kkanpunggi Shrimp – Spicy, Sweet, Tangy, Irresistible

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Kkanpunggi (깐풍기). It’s a delicious fusion dish served at Chinese restaurants in Korea. People don’t it eat as much as they want because (1) it’s pricey and (2) it’s only served in large quantities. But when you can get at least 3+ people to a Chinese restaurant, it’s Kkanpunggi time! Most of the shops will serve chicken Kkanpunggi. But I think the shrimp version is irresistibly good.

Shrimp Kkampungi

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It’s all about that glaze. As you bite into the shrimp, you’ll first taste the salt from the soy sauce and fragrance from the garlic. Then, you’ll be hit with a tangy and sweet note. This is why I love Kkanpungi so much. It’s all of these dynamic flavors layered on top of one another.

When making this dish, it’s important to get a firm crispy skin on the shrimp. That way, when you coat it in that hot glaze, it doesn’t turn mushy. To get shrimp extra crispy, you’ll want to batter them in starch powder (as opposed to flour & breadcrumbs) AND double-fry them.

Kkanpunggi tastes great on top a bed of white rice (perhaps some Kimchi on the side). Or serve it as a big communal platter with some delicious Jajangmyeon. Whatever you choose, expect big smiles and people asking about the recipe!

Note: You can swap out the shrimp with chicken thighs (600 grams), tofu pieces, or Shiitake mushrooms. All of them taste great!

Shrimp Kkampungi
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Shrimp Kkampungi - Irresistible Shrimp Dish

Butterfly'd shrimp tossed in a tangy, sweet and salty glaze. 

Ingredients

  • Fresh shrimp - 25
  • Cheongyang pepper - 2 peppers or 1 Jalapeno 
  • Red chili pepper - 1 pepper use mild pepper, mainly for color
  • Garlic - 4 cloves 
  • Onion - 1/4 whole 
  • Spring onion - 1 stalk forearm piece
  • Chili oil - 3 Tablespoons
  • Vegetable oil - 1 Tablespoon 

Batter

  • Starch powder - 4 Tablespoons
  • Water - any amount reference video
  • Egg white - 1 

Glaze Sauce

  • Soy sauce - 3 Tablespoons
  • Oyster sauce - 2 Tablespoons
  • Sugar - 2 Tablespoons
  • Honey - 1 Tablespoon
  • Vinegar - 2 Tablespoons
  • Black pepper - few shakes
  • Water - 3 Tablespoons

Instructions

Prep shrimp

  • Take out a mixing bowl. Place in starch powder (4T) and mix with some water. Then set it aside for at least 15 minutes - so the water can separate from the paste. 
  • Clean shrimp: Take heads off. Peel and de-vein shrimp. Pinch of the pointy tail piece off each shrimp. Then butterfly shrimp. (see video for reference)
  • Salt and pepper the shrimp. 
  • Prep aromatics: Cut garlic cloves, red & green chili peppers and spring onion into thin slices. Cut onion into small cubes
  • Next, make the Kkanpunggi sauce by mixing all of the listed ingredients under 'glaze sauce'
  • Now, back to the starch powder: The water should have separated from the starch. Throw out the water that's left on top. Then crack one egg and place in only the egg white. Use a whisk and then thoroughly mix the two together (may be tough to mix at the start). 
  • Then coat all of the shrimp into the starch paste. 

Fry & Glaze

  • Place cooking oil into a pot. When the oil is hot, carefully place each shrimp in. (Note: They may stick to one another or to the bottom of the pot. Gently use your chopsticks to pull them off). Once they turn orange, take them out. 
  • Then fry them once more: Raise the heat of the oil. Place shrimp back into hot oil. Place them in for only about 5-10 seconds. The shrimp will turn golden-brown and extra crispy on the outside. (Note: Be careful with the oil!) 
  • Next, take out a large frying pan. Place on medium heat. Then put in chili oil (3T) and vegetable oil (1T). Mix the two together. Once the oil turns hot, throw in the sliced spring onion pieces. And once the spring onion starts to sizzle, place in the onion, garlic and both the green and red chili pepper slices.
  • Stir-fry around for 1 minute to release all the flavor. Once they all start to sizzle in the oil, place in the glaze sauce. 
  • Let the sauce boil and reduce away until it starts to develop very large bubbles (est: 3-5 minutes). Make sure to stir as it reduces away. 
  • Once it has reduced into a glaze, throw in your fried shrimp. Mix it around in the glaze. Plate-it-up and season with a few shakes of sesame seeds. Bon Appetit! 

Notes

  • You can replace shrimp with chicken, mushrooms or tofu
  • Be careful when frying (!)
  • See video below for more details

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Tuna Ssamjang – (Upgraded) Korean dipping sauce

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Tuna Ssamjang. Ssamjang is a Korean dip made for veggies wraps. It provides salt, sweetness and deep umami flavor from doenjang (fermented soybeans). Now, we showed you how to make traditional ssamjang earlier this year. But today, I’ll show you an upgraded version with tuna.

Tuna Ssamjang

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This tuna version is not as salty and pungent as the traditional version. It’s because we add water to the mixture and let it reduce like a stew. As a result, the sharper flavors are rounded off and you’re left with a hearty, chunky topping. It’s a wonderful condiment for any meal of the day.

Even this morning, I started my breakfast off with ssamjang. I pulled out the leftover boiled cabbage from the fridge and a bowl of rice. Wrapped the cabbage around the rice and placed in a few pieces of fluffy scrambled egg. Then topped it off with a small scoop of tuna ssamjang… tasted too good!

If you have children or friends who don’t like to eat raw veggies, try making them this dip. It may change their minds 🙂

Bon Appetit ya’ll and enjoy the weekend!

Naengmyeon
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Tuna Ssamjang - Hearty, Filling, Healthy!

When you haven't been eating vegetables, who'll you going to call? 
Course: Easy
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

Cabbage Wraps

  • Whole cabbage - 6-7 outer leaves
  • Water - 1/2 cup for steaming in microwave
  • Cooked white rice -  1 cup

Fresh ingredients

  • Tuna - 1 can 150 grams
  • Spring onion - 1 piece forearm length
  • Shiitake mushroom - 1 
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole

Ssamjang seasoning

  • Doenjang - 1 Tablespoon
  • Gochujang - 1 Tablespoon
  • Gochugaru - 1 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic -1 Tablespoon
  • Water - 1 cup
  • Honey - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame seeds - few shakes

Instructions

  • Take off a few layers of cabbage. Rinse it under running water so it can get some moisture on the leaves. Then place all of the leaves in a microwave friendly bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup of water into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes so it can steam. Microwave for 7-8 minutes. (Or alternatively, steam the leaves for 5-6 minutes)
  • Cut spring onion into small slices. Dice mushroom and onion into small bite-sized cubes.
  • Put frying pan on medium-low heat. Open up the tuna can. Squeeze out the oil into the frying pan. Once the oil is hot, place in the spring onions. Once the spring onions start to sizzle, place in the diced onions and mushrooms.
  • Stir it around until the onions start to turn slightly translucent. Then place in doenjang (1T), gochujang (1T), gochugaru (1T), minced garlic (1T). Mix it into the veggies. 
  • Then add in water (1 cup) into the mixture. Stir it around. Wait until it comes up to boil again. 
  • Once it starts to boil, add-in the honey (1T) and the tuna. Mix it in. 
  • Put it on low heat. Let it simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes. 
  • After 5 minutes, there will still be some liquid - that's ok. Turn off heat and place in sesame oil (1T). 
  • Place ssamjang into a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds (1T)
  • To eat: Add rice onto a piece of steamed cabbage or lettuce. Then add some of the tuna ssamjang on top. Or alternatively, roll and cut it like sushi if you like (reference video).
  • Bon Appetit! 

Notes

  • Use the entire outer cabbage leaf  - don't break it into smaller piece (makes it easier to roll at the end)
  • See video below for more details

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HoeDeopBap – Sashimi Bibimbap

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HoeDeopBap. It’s my favorite type of bibimbap! The dish is best described as a Korean-style poké, mixed with a handful of baby greens and dressed with a tangy gochujang sauce. A healthy, delicious and nutritious bowl for these hot summer days.

HoeDeopBap

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The real kicker to this dish is how visually appealing it is. Look at the vibrant colors – the green on black with the orange! You could serve that at any restaurant at a premium price 🙂

The Korean Hwe (sashimi) restaurant near my house makes an amazing bowl of HoeDeopBap. (This is actually my attempt at recreating their version). The only difference is that they use tuna sashimi, which is diced into smaller bite-sized cubes. And they also cut their cabbage much thinner. I think they are using a Mandolin slicer at a fine setting. Other than that, I believe I did a great job in replicating their hit menu item. Even the tangy gochujang sauce tastes spot on!

With the temperature rising each day,  you’ll want something light but filling. Consider a bowl of HoeDeopBap!

HoeDeopBap
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HoeDeopBap - Summer Bibimbap!

Raw fish Bibimbap - Spicy Salad Rice Bowl with Sashimi
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 person

Ingredients

Base salad

  • Lettuce - 4-5 pieces
  • Purple cabbage - 1 outer leaf
  • White cabbage - 1 outer leaf
  • Carrot - 1 piece size of pointer finger
  • Perilla leaves optional - 3 leaves

Fresh toppings

  • Cooked white rice - 1 cup
  • Gim seasoned seaweed crisp - 4-5 sheets
  • Tuna or Salmon sashimi - 1-2 person serving
  • Fish roe - 1-2 Tablespoons
  • Alfalfa sprouts - few pinches
  • Radish sprouts - few pinches

Gochujang Sauce

  • Gochujang - 3 teaspoons
  • Gochugaru - 3 teaspoons
  • Vinegar - 6 teaspoons
  • Sugar - 3 teaspoons

Instructions

  • Slice lettuce, purple cabbage, white cabbage and perilla leaves into thin sections. Julienne carrot into small pieces as well. 
  • Take out a mixing bowl: Toss chopped lettuce, cabbage, perilla leaves and carrots pieces together. Set aside for later.
  • Then make dressing: Mix together all of the listed ingredients under 'Gochujang Sauce'
  • Let's plate: Place rice into a bowl. Then place a handful of the tossed mixed salad on top. Carefully place your sashimi cuts on top on the salad. Then crumble the seaweed sheets into the salad as well. Finally, garnish with fish roe, alfalfa sprouts and radish sprouts. 
  • When ready to eat, place a few spoonfuls of the gochujang sauce into the bowl. Mix it all together and bon appetit!

Notes

  • Chop sashimi into smaller pieces if you like
  • For the gochujang sauce, replace teaspoon with a Tablespoon (for 3-4 servings)
  • See video below for more details

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Hawaiian Style Ahi Poke – Light & Healthy

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Hawaiian Poke. Aloha from Maui! In Korean culture, its customary to celebrate your parent’s 60th birthday (‘Hwangap’). In the past, a person’s average life expectancy was much less than 60. So Hwangap was a celebration-worthy milestone. This celebration party is customarily thrown by the children – usually a big celebration with lots of food! However, I wanted to switch it up a bit. Instead of splurging on food, I wanted to splurge my parents with experiences. Growing up, our family never had the time or money to take an proper vacation. So Hwangap was the perfect reason to check out the beautiful Hawaiian islands.

Hawaiian Style Ahi Poke

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It was hard to choose between the islands – but I selected Maui. And boy – it did not disappoint. Maui was beautiful, simply picturesque! Anywhere we went on the island looked like a calendar photo. The beaches in West Maui felt cozy, sheltered and almost intimate at times (our favorites were Napili Beach and Kapalua Bay). The water was warm, inviting and clear.  Clear enough to see sea turtles frolicking near the rocks. The beauty of the island simply blew our minds.

We kept saying to each other that this island was #blessed. And that if we ever found ourselves feeling down-and-out or depressed in the future, the panacea would be a week on Maui 😎

During our 7-day trip, we fell in love with Hawaiian poke! Poke is a Hawaiian dish that’s all about raw fish – usually Ahi (yellow-fin tuna). The poke from Hawaii tasted light and simple and didn’t overpower the taste of the fresh fish. I’ve had poke a few times in California, but its always been lathered in sauces. I always got annoyed by this – when shops turn a healthy dish “unhealthy” for the sake of more flavor.

In Maui, we sampled various types of poke at restaurants and food trucks. But surprisingly felt that the poke from the local grocery markets tasted the best. It matched our palate perfectly. I particularly liked Shoyu Ahi Poke (‘Shoyu’ means Soy Sauce in Japanese)

After eating Shoyu Ahi Poke for 3 days in a row, I wanted to learn how to make it. I experimented with a few recipes from online and was excited to find one that tasted identical to the one from the local Maui market.

This deeelicious recipe is from HawaiianMagazine.com

Hawaiian Poke Style Ahi
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Hawaii-style Ahi Poke

A deeelicious poke recipe. Light on marinade. Full on natural flavor!
Course: Easy
Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

  • Sushi-grade Ahi - 1 lb 

Marinade

  • Soy sauce - 1/4 cup
  • Green onion - 1 forearm-sized stalk we need 1/4 cup
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole we need 1/4 cup
  • Fresh ginger - 1 pinky-sized piece we need 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame oil - 2 teaspoons
  • Sea salt - 3-4 shakes
  • Sesame seeds - 2 teaspoons

Instructions

  • Cut ahi into small bite-sized cubes. Place into a large mixing bowl.
  • Chop green onion into thin pieces - measure 1/4 cup. Dice onion into small cubes - measure 1/4 cup. Grate the fresh ginger - measure 1 teaspoon.
  • Take out another mixing bowl. Mix-in all of the listed ingredients under 'Marinade'
  • Pour the soy-sauce marinade over the ahi pieces. Toss the pieces thoroughly into the sauce. 
  • Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours - let the marinade soak in.
  • Bon Appetit - enjoy!

Notes

  • See video below for more details

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Roasted Mackerel, Okra Muchim & Kelp Wrap

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Roasted Mackerel. Its been a week at home … and it’s been amazing to wake up to breakfast. (A guilty pleasure in vacationing at my parent’s house). For breakfast, my mom regularly roasts fish. It’s either mackerel (고등어), yellow croaker (굴비), or pacific saury (꽁치). Since I arrived, the choice has been mackerel. Along with a few new banchans I have never tried before: Okra Muchim & Kelp Wrap.

Roasted Mackerel - Okra Muchim - Kelp Wrap

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Mackerel is a no brainer. It’s cheap, delicious and very healthy (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids). However, it seems that mackerel is not on too many people’s radars (like salmon or tuna). Give it a shot at home and if you really like the taste – include it into your weekly diet. I think it’s a great source of clean and rich protein.

The Okra Muchim banchan was an unexpected surprise! We normally make this banchan with Gwali Peppers (꽈리고추) but they are hard to find outside of Korean markets. So we were pleasantly surprised by how well the marinade worked with okra – tasted great! This banchan pairs nicely with any other fish/meat dishes as well.

The Kelp wraps are one of my dad’s favorite banchans. You get a good crunch from the vegetables and then an herbal fragrance from the perilla leaves, along with the chewiness of the kelp. Dip it in some vinegary spicy sauce and you got yourself a strange, yet delicious snack 🙂

Roasted Mackarel
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Roasted Mackerel + Okra Muchim + Kelp Wraps

Roasted Mackarel with a few delicious banchans. A wholesome meal!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Roasted Mackerel 

  • Mackerel - 1 whole
  • Lemon - 1 whole 
  • Salt - few shakes on both sides
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Okra Muchim

  • Okra - 2 large fistfuls or use Gwali Peppers
  • Flour - 2 Tablespoons
  • Salt - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Gochugaru - 1 Teaspoon
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sesame oil - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sesame seeds - few shakes 
  • Green onion - 1 stalk 

Kelp Wraps

  • Kelp - 1 bag 
  • Mirim - few splashes optional
  • Perilla leaves - 10
  • Imitation crab sticks - 5
  • Cucumber - 1 long or 3 small
  • Paprika - 1 whole
  • Cho-gochujang Sauce - 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Roasted Mackerel 

  • Butterfly the fish and clean-out all of the innards (reference video or ask the butcher to do it for you). Then rinse it under running water. Place the fish on a few paper towels and pat-off any water. Then salt both sides of the fish. Then, let it rest for 5 minutes. 
  • Put a sheet of foil over a baking sheet. Then place the fish on. Cut the lemon into slices. Place half the slices over the top of the fish. Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C) and bake for 30-40 minutes. After 30-40 minutes, the fish should start to get a crispy browning on top. Switch your oven to broiler mode and move your tray to the top shelf (so its close to the heat). Let it broil for an additional 5 minutes. (Note: time may vary - keep an eye on it)
  • Once it get a crispy top, take out the fish. Take off the lemons pieces and sprinkle some black pepper over the top of the fish. Take a few fresh lemon slices and squeeze lemon juice over the fish.
  • When eating, take out the spine. (Note: There are thin bones on the top and bottom of the fish - watch out for those.) Bon Appetit!

Okra Muchim

  • Take the tops off the okra (or Gwali peppers). Then give them a good wash under running water. Put them in a strainer and let them drip-off excess water. (Note: Don't dry off the peppers completely - they should be slightly wet for the next step.) 
  • Place the slightly wet okra or peppers onto a plate. Put the flour in and toss the peppers in it. (Note: The flour will turn slightly mushy on the peppers - that's what we want!)
  • Place the coated okra into a microwaveable bowl. Place plastic wrap over the bowl. Poke a few holes. Then microwave for 3 minutes. (Note: Don't forget to cover your bowl with plastic wrap so it can steam - or else it will dry out!)
  • Place in the salt, gochugaru, minced garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Give it a thorough mix with your hands. 
  • Chop up the green onion and throw into bowl as well. Give a final mix. Serve and enjoy!

Kelp Wraps

  • Take the kelp out of the package and soak in water. Then wash it under running water to take off the salt. 
  • Fill up a large bowl with cold water again and let the kelp sit in it for 30 minutes. (Note: Add a few splashes of Mirin to the bowl to minimize any ocean smell in the kelp)
  • Take the stems of the perilla leaves and wash under running water. Pat them down dry. 
  • Then slice the cucumber, crab sticks and paprika into thin, equal-length pieces (reference video)
  • Make roll: Start with a perilla leaf. Then place a cucumber, crab sick and paprika slice at one end of the leaf. Roll it. Then roll it again into a piece of kelp. Cut in half. 
  • Serve with cho-gochujang sauce - see notes for sauce recipe. 
  • Eat and enjoy life! 

Notes

  • To make cho-gochujang sauce, mix-in 1 Tablespoon of each: Gochujang, Vinegar, Sugar.
  • Reference video for more details

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Grilled Galchi, Spinach Kimchi & Shiitake-Zucchini Stirfry

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Today, we will cook-up some galchi. Galchi is better known as beltfish or hairtail fish. Long, silver eel-like fish. They’re real ugly but taste delicious! We will pair it with two other delicious banchans: Spinach Kimchi & Shiitake-Zucchini Stirfry.

Galchi
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Koreans typically cook fish with the bone-in. Then, we pick them out with chopsticks as we eat. Galchi, however, has many small bones at the top and bottom of its body. If you are not too saavy with chopsticks, I would recommend filleting each of the fish cut. Here is a good YouTube video for that.

Today, we will pair galchi with a bowl of Spinach Kimchi. Well, not really Kimchi – more like a simple salad. But the salad marinade tastes very similar to Kimchi paste. My mom was fond of this salad as it was fast-to-make and complements any meat dish. You can throw in other greens like arugula and radicchio for more variety.

At home, my mom likes to serve a small meat dish next to fish. Surf n’ Turf – as they say 🙂 Today, we will not cook meat. But replace it with Shiitake Mushrooms. Pan-fry and toss these mushrooms with sliced zucchinis. The two work well and make for a well-balanced meal.

As always, no need to stick to the script. Feel free to mix and match with other banchans. Enjoy the rest of the week Neighbors!

Galchi
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Galchi, Spinach Kimchi & Shiitake-Zucchini Banchans

A set-menu featuring pan-fried galchi, spinach kimchi and a shiitake zucchini stir-fry. A whole lot of vegetables and a tasty fish.
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Pan-fried Galchi

  • Galchi Hairtail Fish - 1 whole 
  • Mirin - few splashes optional
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes
  • All-purpose flour - few shakes 

Fresh Spinach Kimchi

  • Spinach - few handfuls
  • Sesame seeds - few shakes optional, garnish

Spicy Marinade

  • Gochugaru - 1 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Soy sauce - 2 Tablespoons
  • Sesame oil - 1 Tablespoon

Shiitake Mushroom & Zucchini Stir-fry

  • Shiitake mushrooms - 3 whole
  • Zucchini - 1/2 your forearm-sized
  • Salt - few shakes
  • Onion - 1/2 whole
  • Spring onion - few pinches garnish

Mushroom Marinade Sauce

  • Soy sauce - 1 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar - 2 pinches

Stir-fry Seasoning

  • Mirim - 1/2 Tablespoon optional
  • Sesame oil - 1 teaspoon
  • Salt -  few shakes
  • Black pepper - few shakes

Instructions

Grilled Galchi

  • Remove all innards and clean the fish. Then use your knife to scrape off the silver skin (reference video). Give each piece a thorough rinse under running water. Then let it drip-off any excess water.
  • Take out a mixing bowl. Place each fish cut (or fillet) in. Pour a few splashes of mirin onto them. Use your hands to soak each piece in it. Then put each fillet onto a cutting board. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Then put each fish piece into a plastic bag. Pour a few shakes of flour into the bag. Then seal the bag and give it a nice shake. Each piece should now be thoroughly coated and ready to fry.
  • Put your frying pan on a medium heat. Put some oil in. Once it is hot, place each fish piece in. Cook both sides until you get a golden brown. 

Fresh Spinach Kimchi

  • Give your spinach a rinse under cold water. Let it drip-off excess water.
  • Then make the marinade: Mix gochuargu, sugar, minced garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil.
  • Take a few spoonfuls of this marinade and place into a bowl. Then toss the spinach in it.
  • Plate and garnish with a few shakes of sesame seeds

Shiitake Mushroom & Zucchini Stir-fry

  • Cut mushroom, zucchini and onions into thin slices. 
  • Take out a small mixing bowl. Place zucchini slices in. And season them with a few shakes of salt (not too much!). Set aside.
  • Take out another mixing bowl. Make mushroom marinade sauce. Then place the mushroom slices into the marinade and give a quick mix. Set aside.
  • Now take out a large frying pan. Put some oil in and place on a medium-high heat. Once its hot, place the mushrooms in. Once the mushrooms get a slightly crispy side, add in the zucchini and onions. And once the zucchinis start to slightly wilt, add in the ingredients listed under Stir-fry Seasoning. 
  • Stir-fry everything for 15-20 seconds. Plate and garnish with spring onions. Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • Galchi has many small bones, so I would recommend filleting it first.
  • See video below for more details

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Korean Mussel Soup – Light and Refreshing

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Korean Mussel Soup. Who doesn’t like mussels? It’s light on the stomach and fun to pick at. Perfect for your next Netflix binge. Today, I will show you how to prep mussels the Korean way.

Korean-Mussel-Soup
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Korean Mussel Soup is a very popular type of anju (bar foods) in Seoul. When drinking soju, taking a sip of the mussel soup works well as a chaser. It’s often the first thing that many people order, alongside a few other anju banchans.

One of my favorite dining bars in Seoul also provide a few packets of Spicy Shin Ramen. They use the leftover broth from the mussel soup, throw in the noodles, and instantly make a bowl of spicy seafood ramen. It’s my favorite part! The mussel broth adds a nice layer of umami to the ramen. A few slurps of this spicy ramen and the whole table regains enough energy… for another round of soju 🙂

건배 ya’ll!

Korean Mussel Soup
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Korean Mussel Soup - Killer Broth!

Today, we boil fresh mussels and use its natural flavors to make a light and refreshing broth. Perfect for a light meal. Right before a Netflix binge session!
Course: Easy
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • Fresh Mussels - 1 kg Ok to use less, 500-600 grams
  • Onion - 1/2 a whole
  • Spring onion - 1 stalk forearm piece
  • Korean chili pepper - 1 whole if using Jalapeno, use 1/2 a whole
  • Water - reference notes
  • Salt - 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Minced garlic - 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Mussel Prep

  • Give your mussels a thorough wash under cold water. Then take a quick inspection: Fresh mussels should be tightly closed OR they should close when you tap them. Throw out the shells that are wide-open or unresponsive.
  • Then pull the "beards" off each mussel. (Some may not have one.) If you see barnacles or other debris on the shell, use another shell to scrape it off. 
  • Give the shells a final rinse under cold water.

Make Pot

  • Use a large frying pan with high walls or a wide pot. Place cleaned mussels in. Then pour enough water to almost submerge the mussels (reference video).
  • Cut the 1/2 onion in half again. Then chop the spring onion stalk in half. Use a knife to split the chili pepper. Place all of them into the pot.
  • Put the pot on high heat and bring it up to a boil.
  • Once pot begins to boil, reduce the heat to a medium-high. Add in minced garlic and salt. (Note: You will see alot of foam on the surface. No need to skim that off - it will disappear by itself soon)
  • Once most of the foam disappears, the soup and mussels should be ready to eat. Turn off heat. 
  • Garnish pot with a few slices of spring onion and chili peppers. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you want to make ramen, save some of the broth: ~2 cups of broth for every package of ramen.
  • For Korean ramen, I would recommend Nongshim Shin Ramen or Neoguri Ramen
  • Reference the video below for more details

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