How to cook Korean Foods best !

Monday, May 27, 2013

Maneuljjong hodu bokkeum (Stir-fried garlic scapes with walnuts)

Published : 2013-05-24 20:30
Updated : 2013-05-24 20:30

Maneuljjong hodu bokkeum (Stir-fried garlic scapes with walnuts) (Korean Bapsang)

Garlic scapes (maneuljjong) are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic plants that are snipped off to allow the bulbs to grow bigger. They have a milder flavor than garlic cloves but are still quite garlicky. When cooked, the scapes become sweeter with a subtle garlic undertone and have a texture similar to that of thin asparagus. In this recipe, the garlic scapes are stir fried with walnuts in a soy sauce-based sauce. It’s a simple and delicious spring side dish. The scapes only appear in markets for a short period of time, so grab them while you can.

Ingredients:
● 300 grams garlic scapes (maneuljjong)

● 1/2 cup shelled walnuts, broken into quarters

● 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:● 2 tablespoons soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon rice wine

● 1 tablespoon water

● 1 teaspoon sugar (or brown sugar)

● 1 to 2 teaspoons corn syrup (or more sugar)

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Rinse and cut the garlic scapes into 5-centimeter lengths. Mix all the sauce ingredients well, except the sesame oil and seeds.

In a heated pan over a medium low heat, roast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Saut the scapes for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Return the walnuts to the pan, and pour the sauce into the pan. Cook until the garlic scapes are tender and the sauce is almost gone, 3 to 4 minutes. Finish with the sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Gogi wanja jorim (glazed meatballs)

Published : 2013-05-03 20:36
Updated : 2013-05-03 20:36

Gogi wanja jorim (glazed meatballs) (Korean Bapsang)

In this recipe, meatballs are braised in a soy sauce-based sweet and savory sauce (jorim jang) commonly used in Korean cooking. For the meatballs, I like to use a mixture of beef and pork. You can use all beef or all pork depending on your preferences.

Mushrooms, onions and scallions add a lot to the flavor and texture of the meatballs without being overpowering. Make sure to take the time to finely chop the ingredients for a smoother texture. Then your children will never know there are mushrooms and onions in their meatballs. These meatballs are very tender and packed with lots of great flavors!

Makes about 30-32 meatballs

Ingredients:
For the meatballs:

● 250 grams ground beef

● 250 grams ground pork

● 5-6 fresh shiitake (or any)

mushroom caps, finely chopped

● 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

● 2 scallions, finely chopped

● 1 egg yolk

● 2 tablespoons corn starch (more for dredging)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 2 teaspoons minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

● Salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper to taste

For the sauce (jorim jang):

● 3 tablespoons soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sugar

● 2 tablespoons corn syrup

● 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirim)

● 3 tablespoons water

● 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

● 2 pieces thinly sliced ginger

Optional garnish:

Copped peanuts or pine nuts

Combine all the meatball ingredients well by hand until evenly blended.

Shape the mixture into about 3-centimeter balls. Dredge the meatballs in the cornstarch or flour to lightly coat.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs to the pan. Turning as necessary, fry until all sides are golden brown but not cooked through, 5-7 minutes. The meatballs will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Add all the sauce ingredients to another pan. Boil over medium heat until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the sauce becomes a thick glaze, turning to coat evenly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the optional garnish. Serve warm with your choice of vegetables.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup)

Published : 2013-04-26 20:23
Updated : 2013-04-29 11:59

Kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup) (Korean Bapsang)

Kongnamul (soybean sprouts) is a staple Korean vegetable that is used in many Korean dishes. It’s
cheap and available all year around. Kongnamul guk is one of the most frequently eaten soups in Korean homes. It can be made with any type of broth such as beef broth, anchovy broth or simply water. Often some gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) is added for a spicy kick. This light and refreshing soup, with its subtle nutty flavor, goes well with any Korean meal.

2 or 3 servings

Ingredients:

● 250 grams kongnamul (soybean sprouts)

● 6-8 medium to large dried anchovies for broth

● 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

● 1 scallions, chopped

● Salt and pepper

● 6 cups of water

In a medium-sized pot, bring 6 cups of water with the anchovies and garlic to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove the anchovies and garlic from the broth.

Rinse the soybean sprouts a couple of times, discarding any floating skins. If you like, you can snip off the roots, but it’s not necessary.

Add the bean sprouts and 1 teaspoon of salt and boil, covered, for 7-8 minutes (longer if using cold broth) over medium-high heat. Do not open the lid while the bean sprouts are being cooked, or the raw bean smell will linger even after cooked. Once kongnamul is cooked, taste for salt and pepper. Add the scallions and serve.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Worldwide Newspapers anounce : Election Fraud Suspected, South Korea

35. 타일랜드 http://pairsonnalites-th.blogspot.com/2013/04/police-in-south-korea-say-spy-service.html

36.http://south-korea.rsspump.com/?topic=police-in-south-korea-say-spy-service-tried-to-influence-election&key=20130418124139_e32d2c1517d7cc2d657f2fc1c58a0bd9#article

Korean Newspapers :

1. 연합뉴스
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2013/04/18/14/0301000000AEN20130418007800315F.HTML

2. 코리아 헤럴드
http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130418000834&ntn=0

3. Koreatimes
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/04/116_134180.html

4. 중앙일보
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2970403&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Sanjeok, (skewered beef with asparagus, mushrooms)

Published : 2013-04-12 21:25
Updated : 2013-04-12 21:25

Sanjeok (skewered beef with asparagus and mushrooms) (Korean Bapsang)

Asparagus is in season! Look for bright green stalks that are firm with tight tips. I enjoy this delicious and healthy spring vegetable in any form. Here, I used them in a traditional Korean dish called sanjeok. It is a variety of jeok ― skewered meat and vegetables. Some jeok varieties are egg-battered, but sanjeok is not. As with any skewered or kebab dish, you can have fun with it by mixing up different meats and vegetables.

2-3 servings

Ingredients:
● 9 asparagus stalks (at least medium thickness for easier threading)

● 230 grams lean beef (tenderloin, sirloin, rib eye)

● 4 king mushrooms

For beef:
● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 2 teaspoons sugar

● 1/2 teaspoon garlic

● 1/2 teaspoon ginger

● 2 teaspoons sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon rice wine (or mirim)

For vegetables:
● 2-3 teaspoons sesame oil for each vegetable

● Salt and pepper to taste

● Sesame seeds or chopped pine nuts for garnish

● 6 skewers (10 to 12 centimeters long)

Cut the beef into 12-centimeter-long strips to create about 12 pieces. Combine with the seasoning and marinate for about 30 minutes. (You will need to cut the beef and mushrooms a little longer than asparagus, because they will shrink more.)

Remove the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut into about 10-centimeter lengths. Blanch them in salted boiling water just to soften, about a minute. (This will keep them from breaking when threading.) Shock them in cold water, and drain. Cut the mushrooms lengthwise into about 12-centimeter-long strips. Rub each vegetable with the sesame oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.

Thread the meat and vegetables onto the skewers. Heat a large pan with a little bit of oil (1 teaspoon) over medium-high heat. Place the skewers in the pan. Cook each side until the meat and vegetables are cooked through and slightly caramelized, 2-3 minutes each side.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Radish soup, (mu guk)

Radish soup (mu guk) (Korean Bapsang)

In this radish soup (mu guk), I used a quick method, common in
Korean cooking, to make a beef soup base. The thinly sliced beef is seasoned with guk ganjang (soup soy sauce) and sauted before being boiled in water. The result is a broth with a deep flavor that deliciously complements the white radish.

4 servings

Ingredients:
● 170 grams beef brisket (or beef chuck)

● 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

● 340 grams Korean radish (mu)

● 2 scallions

● 2 tablespoons guk ganjang

(soup soy sauce*), divided

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● Salt and pepper to taste

(*Do not substitute with regular soy sauce. It will be too sweet and dark. A better substitute is fish sauce, which is sometimes used in Korean soups.)

Cut the beef into thin, bite-sized pieces. Marinate with 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic, a pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside.

Cut the radish into thin, bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the scallions.

In a medium pot, saut the beef until all the pieces turn brown. Pour in 8 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Skim off the foam. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add the radish pieces and boil, covered, until the radish turns translucent and soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of garlic, scallions, and the remaining tablespoon of soup soy sauce. The soup should not be too dark. Taste for salt and pepper. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Spicy stir-fried squid (ojingeo bokkeum)

Ojingeo bokkeum (Korean Bapsang)

This squid dish is one of the most popular spicy dishes in Korean cuisine. The squid is cut into bite-sized pieces and stir fried in a slightly sweet red chili sauce along with vegetables. This recipe is certainly hot, but not fiery hot. Adjust the spiciness level to your taste.

One way to reduce the spiciness is to use fewer fresh chili peppers (or none at all). Fresh chili peppers are called for in the classic versions of the dish, but the heat can be quite intense with certain varieties.

This dish is perfect for those craving a tasty and spicy meal. The red chili sauce adds a burst of spicy flavor to the crisp vegetables and tender squid.

Ingredients:

● 1 medium-size squid (about 400 grams)

● 1/2 medium carrot

● 1/2 medium onion

● 1/2 medium zucchini

● 1 green chili pepper (or 1/4 green bell pepper)

● 1 red chili pepper (or 1/4 red bell pepper)

● 2 scallions

● 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Sauce:
● 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)

● 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sugar

● 1 tablespoon minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon minced ginger

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

● Pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Clean the squid. Slit the body open and flatten. Lightly score the inside in a small diamond pattern (about 0.5-centimeter squares). You can skip the scoring, but it helps the squid pieces hold more sauce and gives them an interesting look. Cut into pieces about 3 centimeters wide and 5 centimeters long. Do not make the pieces too small as they will shrink when cooked. Cut the tentacles into equal lengths. Mix the squid with the sauce, and marinate while preparing the vegetables.

Thinly slice the onion. Cut the zucchini and carrot in half lengthwise, and thinly slice diagonally. Cut the chili peppers diagonally. Cut the scallions into similar lengths.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the carrots, followed by the onions, zucchini, peppers and then the scallions. Stir fry the vegetables quickly only until they start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Push the vegetables to the sides of the skillet.

Add the marinated squid and any remaining sauce to the center of the skillet, and stir fry just until the squid pieces curl up and turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir to mix the vegetables and the squid for a minute. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top. (Do not overcook, or the dish will be watery and the squid tough.) Serve hot with rice.

How to clean squid: Grab the body in one hand and the head in the other. Firmly pull apart with a slight twisting motion. The head and innards should easily slip out of the body. Cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes. Remove the skin from the flesh and the beak from the center of the tentacles.