Bulgogi

Korean food has always been one of those cuisines that I’ve never really got to know.   Most recipes seem to call for pastes and ingredients that I just don’t have and as much as I have often wanted to get to know it, I’ve ended up opting to make Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese or other similar cuisines instead.   I’ve only ever been to one Korean restaurant in my life, and that was about 8 or 9 years ago.    I remember the other people around the table cooked beef and vegetables on a hotplate in the centre of the table, but in those days I didn’t really eat red meat and so ordered my own salmon dish instead.   Only now do I think, how I missed out.

Anyway, over the past few months I had been thinking I needed to learn more about Korean food.   A few months ago I borrowed a Korean recipe book from the library, and was intending for a long time to experiment by making kimchi, but after renewing it a few times the book expired and I had to take it back, having enjoyed looking at some lovely pictures but no nearer to trying out the food.    And then, I noticed that this month’s My Kitchen My World was going to Korea.   It seemed I was running out of excuses not to make a Korean dish.   If only I still had that book.    Never mind,   I turned to the internet and after doing a little research I decided upon bulgogi, Korean marinated and barbecued ribeye steak.   I looked at quite a few recipes and eventually decided upon the one here at Slash Food and only adapted it very slightly.  It sounded authentic.  The ingredients were ones I already had in, the only thing I needed to get was the steak.   The dipping sauce was my own invention, but inspired by various online versions which were all quite different.

The finished result was delicious.    I don’t like sweet savoury dishes and was worried the sugar would make it too sweet but it didn’t.   Definitely a dish to make again.

Ingredients for Bulgogi

300g ribeye steak

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp rice vinegar

1.5  tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce (korean if possible)

1 tsp crushed chillies

1/4 tsp ground ginger (use fresh if possible but I’d run out)

Pinch of pepper

1/2 onion

To serve: rice and lettuce leaves

How to make Bulgogi

1. Slice the beef as thinly as you can against the grain.    If you put it in the freezer for half an hour first it apparently makes it easier to slice, but I didn’t bother.  Also slice the onions.

2. Make the marinade by mixing all the other ingredients together until the sugar dissolves.

3. Pour the marinade over the beef and onions and mix in well so the beef is coated all over in the marinade.

4. Put in the fridge overnight or for at least an hour.

5. It should really be barbecued or grilled but I decided it would be easier to use a griddle pan.   It will cook quickly over a high heat.

6. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves and dipping sauce.   To eat put some rice and meat in a lettuce leaf.  Wrap it up a little and dip in the sauce.

Ingredients for Dipping Sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce

1.5 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 chillies

How to make the Dipping Sauce

Slice the chillies finely. Add the other ingredients.    Mix well and serve in small individual bowls alongside the bulgogi.