Tag Archives: korean food

JAPCHAE

Posted on by
Reply

Set aside a bit of time to make this dish – today it took me 2 1/2 hours but it makes a lot, and keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of days. Just call it kitchen yoga and you are guaranteed to feel quite smug.

This Korean noodle dish is truly crave worthy. If anything, tastes even better the next day but don’t let that stop you from making and eating it for dinner the same day! It took a bit of effort to find potato starch noodles but it was worth the effort. They have a springy texture that is unlike any other noodle I’ve had.

  • 12 ounces (340g) of pork loin or steak – cut into very thin slivers
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine (shaoxing)
  • 1 /2 tsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil

I’ve also learned a new technique through J.Kenji Lopez-Alt about velveting meat for stir frying, and trust me, it makes a huge difference!

First, give your meat a little bath – scrub it in running water and then squeeze to drain it really well.

Combine the meat with all the other ingredients in a bowl and massage it vigorously – I like my using my hands but feel free to use a spoon if you prefer. Set aside for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for 4 hours or so.

Blanch spinach or kale in boiling water, cool and chop a little.

Stir in:

  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt

10 ounces (280 gr) of sweet. potato starch noodles (Dangmyeon) – cooked acording to package

Sauce for noodles:

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar

Once noodles are cooked, drained and rinsed, cut them into smaller pieces and stir with the sauce. Set aside.

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 3 scallions, cut in 3 ” pieces
  • 1 pack of baby spinach or kale (as much as you like, really)
  • bean sprouts (as many as you like)

OPTIONAL:

  • raw carrot strands
  • slivered snap peas
  • pea shoots
  • cucumber, thinly sliced

Japchae sauce

  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP sesame oil
  • 1 TBSP gojuchang (korean spice paste)

Stir well in a large bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning. I usually use low sodium soy sauce but using Gluten Free soy sauce, now that Stella is Celiac, we are all learning to cook without any wheat in our products, so initially I found this a bit salty, I adjusted with a little rice vinegar and touch of oil. (Basically, the vinaigrette I had made and in the fridge)

UPDATE – see below for a sauce suitable for all gluten free folks – it was so good!

Time to stir fry the veg!

In a wok or large fry pan heat vegetable oil and stir fry onion and red pepper until soft and set aside. Then stir fry any other vegetable you choose to add.

I like to have a mix of raw and stir fried veg……

Heat wok again and add some vegetable oil – stir fry the meat, and add in the bean sprouts and kale or spinach, fry just until softened. Add back the red pepper, onion, garlic mix as well as the cooked noodles. Toss well to warm everything through and then add to the bowl with the sauce, mixing well

Once you have everything prepared, toss it all with the sauce. My usual tactic is to put all the veg in the bowl and then gradually add the sweet potato noodles, that way I don’t overload the bowl with too many noodles. Just ask Mike, I’m guilty of cooking more noodles than needed – always.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chives or green onions for a little color.

Sit back and enjoy! Pour yourself a glass of well deserved wine.

Todays version included sautéed mini bok choy. You could easily call this a clean out the fridge noodle dish, anything goes! This doesn’t have any meat in it at all, I felt like some Korean grilled chicken thighs – a bit of sweet, spicy and char makes it perfect. That is on the grill separately. If you leave it as is, you’ve got a great vegetarian dinner!

This was all the sautéed vegetables in tonights dish – each in the pan at separate times. I know, I’m fussy that way – go ahead and throw it all in at once if you like, and let me know if it makes any difference …. haha

Here are the raw veg – along with the cooked sweet potato noodles. – today was spiral carrots, bean sprouts, pea sprouts and slivered snap peas.

JAPCHAE SAUCE GLUTEN FREE VERSION

3 TBSP GF soy sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1/2 TBSP sesame oil

Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. I added a bit of chili oil for a little kick, but honestly, this was fantastic, and we all loved it.

If you can find gojuchang free of malt barley, then you could just use the original sauce recipe.

, , , , , , , , ,

Korean Kimchi Noodles

Posted on by
Reply

img_3504

Don’t you just love a noodle dish that is as versatile as whatever you have in your fridge or garden??  This is just what you need.  

NOODLES

  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup coloured bell peppers, diced
  • 1/2 cup slivered cabbage
  • 1/2 cup kimchi, diced fine (if you absolutely love kimchi go ahead and use more!)
  • 1/2 cup snap peas, sliced thinly
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 Pound fresh noodles

GARNISH

  • Scallion, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Korean Chile Flake, Cilantro and Egg for Garnish

SAUCE

  • 1/4 Cup Gochujang paste
  • 2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 2 TBSP sesame oil
  • 2 TBSP rice vinegar 
  • 1 tsp natural sugar
  1. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
  2. Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the package instructions. Strain the noodles and rinse well. Drain and set aside.
  3. Prepare the kimchi & vegetables and stir fry until almost cooked, then add in the bean sprouts – remove from pan and set aside.  Add bit of oil to the pan,  stir in the pork and cook 2 minutes. Add in the sauce, reserved vegetables and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in the noodles. Stir well to mix and coat.
  4. Serve with garnishes to taste.
img_3499

These are the assorted vegetables I had on hand today, and with the sauce it was delicious.  This makes a full meal in one if you pack in enough vegetables along with a little protein (if you are so inclined).  It certainly doesn’t have to be ground pork.  Today I had a wee bit of ground pork in the freezer so I used that along with some shrimp, (chopped up) but it could just as easily be any ground meat or tofu.

Today’s version was ground beef,

 

Korean Bibimbap

Posted on by
Reply

Quick disclaimer here …. this is unapologetically inauthentic!  At Fat Boy Moves in Mexico City we ate Bibimbap a couple of times and this is my version of trying to replicate that in my own kitchen, minus of course the stone bowl to serve it in….

Bibimbap

What’s missing you say?  Any authentic Bibimbap will have a soft egg on top!

In terms of recipes, this is more of a guideline.  I’m sure you can find lots of real, true Korean Bibimbap recipes out there, but for my own preferences, in my kitchen, this was pretty delicious.  I think it is key to have either a cast iron frying pan or a stainless steel pan to get the rice nice and crusty.

First, make a sauce:

  • 1/4 cup soya sauce
  • 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp chile garlic sauce
  • 1 tbsp gojuchang

Taste the sauce, I can’t say that enough, make sure it is delicious …. each of those components will be slightly different by brand so hit a balance you like.

Second, make pickled cucumbers:

  • cut about a 4 inch piece of cucumber in half, lengthwise
  • scoops out seeds and slice very thinly

Put cucumbers in a bowl, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each of salt and sugar.  Sprinkle with 2 tbsp rice vinegar and mix well.  Set aside.

To assemble you will need:

  • cooked rice
  • protein (if you like, easy to just make it vegetarian also)
  • stir fried veg
  • pickled cucumbers
  • sesame seeds
  • cilantro
  • slivered chives

Thinly sliver nori sheet and toast until crispy

If you are using a protein, cover your steak, chicken or prawns with a light bit of gojuchang and allow to marinade for an hour.  Grill, and once rested, slice into bite size pieces.

Prepare the vegetables you are going to use, today I used coloured sweet peppers, onions, snow peas, bok choy and cabbage.

Heat fry pan until very hot, add neutral oil and sauce some ginger and garlic.  Add in vegetables and stir fry just until tender.  Set aside.

Reheat the pan, barely cover the bottom with sesame oil and then cover the bottom with the rice.  Allow to sit undisturbed until the rice is heated through and the bottom develops a nice golden brown crust.

Centre your cooked vegetables on the rice, scatter the protein around the edge and garnish with the pickled cucumber, toasted nori and sesame seeds.  Drizzle over the prepared sauce and enjoy!

 

KFC – Korean Fried Cauliflower

Posted on by
Reply

KFC

Slightly spicy, slightly sticky and a world of deliciousness.  Welcome to KFC.

I can tell you right now, this is worthy of the time investment.  Hayley had mentioned this dish to me years ago, when she and Andrea had it in Vancouver.  I was intrigued at that point, and tried it in a few restaurants, without feeling the love.  (at least not the love Andrea and Hayley expressed)   We finally did experience that, in Mexico City of all places!  Fat Boy Moves is the name of a Korean restaurant there, and it had such amazing reviews we had to try it out.  We went twice.  This cauliflower is the one item that makes Grant say he could be vegetarian … me too.  Once we got home I went on the search.  There are lots of recipes out there, but none of them had the steps or the ingredients I thought it would take to get that taste experience you just can’t get enough of.  Finally, with a recipe sourced out of “Carbon Bar” (restaurant in Toronto) I think I’ve nailed it.  The sauce makes more than you will need, so just enjoy that, and use it on whatever you feel like.

(sidebar here …. I have no idea if this is authentically Korean, but we had it in a Korean restaurant, so I’m calling it Korean!)

1 head cauliflower

green onions (for garnish)

Cauliflower

BUTTERMILK MIXTURE

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 sprigs finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

FLOUR MIXTURE

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tbsp baking powder

KFC SAUCE

  • 1 cup gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste)
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it and add cauliflower florets.  Cook for only 1 minute, then shock in ice water bath and allow to drain completely.

To make the KFC sauce, combine all ingredients in heavy bottom saucepan and stir until it comes to a boil.  Reduce heat and continue to stir occasionally until it reduces slightly and becomes somewhat like a syrup.  (Should take about 15 min) Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  This keeps well in the fridge for 10-14 days in a covered container.

KFC Sauce

Whisk buttermilk with cayenne pepper, nutmeg and thyme.  Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 4 days to allow seasonings to permeate buttermilk.

Whisk flour and dry ingredients together.

If you have a deep fryer, set it to 350, if not use a heavy bottom, deep saucepan and about 8 cups of vegetable oil for frying.  If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a chopstick into the oil … if little bubbles form around the chopstick you are ready to go!

Put your buttermilk mixture, and your flour mixture into separate large bowls.

Toss handfuls of florets into flour mixture and shake off excess flour.  Using a slotted spoon, dip cauliflower into buttermilk and again, let excess drip off.  Roll wet cauliflower back in flour mixture again, to coat.  Place on plate.  Repeat until all florets have been coated.

In small batches, carefully place florets in hot oil.  Do not overcrowd your pot or the temperature will drop and the florets will stick together.  You don’t want either to happen!  Fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel line plate.

In large bowl toss fried cauliflower with about 3/4 cup of the KFC sauce until each is covered lightly and evenly.  Garnish with the green onions and serve immediately.

Prepare to be licking your fingers, looking for more, and already planning the next time you’ll make it.

Messy kitchen

Sadly, this is what my kitchen looked like by the time I finished. Was it worth it?  You bet, a thousand times yes, and I’ll be doing it again soon.  (and, I have no idea why the reflection out the window looks more like an apartment building and not like the tomato field it is …..)