K-food expands in select foreign markets

A host of Korean food items have made headway in overseas markets this year, despite little knowledge overseas of Korean cuisine.

According to foreign media, CJ Foods saw its exports of Korean food to Britain jump 135 percent this year, with big chain supermarkets such as Tesco and ASDA offering more Korean products. 

Foodies can now find kkakdugi, a cube-shaped radish kimchi, in a trendy steakhouse chain in London called Hawksmoor, as its chefs serve main dishes with typical Korean side dishes.

The Guardian ran a column on the advantages of dolsot bibimbap, a mix of rice and various condiments and vegetables, explaining how it is served in a stone pot with red pepper paste. The New York Times also praised the Korean style beef-rib stew as easy to cook at home. 

The making of “somaek” (mixture of soju and beer), popular among Koreans, is also drawing attention from foreigners interested in Korean drinking culture. 

By Yoon Ha-youn, Intern reporter
(yhayoun@heraldcorp.com)

Saeu mandu (shrimp dumplings)

Saeu mandu (shrimp dumplings) (Korean Bapsang)

Saeu mandu, as the name suggests, is a variation of Korean dumplings made with shrimp as the main ingredient. This recipe is simply made with shrimp and some vegetables, but you can mix in some ground pork or beef for another layer of flavor and texture. I’m also showing you how to make homemade dumpling wrappers. It’s really not that hard to make wrappers at home. All you need is good old all-purpose flour, salt and water. Homemade wrappers are more resilient and durable to work with, and taste much better. Once you try homemade wrappers, it will be hard to go back to store-bought wrappers. I hope you and your family gather around the table to make some mandu during this holiday season. Happy New Year!

Ingredients:
• For the wrappers (makes about 33 wrappers):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (medium strength) and more for dusting

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup hot water 


For the filling: 
• 350 grams raw shrimp

• 280 grams green cabbage

• 110 grams fresh mushroom caps, stems removed (shiitake, button or crimini)

• 1/2 small onion

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (or juiced)

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• Salt to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

• Pinch of pepper 

For the wrappers:
Add 2 cups of flour to a large bowl. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 2/3 cup hot water. Add the water to the flour in a steady stream while mixing quickly.

Keep mixing by hand until the dough comes together.

You can knead in the bowl, or turn it out on a lightly floured surface to knead. Knead with the heel of your hand until the dough is fairly smooth, for 4-5 minutes. The dough should feel slightly stiff. You can adjust the dough by kneading in a little more flour or more water. Cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. (This is a good time to start making the filling.)

When it’s ready, the dough should feel soft and smooth.

Now, using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4 long pieces on a lightly floured work surface. Roll each piece with both hands to make a thin log, 2 to 2 1/2 centimeters in diameter. Cover the remaining dough to keep it from drying out.

Cut each log into 2 to 2 1/2-centimeter pieces. Press the cut side with the thumbs to flatten to a small disk. Dust and roll out each disk with a small rolling pin to a thin 7- to 8-centimeter circle. (You can use a round cookie cutter, if you want.) Make a few wrappers at a time and wrap the filling in. Always cover the dough that’s not being used. 

For the filling:
Peel, devein and rinse the shrimp. Finely chop or pulse several times in a food processor.

Finely chop the cabbage. Mix with 1 teaspoon of salt. (If using a food processor, add salt with the cabbage before pulsing.) Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water. Finely chop the onion and mushrooms.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well by hand.

To assemble:
Place a tablespoon of the filling on a wrapper. You don’t need to wet the edges of the homemade wrapper. Seal tightly, pushing the air out with your fingers, into a half-moon shape. (You can add pleats if desired.) Dust the bottom of the dumpling with flour to keep it from sticking as the skin absorbs the moisture from the filling. Repeat this process until all the filling-wrappers are used.

To cook:
For jjin mandu (steamed), steam the dumplings for about 10 minutes in a steamer. Make sure to line the steamer with a wet cheesecloth or paper towel to prevent the mandu from sticking.

For mul mandu (boiled), bring a pot of water to a boil. Add mandu, stirring gently so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot, a few at a time, and cook until all of them come up to the surface. Continue to cook for another minute or two. 

For gun mandu (pan fried), heat the pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the dumplings, making sure they aren’t touching each other. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan, and cover immediately with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and steam for 4-5 minutes. 

Baechu doenjang guk (Napa cabbage doenjang soup)

Baechu doenjang guk (Napa cabbage doenjang soup) (Korean Bapsang)

Doenjang, fermented soybean paste, is a staple Korean condiment and used as a base for stew or soup. As with doenjang jjigae (stew), doenjang guk (soup) is also one of the most representative Korean home-cooked dishes. While the stew version is typically hearty, thick and pungent, the soup is light and mild and has more broth. 

The doenjang-based soup made with baechu (Napa cabbage) is called baechu doenjang guk. Koreans cooking at home usually save the water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul, and use it for this soup. The rice water adds starch to the soup and works as a binding agent between the doenjang and the broth, while enhancing the flavor of the doenjang. The hint of gochujang (red chili pepper paste) in this recipe also brings out the flavor of the doenjang without overpowering it. If you have this classic soup along with a bowl of rice and some kimchi, you’ll have a satisfying meal!

3 to 4 servings

Ingredients:
● 12 medium-size dried anchovies 

● 1/4 head medium-size baechu (Napa cabbage) ― about 450 grams

● 2 tablespoons of doenjang (Korean soybean paste)

● 1 teaspoon of gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)

● 1 tablespoon of guk ganjang (soup soy sauce) 

● 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

● 2 scallions, cut into 5-centimeter pieces

● Salt and pepper to taste

Make anchovy broth by boiling, uncovered, about 12 medium-size dried anchovies in 6 cups of water (or water used to rinse the rice) for 8 to 10 minutes. Fish out the anchovies and discard.

While the broth is being made, cut the cabbage into 5- to 7-centimeter pieces.

Stir the soybean paste and red pepper paste into the broth, or run them through a strainer in the broth. The latter process helps dissolve the pastes easier and catches any big chunks of beans remaining in the soybean paste. Add the soup soy sauce to the broth.

Add the cabbage pieces, cover and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the cabbage becomes soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic, and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the salt, if necessary, and pepper to taste.

Dakgaejang (spicy chicken soup)

Dakgaejang is a variation of yukgaejang that is made with chicken. Yukgaejang is a popular spicy soup made with shredded beef and lots of scallions and other vegetables. The chicken version is traditionally made with boiled chicken. However, I often make it with leftovers of a roasted whole chicken (store-bought or homemade) or turkey. Those leftover bones are perfect for making stock. So, here’s how to make a delicious, spicy soup with chicken or turkey leftovers. 

4 servings

Ingredients: 
● 8 cups chicken/turkey stock (see below for recipe)

● 2 cups (or more) cooked chicken/turkey meat, shred into bite sizes

● 1-2 bunches scallions

● 200 grams sukjunamul (mung bean sprouts)

● 3 dry shiitake mushrooms, soaked until plump (use more if using fresh mushrooms)

● 2 tablespoons gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes)

● 2 tablespoons sesame oil

● 1 tablespoon gochujang (red chili pepper paste)

● 3 tablespoons guk ganjang (soup soy sauce)

● 2 teaspoons minced garlic

● Salt and pepper to taste

Pull the meat from the bones and shred into thin strips.

Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for a minute. Drop them in cold water, and drain. Cut the scallions into about 10-centimeter lengths. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

In a sauce pan, heat the sesame oil until hot (but not smoking hot) over low heat. Add the chili pepper flakes, and turn the heat off. Stir gently until the oil turns red and the chili pepper flakes become pasty. Do not burn the flakes. 

Add the meat, bean sprouts, mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce, and garlic to the sesame oil mixture and mix well. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the meat and vegetables into the stock. Stir in the gochujang and 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.

Throw in the scallions. Continue to boil for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a bowl of rice.

Quick chicken/turkey stock:
● Remains of roasted chicken/turkey

● 1/2 medium onion, halved and peeled 1 bay leaf

● 3-4 garlic cloves 

Remove as much meat as possible from the chicken/turkey carcass, and save to use in the soup. Put the chicken/turkey remains in a large stock pot and fill with water to sufficiently cover the bones. Break up the bones if they are too big to fit in the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about an hour (longer if desired). Cool and pour through a strainer into a large bowl. You can use a fat separator to remove the fat, or keep it in the fridge until the fat solidifies and then spoon it off.

Miyeok guk, (Sea vegetable soup)

Miyeok guk (sea vegetable soup). (Korean Bapsang)

Miyeok guk is a soup made with dried miyeok (also known as wakame), which is a sea vegetable. It is a mild and tasty soup typically made with beef or seafood (such as clams or mussels). Here, I made it with mussels. Soak the dried miyeok in water to soften it, cut it into bite-sized pieces and saute with sesame oil before adding the water and mussels. Sesame oil is a must for miyeok guk. It adds a nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness to the soup. More so than other Korean dishes, this soup has a special significance for Koreans. Korean mothers eat this soup for weeks after giving birth, since miyeok contains nutrients thought to help with recovery from childbirth and the production of breast milk. Because this soup is symbolically associated with birth, miyeok guk is the soup Koreans eat on their birthdays. It’s also a staple soup that is enjoyed all year round.

4 servings

Ingredients:
● 30 grams dried miyeok (yields about 2 cups soaked) 

● 2 teaspoons sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce (gukganjang)

● 6 cups water

● 10 mussels

● Salt and pepper

Soak the dried miyeok for about 30 minutes. Rinse 2 or 3 times, squeezing or kneading after each rinse (as if you are working with bread dough) to remove excess salt used in the drying process and rinse off any hidden sand. Drain well and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a large pot, saute the miyeok with the sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes over a medium-high heat. Add the water, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low. Cover, and boil for about 15 minutes. Drop the mussels in. Add salt and pepper to taste. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.

Seolleongtang (beef bone soup)

Seolleongtang (beef bone soup) (Korean Bapsang)

Seolleongtang is a milky beef bone soup that’s made by boiling beef leg bones for several hours until the broth becomes rich and creamy white. Yes, it takes time, but most of it is stove time. You can do other things around the house while this is boiling away in the kitchen. The results are totally rewarding! A couple of kilograms of beef bones make lots of rich and nourishing soup. Legend has it that this soup was created because King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty wanted to feed a large number of people after an ancestral worship ritual involving a sacrificial cow. The King had the right idea!

In making a Western-style beef stock or Vietnamese pho broth, the cooks aim for a clear, brown broth by simmering beef bones for many hours. In contrast, the goal in making seolleongtang is to achieve a milky white broth. What’s done differently? It’s the heat level! For a clear broth, the bones are gently simmered over low heat. Simmering, by definition, is cooking at a temperature below the boiling point with bubbles gently rising to the top. For a milky broth, you need to boil moderately, not simmer, throughout the cooking time.

Ingredients:
● 1.5 to 2 kilograms beef leg bones (including marrow and knuckles), cut up

● 600 to 800 grams of beef brisket (yangjimeori) or shank meat (satae)

For serving:
● Cooked rice

● Cooked somyeon (or glass) noodles

● Thinly sliced meat (boiled in the broth)

● Lots of chopped scallions

● Salt and pepper

Soak the bones in cold water for about 2 hours (or longer if you have time) to draw out as much blood as possible. Rinse well, and drain.

Soak the meat in another bowl for about 2 hours to draw out as much blood as possible. Drain. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.

Add the bones to a large stockpot with enough cold water to submerge them. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil for 5 minutes.

Drain. Rinse the bones, and clean out the pot to remove any brown bits. Return the bones to the pot.

Fill up the pot with cold water, leaving a little room for boiling. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover, and boil until the broth becomes rich and milky, for about 3-4 hours (or longer if you have time). Adjust the heat a little, if necessary, to maintain a moderate boil. Add more water once or twice while boiling so that the bones are under the water level.

Add the soaked meat and more water if needed. Boil until the meat is tender, for 1.5-2 hours. Remove the meat. Once cooled, thinly slice the meat to add to the soup when serving.

Pour the broth through a colander into another pot or a large bowl to cool. You can use a fat separator to remove the fat, or keep it in the fridge (or out on the deck or balcony in the winter) until the fat solidifies and then spoon off the fat.

Optional step (highly recommended): Fill up the pot with the used bones and fresh water again. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover, and boil until the broth becomes rich and milky, for 3-5 hours. Reduce the heat a little, as necessary, to maintain a moderate boil. Add more water if the liquid reduces too quickly while boiling. Pour the milky broth through a colander into the pot or large bowl that contains the first batch. You can repeat this one more time, if desired. Just mix them all at the end to even it out.

To serve, place some rice and, if desired, some noodles in a serving bowl, add the meat pieces and then ladle the hot broth on top. Typically, chopped scallions, salt and pepper are served separately so each person can season to taste. Serve piping hot with kimchi.

Kkaegangjeong (sesame crunch)

Kkaegangjeong (sesame crunch) (Korean Bapsang)

Variations of sesame crunch are eaten all over the world. Korean sesame crunch is called kkaegangjeong. It’s a sweet treat that’s served during traditional holidays in Korea. Kkaegangjeong also makes a great Christmas gift. Add some nuts to create different textures and flavors. You can use any of your favorite nuts (peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, etc.). I used a combination of pumpkin seeds and pine nuts in this recipe. You’ll be very surprised how quick and easy it is to make. It’s nutty, crunchy and much healthier than most holiday cookies. I hope this recipe will become a family favorite during the holiday season!

Ingredients:
● 3 tablespoons honey 

● 3 tablespoons sugar

● Pinch of salt

● 1 tablespoon water

● 1 cup roasted sesame seeds

● 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds and pine nuts (or other nuts of your choice) 

● Parchment paper

Mix the honey, sugar, salt and water in a pan. Stir over medium-low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until it turns light golden brown.

Stir in the sesame seeds and nuts. Stir well until everything is well-coated with the syrup.

Place the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper. Let cool for a minute. Press it down to flatten it. Roll it out with a rolling pin to make a 1 centimeter-thick rectangle. Using the side of a knife, push in the rough edges to make straight lines. Use rolling pin again to even thickness, if necessary.

When the sesame crunch is hardened but still slightly warm, cut with a sharp knife into desired sizes