BIBIMBAP!! (비빔밮!!)

  HOLY BLAZES….I have never had such amazing food in my life! I went to this quaint little restaurant in my area (if you live in Miami its right off the Palmetto on 7917 NW 2nd St or you can give them a call for directions  at (305) 267-0011). Lo and behold it turned out to be a Korean restaurant run by a such a cute couple. To begin with, the owners themselves served us and their cheer was contagious. We spent quite a bit of time finding out which dishes they considered their specialties and which of them their regular customers usually ordered. In the end we went with a classic, Bulgogi and Bibimbap. I must say that I have had quite a lot of Bibimbap in my life but this was…this was indescribably A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

The vegetables were super fresh and as we cooked them the scent enveloped you in a cloud of spice and deliciousness. I’m totally in love!  Their sticky rice was really well made as well and, once combined, we all drooled like puppy’s over a rawhide bone! We also had Bulgogi and there was nothing out of the ordinary there… as is customary of all Bulgogi it was PERFECT! The meat was succulent, the lettuce fresh, and the bean paste soup! OMO Now that was like nothing I had ever had. It was like a religious revelation, a spiritual revival!  The taste was classic, but the consistency was thicker than I am accustomed to. I love that as I drank I felt it coat my throat and warm up my insides; made me think of cold winter night snuggled in from of a fire.  Alas, we had to leave and after having spent nearly 4 hours eating and laughing we all didn’t want to go.  A few tears almost escaped me-  though I cant rightly say whether  it was the pepper flakes or the overwhelming orgasm of flavors! I know my friend’s and I can’t wait to go again!!!!!!!!

Now for those who don’t like to go out to eat but really want to try the greatness that is Korean cuisine here is a recipe I live and breath by.  I got the original recipe from online but I have made a few changes since I began making it. Granted its not as fantastic as Korean restaurant but it will definitely hit the spot when your craving good Bibimbap.

Its great for  4- 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• Ground beef (or other meats you prefer- or forgo it all together for a more vegetarian meal)
• Kimchi (any kind you prefer)
• Cooked rice
• a package of bean sprouts
• a bunch of spinach (or lettuce if you prefer)
• 2 small size of zucchinis
• 5-7 Shiitake mushrooms
• fern brakes (kowari)
• 200 grams of ground beef (about half a pound)
• 1 small carrot, eggs
• soy sauce, hot pepper paste, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and vegetable oil
• Soju in abundance!

Recipe:

1. Put you rice to cook. You can use a rice cooker or a stainless pot.
2. Next, you need to prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on (make sure that when placing them they don’t mix).
3. Rinse your  bean sprouts a few times and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add 1 tsp. of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
   Put it on the platter.
4. Put your spinach in a pot of boiling water and stir it for a minute. Then rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it lightly. Mix it with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter
5. Cut 2 small size zucchinis into thin strips, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt, and then mix them together. A few minutes later, sauté them in a pan over high heat. When it’s cooked, it will look a little translucent. Put it on the platter.
6. You can buy soaked and cooked “kosari” at a Korean grocery store. Prepare about 2 or 3 cups of kosari for this 4 servings of Bibimbap. Cut it into pieces 5-7 cm long and sauté in a heated pan with 1 tsp. of vegetable oil. Stir and add 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp. of sugar, and cook them for 1-2 minutes. Add sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
7. Slice shitake mushrooms thinly and sauté with 1 tsp. of vegetable oil. Add 2 tsp. of soy sauce and 1 or 2 tsp. of sugar and stir it for 2 minutes. Add some sesame oil, and put it on the platter.
8. Cut a carrot into strips, sauté it for 30 seconds and put it on the platter.
9. Prepare eggs with sunny side up.
10. Put your rice in a big bowl, and attractively display all your vegetables and meat(s)-keep them in their own sections for a more attractive place setting. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.
11. Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste to taste.
12. Lastly, mix it up and enjoy with friends and family…..oh and don’t forget the SOJU !!!!!

*For those who can’t tolerate spicy sauce. : )

Yangnyeomjang sauce:

Chop 4 green onions and put them in a small bowl. Pour in half cup of soy sauce, and add 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 2 tsp. of sugar, 1 tbsp. of sesame oil and mix it up.

Egg soup:

1. Put a can of chicken broth in a pot, as well as 2 cans of water using the can from the chicken broth. Boil it.
2. Beat 2 eggs with a fork and pour it into the boiling stock while stirring slowly. Add salt to taste.
3. Chop 2 green onions
4. Serve your soup in a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over the top.

 

 

KIMCHI MADNESS! (김치 광기!)

So I have been having this incredible urge for Kimchi the past few weeks and- no joke– I have been eating at the Korean Restaurant (I really do love that place) for a week straight. Sadly, no matter how much I eat during the day, at around 2 am, a little man I’ve dubbed the Kimchi Monster (or KimMi for short), begins rumbling in my belly . KimMi  has been keeping me up all night and wont let up unless I have some Kimchi. Today I’ve decided ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I’ve hopped onto the almighty internet and procured several Kimchi recipe’s to try out. It is currently 6:21 A.M. and I’m off to purchase all the ingredients I will need. Once I know the results of my Kimchi Madness I will finish this entry and post it up with the best recipe.

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Well ladies and gents I’ve spent the whole day making Kimchi and I have a few things to repost.

1. The recipe’s where easy.

2. But going over so many I’m WAY tired    and

3. Boy was I surprised with how amazing my Kimchi came out!

All of the recipe’s came out tasting pretty good but Maangachi’s was by far the best. I don’t think KimMi will protest again . To me, this recipe is perfect as it is and, as I’ve only made it once, I haven’t altered it at all (no need really). You should be warned, however, there a bazillion and one Kimchi recipes and some are easier than this one but I found  this one- out of the 5  I tried- to have the best flavor . Now, before we proceed, let us all please thank the lovely Maangachi!!

http://www.maangchi.com to view more AMAZING recipe’s.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium size Napa cabbages and 2 Korean radishes
• salt, sweet rice flour, sugar, water
• 4- 6 cups of hot pepper flakes
• fish sauce, white onion, fresh garlic, ginger
• green onions, Asian chives, fresh oysters (optional)

How to handle cabbages and radish:

1. Cut the cabbages in half, and then slit each half through the core, but not through the rest of the leaves.
2. Soak each piece in cold water and sprinkle some salt (about ½ cup of salt per 1 medium size cabbage), and then set it aside for 2 hours.
   *tip: the stems should get more salt than the leaves
3. Skin 2 radishes and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Do this by cutting them into several disks, and then cutting horizontally, and then vertically. Put them in a big bowl and sprinkle them with ½ cup of salt. Then set these aside, too.
4. 2 hours later, turn the pieces of cabbage over so they get salted evenly. Turn the radishes as well.
5. Another 2 hours later, you will see the cabbage look softer than before, and it should have shrunk.

 
*the total salting process can take 4 hours as these are some VERY big cabbages.

1. Rinse the salted cabbage and radish with cold water 3 times.

Making Kimchi paste:

Make porridge

1. Put ½ cup of sweet rice flour (you can replace with plain flour) and 3 cups of water into a skillet and mix them up. Then cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
2. When you see some bubbles, pour 1/4 cup of sugar into the porridge and stir one more minute. Then cool it down.
3. Place the cold porridge into a big bowl. Now you will add all your ingredients one by one.
4. Add 1 cup of fish sauce, 4~6 cups of hot pepper flakes (depending on your taste), 1 cup of crushed garlic, 1 tbsp. of minced ginger, 1 medium size minced onion
   *tip: it’s much easier to use a food processor.
5. Add 7 diagonally-sliced green onions, 2 cups of Asian chives (cut into 2 inches in length), and 2 cups of shredded Korean radish.
6. Add  2 cups of frozen oysters, but this is optional. (I found out lots of people can’t eat them.)
7. Mix all ingredients well and your Kimchi paste is done.

 
Are you ready to spread our paste on the leaves and make your kaktugi?
* I recommend you wear rubber gloves so that you don’t irritate your skin.

1. Spread the Kimchi paste onto each leaf of the cabbage, and make a good shape out of the leaves by slightly pressing with both hands.
2. Put it into an air- tight sealed plastic container or glass jar. 
3. Mix your leftover paste with your radish cubes (this is kaktugi).

That’s all!

You can eat it fresh right after making or wait until it’s fermented. Put the Kimchi container at room temperature for 1 or 2 days and keep it in the refrigerator there after.

How do you know it’s fermented or not?

One or 2 days after, open the lid of the Kimchi container. You may see some bubbles with lots of liquids, or maybe sour smells. That means it’s already being fermented.