Korean Picnic Planning

The weatherman, excuse me... the meteorologist, is still talking about windchill and 50-degree weather. I'm dialing up my sunny, optimistic mood and gearing up for a Korean picnic. I'm thinking classic Korean mixed with the oh-so trendy food truck grubs like bul go gi tacos, dak gui wraps, and kimchi meatball subs.

First up, kim bop (pronounced ghim bhap). Kim bop is THE Korean picnic food. It's seasoned rice with carrots, spinach, eggs and a protein (usually hot dog, go figure) tightly wrapped with nori. Actually, you can add pretty much anything you want. Avocado, grilled zucchini, imitation crab meat, bul go gi and spam are popular choices.

This one has bul go gi.

Ingredients

• 1 Packet of nori sheets (Uncut, unflavored and not roasted)
• 4 Cups white rice (For a healthier version, use brown rice. Keep in mind brown rice is harder to roll.)
• 2 Tablespoons of mirin (Japanese rice wine) 
• 1 Tablespoons sesame seed oil 
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds 
• Salt and pepper to taste     
• 1 Teaspoon sugar 
• 4 Cloves garlic, finely minced  
• 3 Teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 Cucumber, cut into matchsticks 
• 4 Bunches of spinach
• 4 Carrots, cut into 2-inch strips 
• 3 Eggs, fried and julienned 
• 2 Hotdogs, fried, cut lengthwise into thin strips (optional)

Directions
Cook the rice according to package directions.

Let the rice cool a bit and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the mirin, sesame seed oil, salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Gently fold the rice until all ingredients are combined. Don’t over mix and break the rice. Set aside.

Heat a skillet and add 1 teaspoon oil, 2 cloves garlic and carrots. Saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Wash and rinse the spinach. Put the spinach in a colander and place it in the sink. In a large pot or a teapot, bring water to a boil. Pour the water over the spinach. Working quickly, thoroughly rinse the spinach in cold water. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the spinach in a large bowl. Add garlic and season with sugar, salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Rolling the Kim Bop

• In a bowl large enough to dunk your fingers fill it with warm water. Set the bowl next to your work station.
• Place a nori sheet, shiny side up, on top of the sushi rolling mat.
• Wet your fingers.
• Using your fingers, evenly spread about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture 3/4 way down the nori. Wet your fingers as necessary so that the rice doesn’t stick to them. 
• Layer 3 cucumber sticks, 3 carrot strips, 2-3 spinach strips and 3 egg strips 1/4 way down the nori. If you’re adding hot dog, use 2 hot dog strips.
• Grab  the left and right edges of the mat with your thumb, index and middle fingers.
• Fold a 1/4-inch of the mat and nori over the top. Push down gently with your palm.
• Using the mat, slightly push down as you roll it away from you.
• Once the kim bop is rolled and the mat is still wrapped around the kim bop, gently squeeze it to make sure it’s sealed.
• Wet a sharp knife and cut the roll in half. Repeat until you get it to the size you want.

I usually cut it 1/4-inch thick to serve as hors d’oeuvres. If I’m eating it by myself, I don’t bother cutting it. I just grab the roll and start noshing.

Other dishes on the Korean picnic menu... stay tuned for tested and updated recipes. You can get the original recipes on Yobodish.

Dak Gui Wraps  |  Scallion Pancakes  |  Lettuce Wraps  |  Tofu & Zucchini Pancakes

Summer Soba Noodles

What's up with the freezing temperature and snow in late March? I'm breaking spring out from Mother Nature's sequester of sun, flowers and all things springy with my Summer Soba Noodles. This is my favorite, goes-with-everything side, like my crystal-studded Stuart Weitzman slingbacks. I love the vibrant green of the snow peas, coolness of the noodles and the fresh zing of the sesame seed dressing. Pair this up with bul go gi and get the spring fest started.

Happy eating!

Ingredients

• 2 Bundles soba noodles (Follow package directions. Boil for about 2 minutes)
• 1 Cup baby carrots, julienne
• 2 Stalks scallions, shredded and cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 Cups snow peas, blanched and cooled

Grilled Veggies

• 1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 Large portobello mushroom, sliced and halved
  
• 3 Shallots, sliced 
• 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Teaspoon black pepper

Dressing 

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/3 Cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 Cup sesame seed oil  
• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 Teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions
Cook noodles according to direction but al dente, about 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the carrots, scallions and peas. Set aside.

Heat a large frying pan. Add oil. Stir in mushrooms and onions. Season with black pepper and garlic powder. Sautee until onions are nice and golden. You have to have that wonderful aroma of grilled onions puffing around you. Let it cool.

Add all dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are dissolved and dressing looks smooth.

Add the noodles, mushrooms and onions to the rest of the mixture. Drizzle with dressing and toss until thoroughly combined... gently and in big scoops. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Khoeng Namul Guk (Korean Bean Sprouts Soup)

There is a lot of dicing, chopping, mincing, pickling, marinating, stirring... in Korean cooking. Korean Bean Sprouts Soup has 4 ingredients and 4 seasonings/spices. That's it. Super easy. Super simple. Super yum. It's healthy and light but will warm you up on a cold, drizzly day.

March is when I start thinking about shorts and flip flops. Bring on the hearty, healthy dishes loaded with flavor and not the calories.

Ingredients

• 6 Cups of water
• 1/3 Cup small dried anchovies, or10 large dried anchovies (you can also use 1 teaspoon anchovies flavored Dashida)
• 5 Cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 2 Teaspoons soy sauce 
• 1 Teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes (kochu garu)
• 1 Package bean sprouts, trimmed with the ends snapped off
• 3 Stalks green onions, cut into 1-inch strips or sliced depending on your preference
• 2 Teaspoons roasted sesame seeds

Directions
In a large pot, add water and anchovies. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover with lid and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Using a strainer, fish out all anchovies. Bring the broth to a boil. Lower heat and add garlic, salt, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Cover with lid and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Add bean sprouts. Cover with lid and simmer for another 7-10 minutes or until the sprout stems are opaque. Add scallions and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Ladle into a big bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice. I usually serve with brown rice and side dishes... or just kimchi. To add punch to the soup, add 1 cup of diced kimchi when you add the sprouts. That's it. What could be simpler?

Enjoy!

Non-traditional Traditional Rice Cakes Soup (Tteok Guk)

 
It's first day 2013, which means it's time for tteok guk or rice cake soup. If you're Korean, you're eating tteok guk. I thought I'd do something slightly different for 2013 and added Lipton onion soup mix to the broth. I also added white and straw mushrooms... gasp. Oh, but how it punched up the flavor.

If you like rice cakes, I think you're going to like this. The soft and smooth texture of the tiny oval cakes combined with the robust broth and sweet and salty beef topping, makes me want to bust a move.

Happy eating!

Broth Ingredients and Directions

• 32 Ounce beef stock
• 8 Cups water (Approximately)
• 10 Cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Packet Lipton onion soup mix
• 1 Teaspoon Dashida (Korean soup stock. I used beef for this dish.)
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Cups white mushrooms, thick slices
• 2 Tablespoons black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon salt (Adjust according to taste)
• 2 Pounds rice cakes (Tteok)
• 2 Packets straw mushrooms
• 2 Eggs, raw
• 4 Stalks scallions, sliced
• 2 Teaspoons sesame seeds (For each serving) 

Directions

In a large bowl, submerge the rice cakes in water. Set aside.

In a large pot, add beef stock, water, garlic, onion soup mix, Dashida, and soy sauce. Taste. Season with black pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Drain the water from rice cakes and add to broth. Add straw mushrooms. Let it boil for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs. Using chopsticks or a fork, quickly stir in the egg.  

Beef Topping Ingredients and Directions
While the stock is simmering, make the beef topping. 

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Lb beef cut into small strips (Flank, cube, strip... whatever you prefer)
• 1/4 Cup yellow onions, diced
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons black pepper
• 4 Stalks scallions, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add oil, garlic and onions. Stir fry until onions are opaque and just starting to brown (about 10 minutes). 

Add beef. Stir fry until brown (about 10 minutes). Add soy sauce. Season with black pepper and salt. Thoroughly mix. Be sure to stir constantly. 

Add water and brown sugar. Stir frequently and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste. Season with salt and pepper. Once you’ve achieved beef greatness, sprinkle with chopped scallions. Give it a final mix and top with sesame seeds.

Putting It All Together
In large bowls, ladle in this warms-the-heart soup. Top with about two tablespoons of beef. Sprinkle about one tablespoon of scallions and sesame seeds. If you want to add more, go for it.

New Year Rice Cake Soup with Mandu : Umma’s Soothing Tteok Mandu Guk

Rice cake soup on New Year's Day for Koreans is like turkey on Thanksgiving for Americans. This  steaming bowl of soft and smooth rice cakes swimming in a garlic-rich broth with onions, scallions and marinated beef will have you ummmmming and yummmying until people around you start feeling uncomfortable and someone has to poke you back to reality. Yeah. It's tasty... and if you've had one too many cocktails ringing in the new year, it helps calm the clatter in your head.

Ingredients 

 Beef Topping Ingredients and Directions

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Lb beef cut into small strips (flank, cube, strip... whatever you prefer)
• 1/4 Cup yellow onions, diced
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Teaspoon salt 
• 2 Tablespoons black pepper
• 5 Stalks scallions, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions
Heat skillet on high. Add oil and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes or until garlic is soft. Add beef and onions. Stir fry for about 4 minutes. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and brown sugar. Stir and cook for about another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Broth Ingredients and Directions

• 4 Cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock (You can also use 3 tablespoons of beef or anchovies dashida and 8 cups of water instead of the stock.)
• 4 Cups water
• 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 8 Cloves garlic, minced
  1 Medium onion, sliced
• 1 Bag of rice cakes (There are different sizes and shapes from flat ovals to 1-inch tube-like shapes.)
• 20 Wontons (Optional - homemade or pre-packaged. You can get yobodish mandu recipe here)
• 5 Scallions, diagonally cut
• 2 Tablespoons sesame seed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Sheet seasoned ghim (nori or seaweed)

Directions

• Put rice cakes in a large bowl and add enough water to submerge the cakes. Set aside for at least 10 minutes. 
• Using kitchen shears, cut the nori into 1-inch strips. Set aside.
• In a large pot, add the chicken stock and water, and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce and garlic and bring to a boil. Lower the heat the medium and let it simmer for 5 minutes. 
• Add the onions. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Add rice cakes (and mandu if using) and cook for another 3 minutes. Add scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a final stir.
• Break the eggs directly into the pot and stir around with chopsticks.
• Ladle all the goodness into large bowls.

Top with beef topping and seaweed strips.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Cabbie Chicken with Rice

Why cabbie? This recipe is from a cab driver who drove me to the Metropolitan Food Expo. He talked for 30 minutes, non-stop, frequently turning around to make sure I was listening. He almost side-swapped a bus, a cyclist and another cab. 

Good chicken though. Hope you like it.

Chicken and Stew Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 Cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Shallots, peeled and diced
• 6 Chicken bone-in thighs (You can use your favorite part. Be sure to use bone-in parts)
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 3 Stalks scallions, sliced
• 1 Cup red or white wine (You can use stock as well or pale beer)
• 1 Yellow medium-size onion, sliced and halved
• 3 Stalks celery, diced    
• 1 Red bell pepper, diced
• 2 8-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons turmeric
• 2 Tablespoons cumin
• 2 Tablespoons coriander
• 1 Teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 Cup Greek yogurt
• 1/3 Cup cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Rice Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice (Rice needs to be cold. Put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes if necessary. Have leftover, take-out Chinese rice? Even better.)
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 Teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 2 Stalks scallions, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons parsley

Chicken Directions 

Preheat oven to 350.

• Rinse chicken and pat dry using paper towels. Rub with paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat large skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil, 3 cloves garlic and shallots. Cook until garlic softens. Stir in scallions until thoroughly combined. Turn up the heat and add chicken. Cook both sides for about 5 minutes or until the chicken browns.
• Using a rubber spatula, remove everything from the skillet into a large baking dish. Spread out the chicken evenly. Set aside.
• On medium heat, add more oil to the same skillet.
• Add onions, celery and bell pepper. Stir for about 3 minutes. Stir in wine. Let it cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and all spices (turmeric, coriander, nutmeg, and cayenne). Stir until combined.
• Add sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Add yogurt and cilantro. Give it a final mix.
• Add the entire mixture to the chicken in the baking dish.
• Cover with aluminum foil and place the dish in the middle of the oven rack. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is done.

TIP: Place the dish on a cookie sheet with edges to make oven cleaning easier.

Rice Directions

• While the chicken is baking, make the rice.
• Heat the skillet and add oil. Add rice. Stir for about 3 minutes or until the rice is warm. Add butter. Stir until butter is melted into the rice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until mixed. Stir in scallions and parsley. Cook for another 3 minutes.

Putting It All Together
In a large bowl, scoop in a cup of rice. Pour a cup or two of the mixture and top it off with the chicken.

Happy eating!

Sunday Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup

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Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 Stalks celery
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1 bunch green Swiss chard (1¼ pounds), ribs removed and reserved for another use, leaves coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils with the water, stock and 1½ teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until the lentils are barely tender, about 25 minutes.

        

Meanwhile, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, crushed pepper and a pinch of salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cilantro and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the chard leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes.

        

Add the chard to the lentils, cover partially, and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, season with pepper and olive oil and serve.