Deliciously Diverse | Korean Recipes from Kyle Johnson

순두부찌개 (sundubu-jjigae)

(Soft Tofu Stew with Kimchi)

I’m gearing up for fall weather and Halloween, and sundubu-jjigae helps get me in the mood. It’s a hearty, rich red stew with silken tofu, traditionally served in a stone bowl (돌솥/dolsot) or clay pot (뚝배기/ttukbaegi). Transfer the near-finished stew into one of these bowls, put it directly onto your stovetop, crack an egg into it, and bring it to a boil. Now you’ve got piping-hot magic.

Sundubu-jjigae feels like Korea to me because it’s warm, inviting, and comfortable. It’s also pretty flexible depending on your preferences. I skip the pork belly in favor of mussels, which cook in the broth and give it a little bit of extra decadence, and I like to add enoki or shitake mushrooms for texture and umami. You can also temper the spice level to your liking — I usually top mine with serrano peppers in addition to spicing up the broth because I just never learn my lesson.

When you serve sundubu-jjigae (or any Korean dish, really), make sure you’ve got your side dishes (반찬/banchan). This is a key part of the Korean dining experience, and it ranges from your standard kimchi variations to more wild stuff like tiny fried anchovies (a personal favorite). And, of course, rice is a prerequisite with just about everything, and it’s great for soaking up that tasty broth and cooling down the dish so you don’t scorch the entire roof of your mouth.

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Servings: 3 to 4

Ingredients

• 7 oz. (200g) pork belly (or pork leg, shoulder, etc.)
• 1 cup (200g) well-fermented kimchi
• 4 green onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 spicy green chili (optional)
• 1 mild red chili (optional), to garnish
• 2.5 tbsp. neutral-tasting oil
• 2 tbsp. soju (or sake, water)
• 3 cups (720ml) rice water (or water)
• 1/4 tsp salt, to season
• 2 tubes (700g) soft tofu (or silken tofu)
• 1-2 eggs, to serve

Seasoning Paste:

• 3 tbsp. Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp. Korean beef stock powder (dasida)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

Prep Ingredients

1. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces.
2. Cut kimchi into bite-sized pieces. (Well-fermented kimchi is the key to this recipe, so if your kimchi is freshly made, please wait until it tastes a little bit sour.)
3. Thinly slice the green onions. Finely chop the garlic cloves. Thinly slice the chilies (if using).

Make Seasoning Paste

1. In a small container, mix together the Korean chili pepper flakes, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, Korean beef stock powder and black pepper.

Make Sundubu Jjigae

1. In a wok or pot, add 2.5 tablespoons of oil and pork belly. Turn on the heat to medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered out and the pork is nicely browned on both sides.
2. Add the green onions and garlic. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until the garlic and green onions start to pick up some color. Add 2 tablespoons of soju and stir around for 1 minute. (If you don’t have soju, substitute with sake or water.)
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped kimchi and the seasoning paste. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until kimchi is wilted down. Be careful not to burn it!
4. Add 3 cups (720ml) of rice water. Bring it to a boil. Once you can see some bubbles in the middle, reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 more minutes.
5. Give it a quick taste and make it a little bit salty. FYI, I added 1/4 tsp of salt. (If it’s too sour, add a pinch of sugar.) Add the soft tofu. Using a spoon, break into nice, big chunks. Boil for 3 minutes.
6. Optionally, transfer to a ttukbaegi (Korean clay pot). Top with sliced chilies, green onions, and some eggs. Bring it to a boil and wait until it’s piping hot. Turn off the heat. Enjoy with hot rice.

Recipe from Aaron and Claire

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간쇠고기불고기

(ground beef bulgogi)

Bulgogi is an accessible (and delicious) entry point to Korean cuisine. The name literally translates to “fire meat,” but it’s not especially spicy (unless you want it that way, which I so often do). The most common way to get bulgogi in Seoul is probably with a thin-sliced ribeye or tenderloin, but you can also do it with ground beef or chicken if that’s what you’ve got handy. What’s common across the different iterations is the beautiful marinade for the meat, which is packed with powerful umami flavor. If you want to punch up the heat, you can add red chili pepper flakes (고춧가루/gochugaru) or fermented red chili pepper paste (고추장/gochujang).

You can cook your bulgogi in a pan or wok, on the grill, or in the oven, whatever your preference. It’s a quick and easy dinner, and it’s a good option for a week’s worth of meal prep. When you serve it up, don’t forget the rice, side dishes, and if you’re feeling brave, a bottle of soju to share with the table. I do not recommend Cass, though. Korean beer is not something I will ever miss.

Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Servings: 5

Ingredients

• 2 green onions
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 shiitake mushrooms (or button mushrooms) (1.8 oz., 50g)
• 1 green chili (optional)
• 1 mild red chili (or bell pepper) (optional), for color
• 1.3 lb. (600g) ground beef
• 2 tbsp. neutral-tasting oil
• 1/2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 5 cups hot rice, 1 cup (210g) for each serving
• Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Bulgogi Marinade:

• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. mirin
• 2.5 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• Black pepper, to taste
• Small pinch of MSG (optional)

Directions

Prep Vegetables

1. Thinly slice the green onions. Separate the whites and greens.
2. Finely dice half an onion and mushrooms.
3. Thinly slice the chilies (if using).

Make Bulgogi Marinade

1. In a small container, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, oyster sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil, black pepper to taste, and a pinch of MSG (if using).
2. To a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, mushrooms, and marinade. Give it a good mix.

Cook Bulgogi

1. In a wok (or pan), heat the oil (2 tbsp.) over medium-high heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the white parts of the green onions and onion. Sauté for 3 minutes or until they start to go brown.
2. Add the beef mixture and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Make sure to break up the beef and keep stirring it.
3. Turn the heat off. Add the chili peppers (if using), green onions, and sesame oil (1/2 tbsp.). Give it a final mix.
4. To serve, divide the rice into serving bowls and top with bulgogi. Garnish with some extra green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with salad greens or kimchi. Enjoy!

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay good for up to 5 days!

Recipe from Aaron and Claire