Korean food: BULGOGI and a Filipino-Korean fusion side dish: APPLE-PEAR-CHIVE SALAD with SWEET KIMCHI and BAGOONG DRESSING

During my early college days, I discovered my fondness for the Korean culture. It all started with my fascination with the now defunct Korean comedy series: New Nonstop. I remember to watch it regularly in Arirang. It was then followed by my obsession with numerous Korean melodramas and movies. I had even learned to understand and poorly speak their basic language (hanggul) because of this.

While watching their films and dramas, I can’t help but fall in love more with South Korea. Their locations are always a lovely sight, may it be the cherry blossoms during spring or the orange hues of autumn. Plus, the way they present their food is always enticing. I can’t help but marvel on those black noodles that they eagerly relish, or that rolled kimbap and spicy rice cakes (ddeokbokkie) that they regularly savor in the streets. And, who doesn’t know Kimchi??? And so, I had told myself that one day I must come and visit S.Korea, to experience all those things that I have been rapt about.

While waiting for that chance, I along with my other friends addicted too, to the Kpop culture, settled to what we can experience here. We used to frequent this non-assuming Korean Barbecue place in Malate, near Harrison Plaza. That is where I had my first samgyeupsal and had my first shot of soju. I wasn’t disappointed. The flavors of the food are fresh and new to me which excited my palate.

A few years later, I grew up, got busy with my dental practice and got married. But that dream of experiencing S.Korea particularly Seoul had always been there. Luckily, I finally had the chance to fulfill that when my husband and I had gone to Seoul, winter of 2010 for our honeymoon. And boy was I not dissatisfied. Seoul, (pardon the pun) truly touched my soul. Even if it was freezing, the people we met during our travel were warm people who offered us help without us asking them to. Aside from the great people that we encountered, the food was phenomenal. It was nothing compared to the Korean foods I had here in our country. Those were some authentic Korean cuisine at its finest, and yes, even the ones we just had in the streets.  The kimchis, barbecues, rice cakes, mandus, pancakes, etc were all to die for.

I may have outgrown now the Korean drama marathons that I used to enjoy until the wee hours of the morning, but I don’t believe I will outgrow my love for their food. Thankfully, I also found Maangchi while searching for Korean food recipes that we enjoyed while we were in Seoul. I became one of her million fans quickly, her website is so detailed, with matching cooking videos that even amateur cooks like me can easily follow. It is because of her that I now make Kimchi on a weekly basis, can now cook Korean dishes any time I please, and maybe loved a little bit more by my husband. So expect, from time to time that I will be posting Korean food recipes that I adapted from her or create a fusion of Korean and Filipino dishes.

For my first post on Korean food, I will show you how to make Bulgogi, since my brother in law had been requesting me to teach him how to do it. Along with the bulgogi recipe from Maangchi, I will be making a side salad that is packed with both flavors of Korea and the Philippines. It is an APPLE-PEAR-CHIVE salad made with a SWEET KIMCHI dressing that I have formulated to also satisfy some Pinoy appetites. The addition of sautéed shrimp paste (gisang bagoong) makes this salad somehow similar to our enseladang mangga.

Let’s start with making the Bulgogi: (Maangchi's recipe of Bulgogi here)

Ingredients and Directions: (good for 6 servings)

Slice about 1/2 kg of beef very thinly. For this one I used Sirloin steak, and had asked the butcher to cut the steak very thinly for me.

Make the marinade by mixing:

- 3 tbsp of soy sauce

- 3 tbsp of water

- 2 tbsp of sugar

- 1 tbsp of honey

- 1 tbsp of sesame oil

- 1 tbsp of roasted sesame seeds (put them in a hot pan and heat them until brown or until they pop like popcorns)

- 2 chopped green onions

- 3 cloves of minced garlic 

- freshly ground pepper flakes

Mix everything well; and keep it marinated overnight or at least an hour or two in the fridge.

From this point, we can now make our salad.

Ingredients to use:

- Asian chives

- Korean Pear (or any pear in hand)

- an apple

- sauteed shrimp paste/ gisang bagoong

- garlic

- Korean chili powder

- toasted sesame seeds

- cane vinegar

- sugar

- kimchi juice 

Let's begin creating the salad dressing. Combine the following:

- 2 tbsp of sugar

- 3/4 tsp of Korean chili powder

- 1 teaspoonful of sauteed shrimp paste

- 2 cloves of minced garlic

- generous dash of toasted sesame seeds

- 3 tbsp of cane vinegar (or any white vinegar)

- 1 tbsp of Kimchi juice 

 Then, cut about 1 cup of chives, 1 medium apple and half of the Korean Pear and quarter of a large onion into matchsticks.

Put everything in a bowl and mix well with the sweet kimchi-bagoong dressing; and set aside.

After the marinating time has elapsed, start to heat up your cast iron grill and drizzle some sesame oil.

As the beef was sliced very thinly, it will take no time to cook it. Just about a minute or two, grill closed. This will produce a very tender bulgogi, any time longer than that can make the beef feel like rubber.

Transfer the chive salad and the Bulgogi to serving plates. Garnish the Bulgogi with some green onions and toasted sesame seeds; the salad with some more sesame seeds.

These are best paired! =)

That wasn't so hard right? =)

Go make some and tell me how it goes.

I, with my husband and some dearest friends have booked another flight to Seoul this coming November. We wanted to see the Korean autumn. Until then, I would have to satisfy my self with these delights. =)

Happy Eating! =)