Bulgogi
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from restaurateur Jenny Kwak's book, Dok Suni: Recipes from My Mother's Korean Kitchen. Kwak also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
To read more about Kwak and Korean cuisine, click here.
As you will see when you are barbecuing this marinated beef, its smell will make your mouth water. Once you try Korean barbecue, it will become something you crave — even if you're not usually a beef eater.
Bulgogi is traditionally eaten with white rice and a variety of sides, usually spicy ones. Most important, serve it with fresh red leaf lettuce, thinly sliced raw garlic, and some spicy fresh peppers to make a ssam: holding the lettuce in your palm, make a wrap that envelops the barbecued beef, some rice, the dipping sauce, and, if desired, the vegetables. Feel free to experiment!
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
Dipping Sauce:
1
2
2
1
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
1. Trim the fat off the beef with a knife. Distribute the sugar evenly on the beef by sprinkling it on each piece. Allow beef to sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, sake, and black pepper. Put aside.
Step 3
3. Massage the beef with the kiwi juice using your hands. The kiwi works as a tenderizer. Add the soy sauce mixture and mix. Allow the beef to marinate for 10 minutes. Because the beef is thin, it doesn't require a long marinating time. Now it is ready to be barbecued. Ideal if grilled over smoked wood but just as good in a frying pan or skillet. Cook until browned, being careful not to overcook.
Step 4
4. Last, to prepare dipping sauce, combine all sauce ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve on the side.