According to another
“National Food Days” calendar I found, January 13th is National
Korean-American Day. Which, of course,
got me to thinking about my experiences with Korean cuisine, and how few they
were. It was not till the middle to
later 2000s that Korean food began to make an appearance in the food truck
scene. Korean “tacos” became all the rage,
and suddenly restaurants began opening offering Korean style “barbecue”.
Korean barbecue is called
Bulgogi which translates to “fire meat”, and, originally, it was only a beef
dish. Pork and chicken are now included
as folks wanted more of a variety. The
marinade used for beef is also used for pork, and chicken has a more subtle
type. Let’s take a step backwards, in time, and see how this recipe originated.
A quote, from an article
in Smithsonian Magazine, about Bulgogi, sums up its historical background, “According
to the peer-reviewed Korea Journal, the dish’s origins stretch back to the
Goguryeo era (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.), the evolution of a kabob-like skewered meat
preparation called maekjeok. Over time, maekjeok became seoryamyeok, a brothy
dish of marinated beef soaked in cold water, which by the early 20th century
gave way to neobiani, a luxurious dish of thinly-sliced, marinated and
charbroiled beef favored by Korean royalty.”
In other words, the recipe began with grilling, turned into a sort of
soup, and then returned to being grilled.
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Kimchi, Savory Korean Pancakes with Grilled Salmon and Chopped Vegetables.| Bulgogi Beef, Bulgogi Inside Egg Roll Wraps and Deep Fried, Bulgogi Chicken Lettuce Wraps, |
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I have tried all three
meats, in various forms, which gives a variety of taste, texture and
scent. Beef wrapped in egg roll wrappers
and deep fried adds crunch to the tender beef while an explosion of sauce
bursts forth. Thinly sliced pork plus
the addition of thinly sliced raw, and crunchy, vegetables, wrapped in lettuce
leaves has a fresher flavor combination.
Pieces of marinated and grilled chicken, topped over steamed rice, has
more of a comfort food aura surrounding it.
If doing the lettuce wrap sounds enticing, use a type of butter lettuce
such as Bibb or Boston. The leaves are
smaller than iceberg or romaine, sweeter in taste and more pliable for wrapping
around ingredients.
There are various methods
to making Bulgogi:
Grills
Tabletop grill or small
barbecue is the traditional method.
Wood chip barbecue grill
gives a smokier flavor addition to the meats.
Charcoal grill: The
marinade, juices, and fats drip onto the coals, burn, and then come back to “smoke”
the meats.
Pans
Cast iron pan: Retains
heat well which allows for even cooking and a better sear.
Griddle: Can be used on
the stovetop or on a grill
Skillet: Can be used to
cook thin slices of meat
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Bulgogi Beef and Deep Fried Inside Egg Roll Wrappers
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Now for the marinades, for
beef and pork (using 2 lbs. of meat), the ingredients are:
6 Tbsp. soy sauce (low
salt is fine too)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Japanese rice wine
aka Mirin
1 cup of peeled and diced
red apple, Asian pear or pineapple.
¼ cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
1/8 tsp. ground black
pepper
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Bulgogi Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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The marinade ingredients
for chicken (using 1 lb.) are:
3 Tbsp. soy sauce (low
salt is fine too)
1 and ½ Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Japanese rice wine
aka Mirin
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. sesame oil
Pinch of ground black
pepper
Preparation is similar for
all meats:
Thinly slice beef or pork;
cut up, into 1-inch pieces, the chicken; place in sealable container.
Place all ingredients for
marinade into blender and blend until smooth.
Pour over meat in container, mix to coat, seal and refrigerate for four
hours. Remove meat from marinade and
grill on medium-high heat.
The excess marinade can be
put into a small pan, high heat, and reduce to a thicker sauce for the grilled
meat.
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| Kimchi |
A traditional Korean side
dish is Kimchi which is a salted and fermented vegetable, usually Napa cabbage
or Koran radish. The seasonings added
are Korean chili powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (a salted
seafood). Korean chili powder is called gochutgaru
which has a vibrant red color, the texture may vary from fine powder to flakes,
and the heat level from mildly hot to very hot.
In Northern Korean, kimchi is on the milder side of hot, while in
Southern Korean, they like it hot-hot-hot. Kimchi is eaten on a global scale, and can
often be found at Asian restaurants offering a buffet menu. Kimchi is similar to sauerkraut, since they
both are typically made within ceramic containers. However, the kimchi process is shorter in
time and is spicy in nature, while sauerkraut is sour.
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Savory Korean Pancakes with Grilled Salmon and Chopped Vegetables.
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Leftover bulgogi, if there
is any, and kimchi can be used to make Korean pancakes. These pancakes are of a more savory nature
than the typical breakfast pancake we eat in the USA.
A batter of flour and egg
is pan-fried with chopped vegetables, meats and seasonings having been added to
the batter, and is similar to a fritter.
The dipping sauce for the pancakes is a combination of soy sauce,
Japanese rice wine and red pepper flakes.
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Pancake Batter with Added Ingredients
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| Fry One Side. |
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Flip and Fry Other Side
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If you are lucky, and
happen to live in an area which has Korean restaurants or food trucks, and
stores to buy ingredients, do yourself the favor and try this cuisine. If not, online shopping will provide the
ingredients, and making it at home can be a great experience in learning
something new.
Mary Cokenour
