Bugeotguk (dried pollack soup)

Bugeotguk (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Bugeotguk is a soup made by boiling seasoned bugeo (dried pollack) after it has been soaked and ripped. Bugeo is available year-round at a low price in Korea and, therefore, bugeotguk is an everyday soup for Koreans. It is believed that bugeo protects the liver and many people have bugeotguk after drinking alcohol.

Ingredients

● 1 dried pollack (skinned yellowish dried pollack)

● seasoning: 1/2 tbsp minced green onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/8 tsp ground white pepper, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

● 100g radish, 20g small green onion, 1/4 ea red pepper

● 1 tsp sesame oil

● 7 cups water, 1 tsp clear soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp salt

● 1 ea egg

1. Remove the head, tail and fins of the dried pollack (55g) and soak in water for 10 sec. Wrap it with damp cotton cloths and let it sit for 30 min.

2. When the dried pollack is soft, take out the bones and spine. Rip it up into about 5 cm-long pieces and season it (120g).

3. Trim and clean the radish, shred it 3 cm-squared and 0.3 cm-thick (90g).

4. Trim and clean the small green onion, cut it into 3~4 cm-long (15g) pieces. Halve the red pepper and seed, then cut it into 3 cm-long and 0.3 cm-wide (4g) pieces.

5. Beat egg.

6. When the pot is preheated, oil and stir-fry the dried pollack and radish together for 1 min. on medium heat. Add water and boil on high heat for 7 min.

7. Reduce the heat to medium and boil for 20 min. more. Season with diluted soy sauce and salt. Put small green onion and red pepper, draw lines with beaten egg on top and bring to the boil.

Tips

● Shred dried pollack may be used for dried pollack soup.

● Bean sprouts may make the soup cool in taste.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Uijeongbu restaurant owners take pride in ‘army base’ stew

UIJEONGBU (Yonhap News) ― In the city of Uijeongbu, about 20 kilometers northeast of Seoul, there is a small road named after a stew, with a sign above it that reads in capital letters, “Uijeongbu Budaejjigae Street.”

According to the owners of many of the restaurants that line this street, Uijeongbu ― and by some accounts, this very street ― is where “budae jjigae,” one of South Korea’s most popular dishes, was invented.

“Budae jjigae started with leftovers from the U.S. Army in Uijeongbu, and Uijeongbu doesn’t have any other food that it’s famous for,” said Lee Ok-hyang, who recently opened a restaurant called Ohmilak Budae Jjigae near this very street. “People associate budae jjigae with Uijeongbu.”

The sign above Uijeongbu Budae Jjigae Street (Yonhap News)

Budae jjigae, or “army base stew,” is a thick soup that combines Western meats ― like hot dogs, sausages, ham and Spam ― with traditional Korean ingredients ― like kimchi, red chili paste and various vegetables. Some restaurants add other ingredients ― instant ramen noodles, sliced American cheese, baked beans or tofu ― to increase the portion or enhance the flavor.

When asked to explain the secret to making good budae jjigae, many of the restaurant owners said it is the kimchi.

“First, budae jjigae is based on kimchi, so the kimchi should get fermented enough,” Lee said. “It should be fermented for at least one or two years.”

While there are many publications and web sites with various stories about when and how budae jjigae was invented, the restaurant owners say it was first created shortly after the Korean War (1950-53) when food, especially meat, was scarce. They said Koreans who worked in cafeterias at U.S. Army bases in Uijeongbu at that time would smuggle out leftover meat, which they would then combine with the Korean ingredients to make the stew.

“Some Koreans worked at the army base, and they brought out the leftovers,” said Heo Gi-suk, the founder of Odeng Sikdang, a budae jjigae restaurant that opened more than 50 years ago on what is now Budae Jjigae Street. “We took the food from the army base by putting it in aluminum foil and hiding it under our clothes around our bellies. The soldiers couldn’t eat all the food, so we took the leftovers ... I was often arrested because it was illegal to get the food from the army.”

Heo Gi-suk with a pan of budae jjigae at Odeng Sikdang, the restaurant she opened more than 50 years ago (Yonhap News)

Heo said Odeng Sikdang was Korea’s first budae jjigae restaurant ― a claim that other restaurant owners along Budae Jjigae Street say is true. She started Odeng Sikdang in the early 1960s by selling odeng, a type of fish cake, from a food stand along the street. One day, she was approached by a Korean soldier who worked with the U.S. Army, and he asked her to cook at an American army base. While working at the base, she took out leftover meat, which she would stir-fry and sell at her food stand.

“At first, I just stir-fried the meat from the army base,” she said. “There was a government office near here. The people from the office said, ‘How can Korean people eat rice with fried meat and no soup?’ They told me to think about the recipe more. They suggested that I make stew, not fried meat. That’s how it changed.”

Inspired by the suggestion, Heo used the meat to create budae jjigae.

“I’m the inventor of budae jjigae in this country,” she said.

“Before I made it, there was nobody who cooked that way ― only me.”

Heo’s budae jjigae became so popular that she was able to move her business from the food stand to a small building, where she still serves the popular dish. Odeng Sikdang continues to draw large crowds, with customers often waiting in lines outside for a chance to eat there on weekends.

“This place is small, but people keep coming in and out,” Heo said.

As years passed, more budae jjigae restaurants opened along the same road as Odeng Sikdang; there are now about two dozen in the area.

Hanging on a wall inside Heo’s restaurant is a picture of a ceremony that took place on Jan. 9, 1999, when the city officially named the road “Uijeongbu Jjigae Street,” with the city’s mayor.

The city changed the street’s name to Uijeongbu Budae Jjigae Street a few years ago.

Budae jjigae restaurants can currently be found throughout South Korea and in some other countries. While the popularity of the dish continues to grow, restaurant owners along Uijeongbu Budae Jjigae Street remain proud of the role their city played in creating the now-famous stew.

“Outside of Uijeongbu, the way budae jjigae is made is different,” said Lee, the founder of Ohmilak Budae Jjigae. For instance, other areas use different recipes, with different vegetables, according to Lee.

“But on this street, we don’t use the vegetables that other areas use. We don’t make any rules or promises with each other to make budae jjigae a certain way, but when people think about Uijeongbu budae jjigae, they think about a certain taste. That’s why all the restaurants in this area cook budae jjigae in a similar way ― to give people the taste that they expect from here.”

Sangsu-dong coffee houses, haven for artists

Selling more than coffee, cafes double as community-focused cultural hubs


Yri Cafe co-owner Kim Sang-woo relaxes behind the counter of his joint, exuding the laidback ease of someone who is in his element.

Wearing a frayed T-shirt like a uniform, his nonchalant, proprietary slouch makes it evident he runs the place.

At one of the tables, a guy dozes off, head down. Another group studies in silence. A slight breeze filters in through the floor-length, antique-style windows.

The lowkey vibe suits the environs ― a patch of near-residential turf in Sangsu-dong, which borders its more famous cousin, Hongdae.

Patrons can read from the wide selection of books available at Yri Cafe. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)

According to Kim, Yri Cafe was one of the first coffee shops to open on this street. Originally located in Hongdae’s Seogyo-dong, Yri moved to its current spot three years ago.

“There were no cafes,” said the 38-year old poet and musician. “It was a residential area.”

Now, a smattering of eateries and coffee shops has opened nearby and Kim seems less than thrilled.

“The feel of the area has transformed greatly. I am worried.”

Kim said establishments started popping up rapidly two years ago and new places are still opening as we speak. He fears it will become crowded like Hongdae, which for some is its draw, but Kim seems to prefer a more secluded atmosphere.

For now, at least, Sangsu-dong still retains its on-the-cusp bohemian yet suburban attitude ― a sweet, offbeat aura fostered by places like Yri and newer addition, Jebi Dabang.

At Jebi Dabang, patrons on the first floor can enjoy performances held on the basement floor of the two-story coffeehouse through the ceiling’s opening while tipping back drinks like the cafe latte pictured here.(Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)

Yri Cafe and Jebi Dabang are coffeehouses in every sense of the word.

Both pay homage to the old school salon, seeking to provide a haven for artists and intellectuals. Coffee is not the only item on the menu, Yri and Jebi sell culture.

“We call this a playground for residents and artists,” said Jebi Dabang CEO Oh Sang-hoon.

Run under umbrella organization Cultural Topography Research ― which was founded by CEO-architect Oh, artist Oh Chang-hoon and scriptwriter Lee Seung-hun ― Jebi opened in late April.

By day, it operates as Jebi Dabang (which means “Swallow Cafe” in English) and by night, it runs under the pithy moniker Chwihan Jebi (Drunken Swallow).

Korean literature buffs will recognize the name of the coffeehouse as that of the cafe opened by writer Yi Sang in 1933.

CEO Oh hopes that by taking on the title Jebi Dabang some of its historic relevance as a gathering spot for artists will rub off on this modern-day take on the old European salon.

The two-floor establishment functions as a performance venue at night (generally Fridays and Saturdays), where audiences can hangout and enjoy free music.

“Customers can decide how much the performance is worth and shell out accordingly,” said Oh, 36.

Coffee is sourced from a local roaster, nachos from a local artisan who makes the salsa and chips from scratch.

A bench was built outside for people waiting for the bus that stops in front of Jebi.

“We want to be in for the long haul and be a part of this local turf,” said Oh.

“Sangsu-dong’s charm is that is like the Hongdae of yore,” Oh elaborated. “Everyone knows everyone.”

In other words, this area functions like a tight-knit community, a vibe that both Jebi’s Oh and Yri’s Kim associate with Hongdae back in the day, before it became a major clubbing and eating hotspot.

Community seems to be what both Jebi Dabang and Yri Cafe desire.

“I want our cafe to be like that large bench-like table you often find in Korean hanok or villages, the huge flat perch that residents or families sit, eat and rest on,” said Yri co-owner Kim. “I want artists to be able to be at ease here.”

Musician-poet Kim and artist-co-owner Lee Joo-yong took inspiration from Korea’s 1960s and 1970s salon and cafe culture with their coffeehouse. The Korean hanok informs the interior of the space, infusing it with a vintage vibe.

The furniture is either secondhand or from their first location. The coffee is sourced from a local roaster. Books, available for reading, line shelves. The shop also puts out its own monthly publication, which features everything from poetry to stories to comics.

“Our customers come and linger for a long time,” said Kim. “Some even teach music here and hold guitar lessons. When they do, we turn off the music for them.”

At night, about three times a month, Yri Cafe holds music performances, public readings and poetry recitals.

On Saturdays, until April, free Korean calligraphy lessons were provided and Kim says the lessons will be starting again soon.

“I think we can create a place like this because we are both artists,” said Kim. “We create art, music and poetry, so we have that openness and freeness.”

By Jean Oh oh_jean@heraldm.com)

Details
● Yri Cafe; 337-4 Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul; (02) 323-7861; open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, till 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; coffee-based drinks cost 4,000 won to 6,500 won and come with one free refill

● Jebi Dabang-Chwihan Jebi; 330-12 Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul; (02) 325-1969; open 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily; coffee-based drinks cost 3,000 won to 4,500 won, with an additional 1,000 won for iced versions

Staying healthy during summer season

Nutrient-rich food helps restore appetite and energy


Summer keeps heating up and as the weather starts to get warmer than usual, many people might already feel exhausted from the heat.

Still a long way to go till the end of the season, staying healthy during the summer requires some nutrient-rich food to keep you revved up.

According to Jeong Ian, an Oriental medicine doctor, summer is the time when you easily lose your appetite and energy, a result of exhaustion you feel amid the heat and perspiring.

“According to Dongeuibogam, it’s hard to stay healthy during the summer months because you perspire a lot in the heat and feel exhausted, which will lead to a loss of appetite,” said Jeong.

Dongeuibogam is an encyclopedia on Oriental medicine written by the well-known Korean doctor Huh Joon in 1610.

“To restore the balance of your body in the summer, you especially need protein,” Jeong stressed.

To fight off the exhaustion and stay healthy amid the heat, Koreans look for nutrient-rich food made with chicken, abalone, ginseng, sticky rice, eel and mushrooms.

A Szechuan-style abalone dish (Millennium Seoul Hilton)

“They heat up the body, which become cold inside due to cold food consumed, and further prevent food poisoning and other food-borne illnesses,” said Jeong.

Some nutrient-rich summer favorites made with such ingredients include “samgyetang,” chicken soup with sticky rice and ginseng chicken, “chogyetang,” a chilled chicken soup served with cucumber, mushroom and seafood, and eel dishes, according to Jeong.

“Chicken protects your stomach and prevents stomach illness when eating cold food in the summer. Other ingredients including ginseng, garlic and sticky rice stuffed inside the chicken will add warm energy to your body,” said Jeong.

Another favorite ingredient for summer food is eel, she added, which stimulates appetite and restores vitality.

Here are some dishes using the best seasonal ingredients available at Seoul hotels.

“Jinguiboyangtang,” Korean black Ogol chicken soup (Sheraton Grande Walkerhill)

Sheraton Grande Walkerhill’s Korean restaurant Ondal presents healthy summertime food ― chicken soup with abalone “Haesintang” and Korean black Ogol chicken soup “Jinguiboyangtang.” Haesingtang contains young chicken, small octopus and abalone cooked for more than 10 hours and mixed with various medicinal herbs. “Jinguiboyangtang,” a special dish made with rare Korean black Ogol chicken, is cooked for a very long time with abalone, beef, red ginseng and medicinal herbs that will help digestion, relieve high blood pressure and revitalize the body. The two dishes are available throughout the year at Ondol. The prices are 80,000 won for “Haesintang” and 200,000 won for “Jinguiboyangtang,” excluding tax and service charges.

For more information, call (02) 450-4518.

Imperial Palace Hotel’s Japanese restaurant Manyo offers a hotpot menu including some healthy, nutrient-rich ingredients such as abalone and eel. Containing abundant protein and little fat, the dish will help restore energy, especially for women. The terrapin hotpot is priced at 150,000 won, excluding tax and service charges. The hotel’s caf Amiga also presents Samgyetang served with medicinal herbs and abalone in July.

For more information, call (02) 3440-8000.

Renaissance Seoul Hotel offers a refreshing selection of vegetables at the Korean restaurant Sabiru throughout June. The assorted seasonal vegetables come with seasoned and grilled sea eel, seafood and seaweed soup, grilled beef rib, grilled abalone and tofu soup. The dishes are priced from 54,000 won to 65,000 won, excluding tax and service charges.

For more information, (02) 2222-8655.

The Shilla Jeju’s buffet restaurant The Parkview presents a soup made with ingredients from the clean, natural environment in Jeju called “Mt. Halla Bullotang.” The soup, simmered for five hours, features some top-quality ingredients from the island including abalone, shiitake mushroom and beef.

The “Bullotang” is included in the buffet priced at 82,500 won, which includes tax and service charge, and is available for only one hour, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the restaurant.

For more information, call (064) 735-5334.

Seoul Palace Hotel’s Japanese restaurant Ta Bong offers eel and sea bass dishes from June to August. The head chef’s specialty Kaiseki menu with seasoned eel is priced at 100,000 won and grilled eel dishes at 60,000 won, excluding tax and service charges. The sea bass menu is available at 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2186-6889.

Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Chinese restaurant Taipan offers spicy Szechuan cuisine as a way to fight off summer heat with spicy food.

Szechuan dishes are known as spicy and fragrant as they use a lot of ginger, peppercorns and chili. The dishes include deep-fried lobster in fermented rice chili sauce, stir-fried Korean beef in hot sauce on a sizzling plate and sauted abalone and paprika with Chinese pepper, available from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. The restaurant also offers multi-course dinners that highlight Sichuan cuisine, which are priced at 108,000 won and 135,000 won.

For more information, call (02) 317-3237.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldm.com)

Mul-naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles in chilled broth)

Mul-naengmyeon. (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Mul-naengmyeon is a dish of buckwheat noodles in chilled broth that is garnished with radish kimchi, pickled cucumber, Korean pear and slices of pressed beef. Originally it was served covered in the winter with a thin layer of ice over it, but nowadays people enjoy this dish year-round.

Ingredients
400 g buckwheat noodles (dried), 15 cups water

300 g beef (brisket/shank), 8 cups water

Fragrant seasoning: 20 g green onion, 20 g garlic

Seasoning sauce: 1/2 tbsp clear soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp salt, 1/2 tbsp fermented mustard

50 g cucumber, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp water

170 g radish, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp fine ground red pepper

1/5 ea pear, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp sugar,

2 eggs, 1 kg water, 1 tsp salt

1 tbsp pine nuts, 0.5 g shred red pepper

1. Clean the beef and wash the fragrant seasoning.

2. Put the beef and water in the pot, and heat it up for 10 min on high heat. When it boils, lower the heat to medium, simmer for 1 hour, add green onion and garlic, simmer for another 30 min (1 kg).

3. Take the beef (300 g) out from the broth, slice it into pieces 4 cm-wide, 2 cm-long and 0.2 cm-thick. After the broth cools down, skim the fat and season with seasoning sauce.

4. Wash the cucumber and halve lengthwise, slice at intervals of 0.2 cm-thick diagonally, soak it in salt water for 20 min, then remove and dry (43 g).

5. Shred the radish into 5 cm-long, 2 cm-wide and 0.2 cm-thick, marinate with salt, sugar, vinegar and fine ground red pepper for 20 min (100 g). Peel the pear, cut it into a half-moon shape, dip in sugar water (70 g).

6. Remove the tops of the pine nuts, wipe the nuts with dry. Cut the red pepper into shredded pieces 2~3 cm in length.

7. Put the eggs, water and salt in the pot, heat it up for 5 min. on high heat. When it boils, lower the heat to medium, boil for another 12 min. Take out the eggs, put in cold water, then peel the eggshells and cut into two pieces.

8. Pour water in the pot, heat it up for 12 min. on high heat. When it boils, add noodles, boil for 2 min. Take the noodles out from the pot, wash in cold water by rubbing, make coils with noodles and drain in a strainer (830 g).

9. Place the noodles in a bowl, garnish with beef, cucumber, radish, egg, pear, pine nuts and shredded red pepper, then pour the cold broth over.


Tips
Cold radish, pickled kimchi juice in the beef broth, or just kimchi juice may be another choice for the broth.

In summer, young summer radish kimchi may be a tasteful broth.

More fermented mustard and/or more vinegar in the dish is an option.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Sikhye (rice punch)

Sikhye (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Sikhye is a punch made by fermenting steamed rice in malt water. Chilled sikhye has a unique sweet taste and is beloved by Koreans. Sikhye is usually served on national holidays because it is believed to help digestion and stimulate blood circulation.

Ingredients
● 1 cup malt powder, 12 cups water

● 2 cups non-glutinous rice, 2 1/3 cups water

● 1 cup sugar

● 1 tbsp pine nuts

1. Put the malt powder in warm water at around 40 degrees Celsius and let it sit for 30 min.

2. Fumble the soaked malt powder with your hands, sieve through a strainer. Discard the solids after squeezing, sink the malt water. When the sediment settles, pour the clear water on top out gently.

3. Wash the non-glutinous rice, soak in water for 30 min. Then drain in a strainer for 10 min.

4. Remove the tops of the pine nuts and wipe the nuts clean.

5. Put the rice and water in the pot, heat it up for 4 min. on high heat. When it boils, continue to boil for 4 min. Lower the heat to medium, boil for 3 min. When the rice become sodden, lower the heat to low, steam it for 10 min. (880g).

6. Put the steamed rice, malt water and sugar into the thermo-pot (60~65 degrees Celsius), keep in there for 3-4 hours.

7. When 7 or 8 rice grains have floated to the top, remove all the rice from the pot.

8. Pour the fermented water into the pot, heat it up for 5 min. on high heat. When it boils, skim the foam off.

9. Cool the rice punch, put in a bowl and top with rice grains and pine nuts.

Tips
● If the rice is left in the pot until lots of grains float, the punch may be sour.

● When making a lot of rice punch, boil it for 20 min. more.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Eochae (parboiled sliced fish fillet)

Eochae. (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Eochae is a dish of parboiled white fish fillets and vegetables with starch coating that are color-coordinated and placed around a dish. It is served with a vinegar red pepper paste sauce. Because it is a chilled dish, milder white flesh fish, such as gray mullet or croaker, should be used.

Ingredients
● 300g croaker, salt, ground white pepper

● 50g cucumber, 20g red pepper, 15g brown oak mushrooms, 2g stone mushrooms

● 30g mung bean starch

● 60g egg

● 5g pine nuts

● 5cups water

Vinegar red pepper paste:
● 2 tbsp red pepper paste, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/2 tbsp sugar

1.Remove the scales of the croaker and wash. Slice fillets from both sides of the croaker, peel the skin off. Wipe off water, and cut fillets into 3 cm-wide, 5 cm-long and 0.3 cm-thick strips. Marinate them with salt and ground white pepper for 10 min.

2. Wash and slice cucumber.

3. Panfry egg for garnish strips, cut to same size as cucumber.

4. Mix cucumber, red pepper, brown oak mushrooms, stone mushrooms and croaker slices with mung bean starch thoroughly.

5. Pour water into the pot, heat it up for 5 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald cucumber, red pepper, brown oak mushrooms and stone mushrooms for 30 sec., respectively. When the starch becomes clear, take them out, cool them down in water, and drain. Scald the slices of croaker for 1 min. When the starch becomes clear, take them out, cool them down in water, and drain.

6. Place the croaker slices, cucumber, red pepper, brown oak mushrooms and stone mushrooms on a dish in a circle, top with pine nuts in the center.

7. Serve with vinegar red pepper paste.

Tip
● White flesh, such as sea bream and flat fish are recommendable for this dish.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)