Keiko has been staying with us since 1/31/10. We picked her up from the airport after we dropped Daniella and Dominiki off at the airport. She had met some good friends in the English program and since most of them were Korean we decided to have a Korean 식사 (dinner).

We also happened to cook some of the best Korean food I have ever cooked. It was like walking back in time…so very delicious.

This is 김치지게 or Kimchi Stew. So delicious, there wasn’t a set recipe for this (there usually never is) but I will tell you what I did. First you take kimchi and a tiny bit of rice wine vinegar and put them in the bottom of a very hot pot. Let them sizzle for just a few moments until you can really smell the flavor (not burnt flavor though). Add your meat (tuna is common but pork is more tasty), let it cook for a little longer (to smell). Then you add lots and lots of water (as much as you want) and kimchi to taste (however spicy you want). I usually add 고추장 Gochujang for extra spice. You want to get any vegetables you want ready (potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and tofu are my favorite). Add them in order of how long it takes them to be done (potatoes first, tofu last). You will need to add soy sauce, salt, and seasame seed oil for flavor. You want to make sure it boils for at least 25-30 minutes (you can be adding things like the potatoes) for best flavor.

This is 볼고기 (Bul-go-gi) Korean BBQ Beef.We got the recipe from but changed it a little to meet our needs.

  • Thinly sliced beef – 2 lbs(sirloin)
  • Lettuces -22 leaves
  • Sticky Rice

For marinade sauce (mix these in a bowl)

  • Soy sauce – 5 tbsp
  • Dark brown sugar – 2 ½ tbsp
  • Refined rice wine – 1 ½ tbsp
  • Grated onion – 2 tbsp
  • Grated pear – 4 tbsp (an Asian pear works best)
  • Minced garlic – 1 tbsp
  • Ginger powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Pepper – 3 sprinkles

Dipping sauce ; Sweet 쌈장 Ssamjang sauce (mix these well in a bowl)

  • Soybean paste 된장 (Doenjang) – 1 tbsp
  • 고추장 Gochujang – 1/3 tbsp
  • Honey – 1 tbsp
  • Water – 2 tbsp
  • Minced garlic – 1 tsp
  • Minced green chili (not spicy) – 2 tsp
  • Sesame oil – 2 tsp
  • Parched sesame seed – 1/2 tsp

Prep

  • Rinse the beef in cold water a couple of times to get rid of the blood.
  • Add the marinade sauce to the meat and leave it for 1 hour at room temperature. (Or if you need to leave it longer just set it in the fridge)
  • In 1 hour, add the sesame oil and stir it well
  • Wash and dry the lettuce leaves
  • Start the rice, rinse the rice several times in cold water. Place your hand on top of the rice and stretch your fingers out as far as they can go. Fill the pot with water up to the base of your knuckles. Cover the pot of rice and place it on medium heat for 25 minutes. Do not open the lid for any reason. You will have perfectly cooked sticky rice in just a few minutes!

Cooking the meat

  • Pre heat the wok for 10 seconds on a high heat. You don’t need any oil, the meat and marinade provide plenty of liquid so nothing will burn.
  • Put the meat into the wok. Stir it until it cooks. (it takes less than 5 minutes)

Eat and Enjoy! Take a piece of lettuce and inside place a piece of meat, rice and some of the Ssamjang sauce. Take a bite and enjoy! Let me know if you try it!