Kickin' it Old School Style

I’m what some people might call a technology idiot old school. Hubby is exactly the opposite. It's like George Jetson married to Wilma Flintstone. We're constantly discussing the value of modern-day conveniences. In my opinion, these so-called conveniences are either a waste of money or end up being a big pain in the ass. Like the dumb "universal" remote control that only controls half of the TV accessories. Don't get me wrong, I love things like electricity and indoor plumbing, but why do I need a camera phone that can play MP3s? Why do I need a panini maker when I have a perfectly good cast iron grill pan and lid? Why do I need an espresso machine when the stove top brewer works perfectly fine?

The latest issue is whether we should get a gas grill. Hubby thinks gas would be swell, while I’m a die-hard charcoal fan. Food tastes better over coals and wood and there's no threat of freak explosions. But with the shitty spring weather we had here in Portland, I almost caved. It would be so easy to just turn on the gas and throw our hot dogs on 5 minutes later. We could grill every day this summer, even on the days we get home late from work. Heck, we could grill all year long, no matter the weather. It's such a tempting thought!

While I agonize over the issue, you should make this delicious Korean-style grilled pork I made this last weekend. I completely ripped this idea from was inspired by manggy, who posted about a mouthwatering Korean barbequed chicken. Do check out the post; his picture is enough to induce uncontrollable drooling. He did it as a stir-fry, but I decided to try it grilled. Oh man, was it good! Thanks to manggy for the inspiration!

Note: Scanning the ingredients, you may think this dish may be too spicy; it’s not. The heat from the gochujang is a subtle heat, not like the in-your-face heat of a birdseye chilli. My 5-year-old enjoyed this dish as much as Hubby and I did.

Korean-style Grilled Pork

• 4 to 5 tbs gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 3 tbs tamari (regular old Kikkoman is fine)
• 2 tbs rice vinegar
• 3 tbs browns sugar or honey
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs grated ginger
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin chops (or tenderloin or even chicken, if you prefer)
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
• green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal for garnish (optional)

Make the marinade by combining all the ingredients, except the pork. Mix well to get a uniform mixture. Taste the mixture and adjust according to your preference. Keep in mind, it will be less spicy on the cooked pork.

Since the marinade is more like a barbeque sauce, I recommend giving the chops a couple of wacks with a meat mallet. Don’t annihilate the meat; just a couple of solid wacks to flatten them slightly. This breaks down the fibers of the meat a little and allows the marinade to penetrate better.

Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours in the fridge, but longer is better. I started it in the morning and let it go all day. Take the meat out of the fridge up to one hour before grilling to take the chill off.

Couple of things to keep in mind when grilling. Grill over direct heat, but the coals shouldn't be blazing hot. Watch carefully because the marinade will burn quite easily. It may only take a couple of minutes each side, depending on how thick your chops are. You definitely don’t want to overcook loin chops, unless you like dry-ass pork.

Before serving, garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and green onions. I served the pork with Japanese-style rice and a simple stir-fry of carrots, celery and ginger. A side of kimchi would also go great!

Soup to Warm You to the Bone: Soon Dubu

A few weeks ago, my neighbor, Mr. Z, made the most delicious Korean soup, which he called soon dubu. It had tofu, shrimp and egg, and the main flavoring ingredient was Korean hot pepper paste (aka gochu jang). In addition to being one of the tastiest soups that has ever passed my lips, it is easy to make. Mr. Z shared the recipe with me and I’m passing it on to you.



Notes before you start:
1) If you didn’t notice, this soup is going to be spicy. To cut down on the spiciness, omit the crushed red pepper and add only 1 tbs gochu jang.
2) Instead of chicken broth, Mr. Z suggests anchovy broth. I suspect it’s a homemade thing, as I’ve never seen this for sale. Instead I used chicken broth and boiled the shells of the shrimp in the broth for about 15 minutes. In addition, I added 1 tbs of dried shrimp to the soup. This is completely optional.
3) I used 3 eggs, but separated two of them so I could poach two yolks whole because I love soft poached eggs.

This stuff is spicy and salty and gives food a wonderful flavor. Try it in this beef stew or as a marinade for grilled beef.

Soon Dubu

• 2 tsp dark sesame oil
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces, whites and greens separated
• 6 shitake mushrooms, sliced (or two large handfuls of dried shitakes)
• ½ onion (preferably sweet, like Vidalia), sliced into thin wedges
• 1 to 2 tbs gochu jang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 package silken tofu
• 2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• salt, to taste

In a pot over medium heat, add the sesame oil and about another tablespoon of vegetable oil. When hot, add the mushrooms, garlic, red and black peppers, and whites of the green onions. Saute for a minute . Add the onion wedges, zucchini, chicken broth and gochu jang. Allow to come to a slow boil and stir to dissolve the paste. Add the tofu and stir to break it up roughly. Check the seasonings. Add more pepper paste if you’d like it spicer and salt if necessary. Simmer the soup for a few minutes (5 or 10), then add the beaten egg. After a couple of minutes, add the shrimp. Resist the urge to stir! Just allow the shrimp to quietly poach in the soup until they are pink and cooked through. Add the greens of the green onions. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to rest, covered, for about 10 minutes before serving. I like my soup with a little bowl of rice.

The Best One-Pot Dish Ever

When I saw Citymama’s Korean Beef Stew, I was reminded of a similar recipe I wanted to try when the weather got cooler. There really isn’t much to say about this one-pot wonder. It’s easy and delicious…salty, slightly sweet, just a little hint of heat and wonderfully balanced by the bitterness of the mustard greens (my current favorite veggie).

Oven Braised Beef with Korean Hot Pepper Paste

• 2 to 2 ½ lbs chuck steak, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 10 pearl onions, peeled (or 2 regular onions cut into 8 wedges)
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 knob ginger, sliced
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup low sodium tamari (low sodium soy sauce is fine)
• 2 tbs Korean hot pepper paste
• 3 carrots, cut in chunks (butternut squash could also work well)
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1 bunch mustard greens, stems and ribs removed and chopped roughly
• about 2 tbs toasted sesame seeds for garnish

There’s really nothing more to it than putting all the ingredients into a Dutch oven and putting that into a preheated 325º oven for 2 hours or so. No need to brown the meat first (although you're welcome to). Just make sure the hot pepper paste is dissolved by mixing it with the soy sauce and sugar before adding it to the pot.

When the meat is tender, add the mustard greens and continue to cook for 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted and tender. It’s easiest to do this step on the stove over low heat. I recommend letting the soup sit off the heat for a few minutes to allow the flavors to mellow out. Like any stew-y dish, this one is even better the next day. Serve topped with the toasted sesame seeds on steamed white rice.

Another Attempt at Korean Food

The only things I know about Korean food are I love to eat it and I simply don’t eat enough of it. In SF, we had our favorite Korean restaurants or fast food places, and treated ourselves at least once a week. Here in Portland, there are no Korean restaurants near us, so we have to make a short trek across town. It doesn’t take more than 15 minutes, but for some reason it feels like a hassle.

As for cooking Korean food, I almost always use this in some way. I’m addicted to the stuff. I’ve used it to make a delicious marinade for tri-tip and a dipping sauce for tofu. Recently, I tried it in a stir-fry, and it was very flavorful, with a little bit of heat and a little bit of sweetness.

Korean Hot Pepper Paste Stir-fry

• ¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs Korean hot pepper paste
• 1 ½ tbs honey
• 1-2 tbs toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbs fresh grated ginger
• 1 tbs finely chopped garlic
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom
• 10 oz pork sirloin or tenderloin, thinly sliced
  

Make the sauce by combining the stock, soy sauce, hot pepper paste, honey and sesame seeds.

In a wok over high heat, add about 2 tbs oil. When it’s very hot add the pork, ginger and garlic. After about a minute, add the mushrooms and scallions. Continue to stir-fry until the pork is just about done (about another 2 or 3 minutes). Add the sauce and allow to heat through. The sauce should thicken slightly. Serve with white rice or soba noodles.

Yes, I Do Call This Cooking

I’m the big tree-hugging tofu eater in our house. Hubby will eat it in a stir-fry, but only because he’s too lazy to pick it out. Sonny won’t touch it, no matter how I serve it (maybe I should try serving it with chocolate sauce??).

One of my favorite ways to eat tofu is fresh, with a nice dipping sauce and big bowl of Japanese sticky rice. My current favorite dipping sauce is a Korean one I first made here. It's so easy and as hubby pointed out, doesn't require any real cooking.

Korean Dipping Sauce
¼ cup Korean chili bean paste
1 tbs minced garlic
½ tbs minced ginger
2 tbs rice vinegar
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil
5 green onions, chopped
handful cilantro, chopped
½ cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
juice from about 2 lemons (or to taste)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
toasted sesame seeds for garnish
sliced scallions or cilantro for garnish

Throw everything into a food processor, except the canola oil, lemon juice and salt. Process until you get a smooth paste. With the processor still going, slowing add the oil, until well incorporated. Add about ¾ of the lemon juice and salt and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice as necessary.

Use as a dipping sauce for tofu (or grilled meats or anything else you’d like).