Ddukbokki and Ddukbokki Carbonara

Korea is widely known for its street food- it's quick, it's cheap, and it's downright delicious. The crowded street vendors will sell anything from kimbab (something akin to sushi rolls) to corn dogs to soondae (blood sausage). However, one of the most popular street foods has to be ddeokbokki, which is a spicy rice cake dish. Its bright red coloring can be intimidating for many foreigners, but the majority really aren't as spicy as they look.

Mama Lee's Ddeokbokki Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 lb Ddukbokki ddeok (~ 25 3in pieces of rice cake)
• 1 sheet of fish cake (odeng)
• 1/2 cup cabbage
• 1 scallion and 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions:

1. Soak the ddeok in warm water for approximately 30 minutes to allow them to soften.
2. Over medium-high heat, combine everything from water to garlic in a large pan until the sauce is well mixed.
3. Add in the softened ddeok
4. Boil for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the fish cake and cabbage and boil for another 4-6 minutes.
6. Add the sesame oil before removing the pan from the heat, and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

I understand that many individuals out there cannot handle even the slightest hint of spice. Because of this, it would be very difficult to enjoy the authentic ddeokbokki experience. However, fear not, because I discovered a fusion-style take on ddeokbokki for the heat-challenged that is actually becoming very popular in Korea. That style is the ddeokbokki carbonara. Now, this dish is probably not the best for anyone on a diet. However, if you wanted to try ddeokbokki but were worried about its spiciness, test out the following recipe and indulge yourself a little!

Ddeokbokki Carbonara Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ddeok
• 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 strips pancetta (or bacon), chopped
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 4 mushrooms, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 parsley
• Broccoli (optional)
• Black pepper
• Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of gochujang (optional)
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Soak the ddeok in warm water for approximately 30 minutes to allow them to soften.
2. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet. Then add the pancetta (or bacon) until everything is browned.
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the milk and flour until smooth and thickened. Pour the milk mixture into the skillet.
4. Add in the ddeok, mushrooms, cheese, broccoli, and parsley. If you want to add some heat to the dish, you may add gochujang and/or red pepper flakes at this point. Allow everything to simmer until creamy and well-combined. The mixture may get a little too thick, so add milk accordingly to thin it back down.
5. Crack in an egg, mix it around, and remove from the heat.

Bibimbap and Bibimbap Tacos

Surprisingly, bibimbap was rather time-consuming to make from scratch. I never realized that whenever I had bibimbap, it was always because we had leftover spinach, bean sprouts, gosari, etc. already seasoned for banchan the previous day. However, it is still really worthwhile to make, as you end up with a meal packed with vitamins, protein, fiber, and all that other good stuff! We usually just dump in whatever roots, vegetables, etc. we have on hand in the fridge, so the following recipe is merely an example of what you might want to put in your bibimbap. However, given that bibimbap literally translates to "mixed rice," the world is your oyster with this one!
Do you notice a trend? There is a lot of mixing and combining of all sorts of ingredients in Korean cuisine. Koreans are firm believers that everything ultimately ends up in the same place, but they sure know how to make it taste amazing!

Mama Lee's Bibimbap Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl of rice
• 1/4 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup zucchinis, shredded
• 1/4 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fernbrake (gosari), shredded into 2 in strips
• 1/8 cup carrots, shredded
• 2 shiitake mushrooms
• 1/3 cup ground beef
• Garlic
• Soy sauce
• Hot pepper paste and sesame oil, to taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse bean sprouts and cook for around 15 minutes with a pinch of salt. When they're ready, drain the bean sprouts and season with some sesame oil and minced garlic. Set aside.
2. Boil water in a small saucepan. Boil spinach for a minute before rinsing in cold water. Mix with a little bit of salt, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
3. Salt the zucchini strips and saute over high heat until somewhat translucent. Set aside.
4. Saute gosari in oil. Add some soy sauce and garlic. Set aside.
5. Cook ground beef over high heat with some garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
6. Fry the egg sunny side up.
7. Place your rice in a medium-large bowl. Place all the other cooked ingredients around it and place the fried egg at the very top. Use hot pepper paste and sesame oil to taste (I usually like a heaping teaspoon of each in mine).

Bibimbap can easily be refashioned into taco form, if you happen to have a hankering for some tortillas.

Bibimbap Tacos Recipe

Ingredients:

• All the ingredients from the bibimbap recipe
• 3 soft (or hard) taco shells
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
• Lettuce

Instructions:

1. Mix the rice and taco seasoning together in a small bowl.
2. Place a couple of tablespoons of the seasoned rice onto each taco shell and place a little bit of all the root/vegetable ingredient on top
3. For the egg, you may choose to fry a whole egg and place it over each taco, but that tends to get messy, so I like to scramble the egg and pour the egg over a small frying pan, allowing it to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Cut the egg into flat strips and place into the taco shells.
4. Mix the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of gochujang and sprinkle onto taco.
5. Add some lettuce if you would like.

Kimchi Jjigae and Budae Jjigae

One of the most classic Korean dishes would have to be kimchi jjigae. It is stew in which the national food, kimchi, is the star. It has all the attributes of a quintessential Korean dish- the saltiness, the spiciness, the tanginess, and the heartiness- and it is also rather simple to make! As with doenjang jjigae and good doenjang, the key to good kimchi jjigae is good kimchi. It is suggested that you use older, riper kimchi because the longer you allow for kimchi to ferment, the stronger its flavor.

You can probably tell that many of the recipes on this blog use fish sauce. It should be available at your local Asian supermarket, but my mother uses fish sauce as her "secret ingredient"- it gives the dish a deeper, umami taste that accentuates its savoriness. She says fish sauce is a much better alternative to MSG, which is used by many restaurants and food manufacturers to produce a similar effect but with a much greater toll on our health.

Mama Lee's Kimchi Jjigae Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a head of cabbage kimchi, chopped
• 1/2 cup of pork, chopped or sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup of tofu, sliced

Instructions:

1. Put all ingredients except for tofu in a pot and cook over high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Add tofu and serve immediately.

If you happen to have some leftover kimchi jjigae, you can do what many Koreans have done for decades; add any meats you may have in your kitchen, a pack of ramen noodles, and transform your kimchi jjigae into budae jjigae.

Budae jjigae is one of my favorite Korean dishes because of its distinct history. Budae jjigae roughly translates to 'army base stew' and this is because it originated during World War II when food was scarce in South Korea. Given that the U.S. was South Korea's ally, many U.S. soldiers would station themselves in South Korean military bases. They brought with them many "American" foods such as Spam, hot dogs, and ham, and after they finished eating, there would be a lot of these meats left over. The Korean soldiers, and later the Korean citizens, highly valued these leftovers, given the circumstances they were in. They opted to take the meats and mix them into their kimchi jjigae (which is very cheap and quick to make), along with some instant noodles, and they were able to amplify the measly soup into a hearty meal fit for many.

Though the War has been over for decades and South Korea has advanced dramatically both technologically and economically, budae jjigae is still made frequently. Instead of using leftovers from American soldiers, however, Koreans will buy the meats from the supermarket and make fresh budae jjigae. "Why?" you might ask. Because it's just that good!

Fun fact: There is actually a very big Spam culture in Korea. It started since WWII and it doesn't look like it is going away any time soon. There are tons of varieties of Spam to choose from, and during the holiday season, some supermarkets actually carry gift baskets consisting of an assortment of Spam! The stigma against Spam that is so prevalent in America is actually nearly non-existent in Korea.

Budae Jjigae Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kimchi jjigae
• 1 pack instant noodles (noodles only)
• 1/2 packet of instant noodle soup
• 2 hot dog sausages, sliced diagonally into 1/4 in pieces
• 2 1/4 in slices Spam (or ham), cut into thirds

Instructions:

1. Put everything into a pot and allow for the stew to come to boil. Cook for around 4 minutes or until the instant noodles are fully cooked.

Doenjang Jjigae and Doenjang-Infused Chili

My pastor once said there's nothing like coming home to the smell of one's mother's doenjang jjigae. There is something about that pungent doenjang odor that can fill up a house in a matter of minutes, and it really is a comforting stew. Though you can eat the stew alone with a bowl of rice, it is typically served alongside meat or fish, and it usually comes free of charge when you order Korean BBQ at a restaurant.
The magic of this recipe comes in its simplicity. The work has already been done for you; the small teaspoon of doenjang accounts for the majority of the earthy flavor that comes across in this dish. Though there isn't concrete documentation of the stew's origins, there is evidence that it was made at least since 500 BCE.
My mother's doenjang jjigae recipe is probably very similar to other recipes out there, but what makes each doenjang jjigae different from the other is the doenjang they use.

Mama Lee's Doenjang Jjigae Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp doenjang
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 Korean hot pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup of beef
• 1/4 pack of tofu (~1/2 cup)
• Enoki mushroom
• 1/2 scallion, minced
• Shredded cheese (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients (except for the last 3) in a pot (any pot will do, but it is usually cooked in a ddukbegi, an earthenware pot) and heat on high for 5 minutes (or until it boils).
2. Add the tofu, mushroom, and scallion and heat for another minute before serving.

My fusion recipe for doenjang jjigae was a doenjang-infused chili. I figured they were both hearty, filling, and make my heart all warm and fuzzy, so I decided to try and incorporate doenjang into one of my favorite American dishes. I will be honest, it did come out a bit... interesting to say the least, and it really was better in theory than in practice, but try giving the recipe a shot! I will need to experiment with the amount of doenjang to use, as a little really goes a long way, so I will keep you posted!

Doenjang-Infused Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp doenjang
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1/2 can diced tomatos
• 1/2 can tomato sauce
• 1/2 can chili beans

Instructions:

1. Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper into a a large saucepan over medium high heat and saute for around 5 minutes or until the beef is completely browned. Pour out any excess fat.
2. Add everything else except the beans into the saucepan and wait until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan with a lid. Let the chili simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Add the beans and cook for another 2-3 minutes before serving.
5. If you would like, top the chili bowl with a handful (or two!) of shredded cheddar cheese.

Jaeyook Bokkeum and Jaeyook Bokkeum Burrito

Today, we will be making my mom's to-die-for jaeyook bokkeum. Over the course of my life, I have tried many variations of jaeyook bokkeum at different restaurants and at friends' houses, but none can compare to the recipe I am about to show you. It has just the right amount of heat going for it, it keeps the pork nice and juicy, and it has just the right balance of salty and sweet (one of the main problems I have with other versions of this dish is they are way too sweet for what is supposed to be a savory dish).

Mama Lee's Jaeyook Bokkeum Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pack (around 300g) of thinly sliced pork belly
• 1/4 Korean Pear
• 2 Tsp gochujang
• 2 Tsp soy sauce
• 1 Tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tsp cooking wine (or soju)
• 2 Tsp grated onion (around 1/4 of an onion)
• 2 Tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 Tsp ginger
• 2 Tsp pepper flakes
• 3 Tsp water
• 2 Tsp oligofructose (or sugar)
• 1/3 onion, sliced
• 1 scallion, chopped

Instructions:

1. Grate the Korean pear in a medium sized bowl. Dunk the slices of pork belly in the pear juice/grating to allow the meat to soften. Set aside.
2. Mix everything from the gochujang to the sugar together in a small bowl to make the sauce.
3. Pour the sauce over the pork belly and make sure every piece is coated in the sauce.
4. Heat a raised skillet on high. Dump the jaeyook bokkeum into the fry pan and cook for around 5-10 minutes (or until no raw pork can be detected). Half way in, you should add the onion and scallion.
5. If you'd like, garnish with sesame seeds and a few slices of scallion.

Serves 3

In the event that you have some leftovers (although I am sure you won't because that recipe is just so irresistible), you can use them to make a jaeyook bokkeum burrito the following day!

Jaeyook Bokkeum Burrito Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tortilla
• 1/4 cup jaeyook bokkeum
• 1/3 cup of rice, cooked
• 2 lettuce leaves, chopped
• A couple of pieces of kimchi (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Place everything in the tortilla (laying down the rice first will minimize the drippage from the jaeyook bokkeum)
2. Roll up the tortilla

A Guide to Eating Korean Food

Now you might be thinking, "Why on earth would I need a guide to eating? Don't you just put the food in your mouth and call it a day?" However, a typical Korean meal, whether it be at a restaurant or at someone's home, has numerous components, and how you eat the food (and what order to eat them in) can play a critical role in determining whether or not it is one of the best meals of your life or one of the worst, saltiest, meals of your life.

Help! Why are there so many dishes on the table?!

Many Korean-food newbies will sit down at a restaurant and start freaking out when the waitress brings out a multitude of small dishes and spreads it across the table. They may think to themselves, "What are all these dishes? I didn't order all of these!" And to a first timer, this can be a little confusing. A typical meal will consist of the main dish (whether that be BBQ, fish, casserole, etc.) and banchan, which are side dishes that can be eaten before and along with the main dish. The side dishes usually consist of various types of kimchi (regular kimchi, kimchied daikons, kimchied scallions, kimchied pickles, etc.), seasoned roots, dried anchovies, and more.

In addition, rice is a given. Rice, though it might not seem like much, is essential to balancing out the salty, spiciness of everything else on the table. With every piece of meat or every spoon of the savory stew, a spoon of rice is consumed to reduce the powerful flavors of whatever it is that you are eating.

Now, if you ordered Korean BBQ, you might be wondering what the deal is with the huge lettuce leaves and perilla leaves. These should be used to make ssam, lettuce wraps, with the meat. What you put in your ssam is really up to you, but people usually put in a piece of meat, a little bit of rice, raw garlic or onion, and some ssamjang, which is a mixture of hot chili paste and doenjang paste.

Now that you have some general knowledge on how to eat Korean food, go out and enjoy knowing that you won't look like a complete fool!

Ingredient MVPs

If you've ever had a Korean meal before, you would know that it can be quite a flavorful experience, to say the least. There are some ingredients that almost always come up in Korean dishes, such as garlic, onions, chili, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, soy bean paste, etc. that give Korean food its distinctive taste. As mentioned in the previous post, these ingredients are so widespread in the cuisine due to their availability in the region.

Garlic is almost always incorporated into Korean dishes, whether minced, sliced, or tossed in whole, and it is also eaten raw when eating Korean barbeque (as part of a ssam).

Doenjang, fermented soy bean paste, is not the most visually pleasing ingredient, but it packs a powerful punch. It is mostly used to make doenjang jjigae, which is a fermented soy bean paste stew, and it is packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids. Before the age of Neosporin and Band-Aids, Koreans would sometimes spread doenjang over their cuts/scrapes for its apparent healing properties.

Ginger helps give Korean dishes their tangy, spicy flavor. Korean culture highly values the healing properties of various roots and herbs. As such, ginger is often incorporated with the belief that it will cure various illnesses like the flu, nausea, etc.

Gochujang, hot chili paste, is usually the key ingredient behind any spicy Korean dish. It originated some time in the 18th century after trade with China, Japan, and Europe introduced chili peppers to the region. It is used in ddeokbokki, bibimbap, and basically anything even remotely spicy. It is a common Korean household staple, and can be used in proportion to one's spice tolerance.

Chamgireum, sesame oil, is used to make a dish more nutty and it is associated with the flavor called goso, which is used to describe something that is deeper, nuttier, and earthier in flavor. It can be used as a cooking oil, but unlike olive oil, canola oil, or coconut oil, the sesame flavor is very distinct. It can be found as a dipping sauce for Korean BBQ, bibimbap, porridge, and pretty much everything else in Korean cuisine.

Onions are also a key ingredient in many Korean meals. They are highly valued for their supposed digestive benefits and they are put in everything from bokkeum bap (fried rice) to doenjang jjigae and are also eaten raw alongside Korean BBQ.

Sources:

Kim, Emily. Korean Cooking Ingredients. Maangchi. Maangchi. n.d. Web. 11 June 2015.

Lee, Ken. The Secrets to Korean Food Deliciousness (Korean Condiments). Seoulistic. N.p. n.d. Web. 11 June 2015.

A Brief History of Korean Cuisine

An overarching commonality between all cultural foods is the role of geography in shaping the cuisine, and Korean food is no different. Since the beginnings of the first kingdom in Korea, Gojoseon, in 2333 BCE, up until the end of the second World War, Korea was largely an agrarian society. The country has four distinct seasons and is surrounded by water on three sides, which allows for plentiful harvests, access to seafood, and the ability to maintain livestock. However, over 70% of South Korea consists of mountains. Over time, Koreans found a way to harvest safe roots and mushrooms native to the mountainous regions of the country, and these roots still play a prominent role in Korean cuisine.

A topographic map of South Korea

Though Korea observes four seasons, it sees brutally cold, long winters. Various food preparation techniques have been developed over time to preserve the foods harvested during the summer and autumn. Some of these techniques include pickling (as seen in the preparation of Kimchi), drying (dried squid is often consumed as a snack), and fermenting (such is the case in the preparation of doenjang paste).

Traditional earthenware pots (onggi) are used to preserve various foods

Though South Korea rapidly transformed into one of the most industrialized nations today post WWII, much of its agrarian history and culture can still be found preserved in its long-standing foods.


Sources:

"Hidden Korea." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 11 June 2015. 

"History of Korea." Visit Korea. Korea Tourism Organization, 4 July 2013. Web. 12 June 2015. 

"Introduction to Korean Cuisine." Arirang Korean Restaurant. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2015. 

"Korea." Food in Every Country. Food by Country, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015.