Jangjorim (soy-braised beef)

Jangjorim is a soy-braised beef dish. It’s a slightly sweet, salty side dish that’s meant to be eaten in small amounts. So, a little bit of meat goes a long way. Back in the day, when beef was scarce, jangjorim was an economical way to put some beef on the table for the whole family. It’s also a popular side dish for lunch boxes. Growing up, it was the most exciting thing to see in my lunch box.

Beef eye round is commonly used, but I prefer brisket (yangjimeori) or shank (satae) because they are more flavorful. Small blocks of beef are first cooked in water, along with a few aromatic vegetables, and then cooked in soy sauce-based broth. The beef will turn tough if cooked in soy sauce from the beginning. I boil the aromatic vegetables, to make a flavorful broth, before adding the beef to cook. Shred a block of beef or two and pour the sauce over to serve.

Ingredients:
● 600 grams beef brisket (or shank)

● 1/2 medium onion

● 2 scallions (white parts)

● 150 grams of Korean radish (mu), cut into big chunks

● 7 garlic cloves

● 3 thin ginger slices (about 3-centimeter rounds)

● 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns (or ground pepper to taste)

● 5 tablespoons soy sauce

● 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce

● 3 tablespoons sugar

● 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirim)

● 2 to 3 chili peppers (dried or fresh green or red peppers)

●1 piece (7-centimeter square) dried kelp

Cut the beef into small blocks (about 5-by-7-centimeter pieces).

In a covered medium pot, bring 6-7 cups of water and the next six ingredients to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes over medium high heat.

Drop the meat into the pot. Bring it to a gentle boil, and remove the scum. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and boil for about 30 minutes.

Remove the meat. Drain the liquid, reserving the broth.

Add 2 cups of the broth back to the pot. (You can save the remaining broth to make a soup or stew later.) Add the meat and sauce ingredients. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and boil for 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced to about one-third. Add the chili peppers and dried kelp with about 7-8 minutes of time remaining.

Remove the kelp, and transfer the meat and sauce to an airtight container.

Shred the meat and pour some sauce over to serve. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 10 days. If you want to keep it longer, boil the meat and sauce again after a few days. The meat will become hard in the fridge. You can soften it by leaving the shredded beef out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or microwaving it for 10-15 seconds.

Dakgangjeong (glazed crispy chicken)

Dakgangjeong (Korean Bapsang)

Dakgangjeong is a deep-fried crispy chicken dish glazed in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce. It’s traditionally made with a whole chicken that’s been cut up. However, dakgangjeong made with bite-sized boneless chicken pieces is quicker and easier to make. 

The sauce is sweet and tangy with a little spicy kick from the gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). It’s far from fiery hot, but reduce or omit the gochujang if you’d like. You can replace gochujang partially or entirely with ketchup. It’s common to use ketchup in a dakgangjeong sauce for a milder taste. You can also boost the heat level by simmering the sauce with a little bit of gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) or whole dried red peppers.

The result is crispy tender chicken that’s sweet, tangy and spicy, all in one bite.

Ingredients:
● 450 grams boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast

● 1/2 cup milk (optional)

● 1/4 teaspoon salt

● Pinch of pepper

● 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

● 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

● 1 tablespoon rice wine 

● 1/3 cup potato starch (or corn starch)

● Oil for deep frying

Sauce:
● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)

● 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

● 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)

● 3 tablespoons honey (or corn or rice syrup)

● 2 teaspoons sesame oil

● 2 tablespoons brown sugar

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon grated ginger

● Pinch of pepper

● 1-2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts (or almonds) for garnish

Soak the chicken pieces in milk for at least two hours in the fridge. This step is optional. 

Drain thoroughly. Remove any visible fat. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix with the salt, pepper, rice wine, garlic and ginger. Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a pan, add all the sauce ingredients and stir well. Bring it to a boil. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until it thickens slightly, about three to four minutes. Turn the heat off.

Add the potato (or corn) starch to the chicken, and mix well to coat evenly.

Add about 2.5 cm of oil to a heavy bottom pan. When the oil is sufficiently hot (180 degrees C or when it starts smoking), drop the chicken pieces in one at a time. Fry them in two batches, as overcrowding will drop the oil temperature too quickly. Cook until light golden brown, one to two minutes. Remove and set them on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate.

Reheat the oil to 180 degrees C. Deep-fry again until golden brown, about 30 to 40 seconds. You can do the second frying in one batch.

Heat the sauce over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and stir well until the chicken pieces are evenly coated. 

Putbaechu doenjang muchim

Putbaechu (young cabbage) doenjang muchim (Korean Bapsang)

This recipe is a country-style vegetable side dish. It’s simply seasoned with doenjang, fermented soybean paste, hence the name doenjang muchim. Young cabbage, called putbaechu or eolgari, is one of the vegetables commonly used for this dish. Any other green leafy vegetable would also work. Just remember to adjust the blanching time. You can add a little gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) or gochujang (red chili pepper paste) to make it a bit spicy or sweeten it with a bit of sugar. I like to keep it simple and savor the unique, deep flavor of the doenjang. 

Ingredients:
● 2 bunches young cabbage, putbaechu (about 300 grams each)

● 1 tablespoon (or to taste) doenjang, fermented soybean paste

● 2 teaspoons sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Trim off the roots from the cabbage. Wash thoroughly until there is no sand in the water. 

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Blanch the cabbage until the white parts turn soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot and shock in cold water to stop the cooking. 

Drain and squeeze out water. Cut into 5- to 6-centimeter lengths. 

Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything well by hand. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes before serving for the flavor of the seasonings to seep into the cabbage.

Janchi guksu

Janchi guksu (Korean Bapsang)

Janchi guksu, which translates to “banquet/feast noodles,” is a simple warm noodle dish made with thin wheat-flour noodles (somyeon) in a clear anchovy or beef broth. It is typically topped with thin strips of beef, egg and vegetables such as zucchini, carrot and kimchi. The noodles can be served with a spicy soy sauce-based sauce (yangnyeomjang). Or, you can enjoy the clear and refreshing broth without the sauce. Noodles symbolize long and happy life in Korean culture. Thus, this noodle dish is traditionally served at large feasts such as weddings. The name of the dish comes from that tradition. In my family, this is an easy go-to meal when we crave something warm and light. 

2 servings

Ingredients:

● About 200 grams somyeon noodles

For the anchovy broth:
● 10-12 medium to large dried anchovies (myeolchi)
● 1 7-centimeter square dried kelp (dasima/kombu)
● 100 grams Korean radish, cut into 5-centimeter cubes
● 1/2 onion
● 2 garlic cloves
● The white of 1 scallion 
● 6 cups water 
● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce ― gukganjang 

For the toppings:● 80 grams beef, cut into short, thin strips
● 1 teaspoon soy sauce
● 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
● 1/2 teaspoon sugar
● 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
● pinch black pepper.
● 1/2 zucchini (100 grams), julienned
● 1 small carrot (80 grams), julienned
● 1 egg, beaten and fried into a thin sheet (jidan), then julienned
● 1/2 scallion (green part), chopped

Sauce (yangnyeomjang) ― Optional:● 2 tablespoons soy sauce
● 1 teaspoon Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
● 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
● 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
● 1/2 teaspoon garlic
● 1 scallion finely chopped 
(Mix all sauce ingredients well, and set aside.)

Add all broth ingredients to a medium pot, except the soy sauce. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove anchovies and kelp from the broth. Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and boil for an additional 15 minutes over medium heat. Remove all the vegetables from the broth. Keep it warm over very low heat while preparing the toppings and noodles.

Season the beef strips with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.

Lightly sprinkle salt over the julienned zucchini and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the salted zucchini by hand. Heat a pan with 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Saute the zucchini for 1-2 minutes. 

Heat the pan again with a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Saute the carrots for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Saute the beef in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat until cooked through.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions (about 3 minutes). Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain, and rinse again in cold water. Make two one-serving size mounds as you remove from the water. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.

Place the noodles in a serving bowl. Pour the hot broth over the noodles. Nicely arrange a small amount of each topping on top of the noodles. Finish the dish off with a sprinkle of chopped scallions.

Serve warm with the optional sauce on the side.

Kkaennip (perilla leaf) jeon

Kkaennip (perilla leaf) jeon is a type of jeon that’s pan-fried in egg batter, similar to jeon dishes such as hobakjeon (zucchini) and saengseonjeon (fish). It’s a variation that’s stuffed before being coated with the egg batter. The perilla leaves lend a distinct, robust flavor to the mildly flavored filling and provide an overall textural contrast. You can also stuff zucchini rounds (by cutting out the middle interior) or green chili peppers with the same filling for more variations. Enjoy it as an appetizer or side dish with any Korean meal.

Ingredients:

12 kkaennip (perilla) pieces

For the stuffing:
100 grams zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 small carrot
2 to 3 mushroom caps
1/4 small onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
100 grams ground beef (or pork)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper
1 tablespoon of egg batter

For the batter:
1/4 cup flour
3 large eggs, beaten
Oil for panfrying

Finely chop the zucchini. Lightly salt. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid. 

Finely chop the carrot, mushrooms and onion. Combine all the stuffing ingredients well by hand until evenly blended. 

Wash both sides of the perilla leaves under running water, one leaf at a time. Shake off the excess water. Do not dry completely. Dredge both sides of the perilla leaves in the flour, one leaf at a time.

Place a perilla leaf on your hand. Add about a tablespoon of stuffing to the upper half of the perilla leaf. Spread evenly with a spoon. Bring the other half of the leaf over to cover the stuffing. Lightly flatten it with your hand (do this step for each leaf before the next step).

Heat a large nonstick skillet and lightly oil, using a couple of teaspoons of oil, over medium-low heat. Dip each stuffed leaf, one at a time, in the egg batter, carefully placing it in the heated skillet. You can cook a few of them at once. 

Cook each side for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a teaspoon or two of oil, until slightly golden without browning. Repeat until all the pieces are panfried. Serve warm with a dipping sauce.

Bibim guksu (spicy cold noodles)

Bibim guksu (spicy cold noodles) (Korean Bapsang)

Bibim guksu is a cold noodle dish that is usually made with thin wheat flour noodles (somyeon) or buckwheat noodles (memil guksu). The noodles are typically mixed in a sweet and sour gochujang sauce along with crisp fresh vegetables. You can toss it all together before serving, or arrange everything in a serving bowl so it can be mixed at the table. The latter allows each person to adjust the amount of sauce to his or her liking. 

As with its rice counterpart, bibimbap, this is a very versatile dish. A simple version I recall from my childhood is made only with sliced kimchi and fresh cucumbers. I added red cabbage and lettuce here to create a nice combination of colors, flavors and textures. Carrots, scallions, kkaennip (perilla leaves) or colorful bell peppers would be excellent additions as well. This spicy, cold noodle dish is perfect for warm days.

2 servings

Ingredients:

● 8 ounces buckwheat (memil guksu) or thin wheat flour noodles (somyeon)

● 1 small cucumber, julienned

● 3 to 4 red cabbage leaves, thinly sliced

● 3 to 4 lettuce leaves, thinly sliced

● 1/2 cup thinly sliced kimchi

● 1 boiled egg, cut in half 

Sauce:
● 3 tablespoons gochujang (red chili pepper paste) 

● 1 tablespoon gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) 

● 1 teaspoon hot mustard paste (gyeoja) ― optional 

● 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey or corn syrup) 

● 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

● 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Mix all sauce ingredients, and keep it cool in the fridge. 

Prepare the vegetables, and keep them cool in the fridge, too, or in ice water (drain before using).

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain quickly and shock in icy cold water to stop cooking. Drain and rinse in icy cold water again until the noodles are very cold. Make two one-serving size mounds. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.

Place the noodles in the middle of the serving bowl and nicely arrange the vegetables over the noodles. Top with half a boiled egg. Drop a few ice cubes so the noodles can stay cool while eating. The sauce can be served on top or separately.