Kale Meatball Soup, cloudy day with a chance of meatballs

"Cloudy day with a chance of meatball..."
What a perfect subtitle for this soup?

I often make soups for those days when there is no signs of bright sunlight.
I don't know..., maybe the biological system in my body commands the brain to do that.

So here, I gathered up some greens that I have in my fridge, and dumped in the chicken stock, and crossing my fingers for a magic.
Of course..., for being a domestic witch I pour the magic potion, cast a spell, and "Voila!" - the very comforting Kale Meatball Soup is born!!!!

Old Time Beef Stew, the ultimate winter comfort

Everyone has their own way of making beef stew more flavorful.
Some adds tomato sauce, some pours fancy red wine or beer, some throws herbs and even orange zest...
Me?
I just use water.
Yes, water with a couple of beef bouillon cubes for the intense beef flavor.

Crisp Korean Beef Salad, and a jar of citron tea

It is a wonderful season...
to catch...
a cold these days.

You know that I am not asking you to get sick, right?
I mean most people I know have suffered from cold or flu, some with very nasty ones, this past week or so.
So I am going to introduce you a typical home remedy that Koreans, at least in my household, use when we get sick from those mean viruses.

Radish Beef Rice Bowl

 

"No vitamins are better than fall radishes. So eat your radishes now!!!"

Every fall my mother forced to feed us radishes. 

Radish soup, radish salad, radish kimchee, ... and the radish rice - the worst one.

I HATED it.

I don't think radish is kids friendly vegetable at all. It is bitter and peppery. 

If you cook them they get mushy...,  and kids ain't like mushy stuff.

However my tongue has constantly been evolved. I love these peppery radishes now. 

I finally became a grown-up, hallelujah! 

Beef with Eggplant, This is not a stir-fry!

Korean foods are well known for its healthiness. 

It is not only because we do eat lots of vegetables with meal but also the cooking method we use to prepare the dish.

Stir-fry is perhaps one of the most popular cooking method in any Asian cuisine (of course Koreans do use that method in various dishes) but it is not the most common or popular way in Korean cooking to be honest with you.

"Muchim (무침)" is a skill to master in order to understand the Korean cooking.

Muchim involves some steaming and serious tossing, therefore no oil is necessary to cook the ingredients yet creates wonderful flavor balance without adding the extra fat in the dish.

Braised Beef Brisket, in Korean style

If you go to upscale Korean restaurants you will often see this braised Korean beef as a side dish along with the other 500(?) on your table.

It is meant to be served as side dish, usually chilled or at room temperature, but can be served as simple meal with some rice.

So tender and slightly sweet, this is the one side dish that will be gone as soon as it hits the table.
You can ask for more, but just letting you know, they will give you THE look that you don't wan to see.
After all, it is beef no matter how cheap the cut is...

Galbi Jjim, Korean braised beef short ribs

  "You are a pretty good mommy." My 7 year old boy suddenly told me the other day.
"Oh! am I?...  what made you say that?" I asked. And this is what he replied.
"Well, most of my friends don't have their Halloween candies anymore because their mommies threw them away. It is January and you still keep them in the cupboard. I know where they are. Thanks for saving them for me, mom!" Then he said, "Can I have one candy?" 
LOL! my darling little munchkin knows how to sweet talk his mother. My secrete compartment of sweet candies that I saved from Halloween was discovered (my secret source of 4pm sugar rush). I better find another safe place to hide them.
I didn't give him a candy but I promised I would make him a yummy dinner.

 I made Galbi Jjim, the Korean style braised short ribs. The meat is so tender that it will fall off the bone and the sauce is just divine to drizzle over rice. Plus the addition of radish, carrots, chestnuts, and dried dates will throw the dish to the roof.
However you need to know that rib meats are usually quite fatty. If you grill them, the fat will drip off. No problem there.  But when you braise them, all the fat will melt into the sauce making the sauce too greasy. You need to pre-treat the fat before you add in.
If you follow the direction I give you, you should be able to succeed making the divine braised beef ribs in authentic Korean way with lower fat. Utterly delicious!

* * * * *

 Here are what you need. Beef ribs, chestnuts, dried dates, radish, baby carrots, pear, ginger, garlic, onion, Kiwi (?), soy sauce, sesame oil and seeds, rice wine, sugar, pepper...

First, cut up the beef so each piece has one rib bone. Cut off excess fat on the outside and give two slits (1/2" deep) on each piece.

Soak them in cold water for 1 hour. Well, this is an optional step to get rid of some blood which cause unpleasant smell. You can skip this step if you don't care.

Boil a pot of water and dump the ribs and cook for 5 minutes.  They need hot bath before the big date. This will get rid of lots of fat and unclean gunk from the bones.

Drain and rinse the ribs with hot water. Discard the bath water, of course.

 Now, gather up some vegetables, etc to make stock.
I used leftover green onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorn, green chili. You can add carrots, onions, or whatever to make stock.

 Put the ribs back into the pot with clean water and the above stuff. Cover, boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

 And voila! beautiful stock plus loads of fat getting ready to clog my artery.

 Reserve the ribs, set aside. They look dead and unappetizing but be patient, my fellows.

 This is perhaps one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, the fat separator. So awesome!
Just pour the stock over and wait 1-2 minutes and you will see the fat floating to the top.
(2nd grade science: water and oil don't like each other!)

Pull the trigger and the stock will drain from the bottom. Stop the trigger when it gets near to the fat layer. Almost fat free beef stock! How divine!
If you don't have this gadget, well... patience would be my advice. Just chill the stock until the fat gets hardened. Then scoop off the fat layer.

 Time to move on...  The flavor crew!
Cut up onion, garlic, ginger, kiwi(optional), and Asian pear. Why kiwi?
The acid in kiwi will break down the muscle in beef and yield very tender texture without altering the flavor much. You need a little bit. Keep in mind that too much kiwi will ruin the meat.

 Put them in a blender and puree their lives until smooth.

 In a mixing bowl combine the fruit onion puree with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, sugar, and pepper, plus 1 1/2 cup of reserved stock. This will be the base of your sauce in the dish.

 In a braising pot, combine the ribs and the sauce. Cover, boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile cut up the radish and round the corners. Rounding the edges of radish, carrots, etc will prevent their corners from breaking off, which makes better look and taste in sauce.

 Chestnuts, dates (dried), radish and carrots. I used baby carrots because they already have the nice round corners.  Dates and chestnuts are optional. Dates will add another layer of flavor which I love.

Add them in the pot, stir. Cover and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes.
(I added 8 dates but I think it was a little too much. 4-5 should be ideal)

 If your sauce seems to be too runny, just uncover a little bit so the steam can escape.

 Make sure everything is soft and tender. (Chestnuts will have some body to it)

 Sprinkle sesame seeds at last.  Done! I highly recommend to sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top when serving. Just perfect finish on the dish.


Succulent, tender, melt in your mouth, full of flavor, low in fat, and what else to describe?
You probably want to double or triple the recipe because it is SOOOOO good. Leftover is even better. Just reduce the amount of sauce a little bit when you double up the recipe. With all the work you put in, you'd better share with someone you love.

Your husband will thank you, 

Your kiddos will thank you, 

Your father and mother will thank you,

Even your artery will thank you,

And of course, you tummy will thank you the most...

Bon appetit!

Galbi Jjim

(갈비찜, Korean braised short ribs)

makes 2-3 servings

2 1/2 lb beef short ribs

1/2 lb Korean or daikon radish, peeled and cut up to 1 1/2" chunks

1/2 lb baby carrots

4-5 dried dates

6-8 chestnuts, fresh or frozen (optional)

stock:

6 cups water

any type of onions + garlic + peppercorn + chili(optional) + 2 bay leaves

marinade sauce:

1/2 onion, cut into chunks

1/2 Asian pear, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 kiwi, peeled and cut into chunks

2-3 garlic cloves

1" ginger (about the size of 1 garlic clove), peeled and cut into chunks

7 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

3 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp rice wine or mirim

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

garnish:

2 tsp toasted sesame seed

3 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Cut the ribs into 3 sections so that each piece should have one rib. Cut off the outer fat from the pieces and give two slits (1/2" deep) on each. Place them in the bowl with cold water and soak them for 1 hour to remove some blood. Drain.

Bring to boil a pot of water and cook the ribs for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with hot water. (This will clean the meat and get rid of unclean ingredients coming from the bones) Discard the water.

Put the ribs back into the pot and pour 6 cups water and the other stock ingredients. Boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through fat separator, reserve the beef and 1 1/2 cup of stock (Rest of stock can be used for other purpose). Discard the other stuff.

In a blender, puree onion pear, kiwi, garlic, ginger until smooth. Put the purees in a mixing bowl and add the rest of marinade ingredients plus the reserved stock. Mix well.

In a braising pot, combine the ribs and the marinade, bring to boil and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes covered. Add the radish, carrots, chestnuts and dates to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 20 -30 minutes. If the sauce seems too runny, open the lid slightly so the steam can escape.

Braise until everything gets soft and tender and the marinades get thickened. (The chestnut will have some body when bite to it)

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped walnut when serving. Serve warm with rice.

Note: Need to double the recipe? just increase amount of marinade by 1 1/2 times rather than 2 times.

Printable recipe

Chili Bibim Sauce, doctor up!

If I ever forced to live in deserted island....,

And I'm allowed to take only one Korean condiment with me...,

It will be Gochujang, the Korean chili paste.

Koreans can't live without this divine spicy paste, and I am one of them.

Gochujang is a father condiment of all spicy sauce in Korean cooking along with gochugaru (chili flakes).  I am so happy to share with you a very special recipe today. It is chili bibim sauce, doctored up gochujang sauce for dishes like Bibimbap.

I like Bibimbap, the Korean rice bowl with loads of vegetables. I would pay extra money for a good Bibimbap if I have to. What makes good Bibimbap? The secret is in the sauce. 

It has a little bit of ground beef and honey in it. It is not only good sauce for Bibimbap, but excellent to top the plain rice. You can substitute the beef for mushroom instead if you are vegetarian. The beauty of this sauce is that you can store for quite a long time. I often use as topping on my rice and wrap with lettuce. Perfect for easy quick lunch!

Let's doctor up this Korean goddess. It is super easy ans you will LOVE it! 

 You will need; ground lean beef, Korean chili paste, honey, sesame oil, Asian pear, onion, garlic, sugar(optional), corn syrup(optional), rice wine or Mirim. Add sesame seeds in this group as well.

 

 Cut up onion and pear, put them in the blender with garlic, Puree their lives.

 Pour the puree in the pan, add beef and 1Tbsp sugar (optional).

 Cook the beef in puree, smashing with spatula over medium heat. You don't want any big chunks of beef in the sauce. Well, doesn't look so appetizing at this point...

Now, time to drop the bomb. The gochujang! Only 1/2 cup but add more if you dare. Mix!

 Add honey. The amount is up to you depends on how sweet you want your sauce to be. Don't make it too sweet. Mix well and let the sauce thicken as you stir over medium low heat. They will thicken more as they rest in the fridge.

 Turn off the heat. Drizzle sesame oil and add sesame seeds. Add corn syrup for some shine.

Scary? Do not judge.
Wait until you taste it. You will lick your finger off.

You'd better go cook up some rice.

Dot with the sauce and taste...

If you have some lettuce lingering in your fridge, 

wrap it up.

Mmmmm, who knew that gochujang can be this good?

My next recipe?

Bi Bim Bap!

Of course.

Chili Bibim Sauce

(약고추장, yock gochujang)

1/4 lb lean ground beef

1/4 large onion or 1/2 small onion, cut up

1/2 Asian pear, peeled and seeded, cut up

2 small garlic cloves

1 Tbsp sugar (optional)

1/2 cup Korean chili paste, gochujang

2-3 Tbsp honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp corn syrup (optional)

Put onion, pear, and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the puree to the pan, add ground beef and sugar (if you wish). Cook over medium heat. Smash the beef with spatula to remove any clumps as you cook.

When the beef is cooked and the mixture is brownish in color, add gochujang and mix well. Add honey and thicken the sauce over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes. Don't thicken too much. The sauce will get thicken even more as it rest and stored in the fridge.

Remove from heat, drizzle sesame oil, add sesame seeds and corn syrup for shine. Mix well until combined. Store in a airtight container in the fridge for a couple of month.

Note: Serve as Bibimbap sauce or topping for plain rice.

Printable recipe

Rice Cake Soup, the Korean way of new beginning

 Happy New Year! The year of Rabbit, yeah!
I stayed up after midnight to welcome the year 2011. There were some regrets that I have left behind in year 2010 but decided not to look back. I already have set my new resolutions to accomplish this year, which is basically renewing the old ones..., LOL!  I'm looking forward to have another new beginning to be unfold in front of my eyes. I am just happy to live on this earth full of interesting things.

When I was a kid, New Year's day is the day we earn lots of money. We put on new clothes and go visit relatives, bow in full to them. We call it 세배(sebae). You lower your whole body to the ground to show them respect. In return, grandparents, uncles and aunts pay money to us. I used to earn over $100 each year after back breaking bowing business. I came from big family with lots of relatives.

Food is a big part of the festive day of New Year. We make dumplings, rice cakes of all kinds, braised beef ribs, all kinds of pan fried cakes and fritters, steamed fish, etc. I remember very long long table my mother had. Full of many dishes on the table we all mingled with our uncles, aunts, and cousins,  enjoying and celebrating the new beginning together. Our family tradition after the meal was Karaoke. My dad used to record our singing and replayed that tape for us to listen. We laughed and made jokes of each other. I think my family was glad that I desired cooking more than singing.

I made the rice cake soup, 떡국(Ddukgook) on New Year's day. It is very easy to make with a few ingredients. For any soups, the most important thing is the stock. I use beef brisket for the stock, but with a hint of some dried sea kelp and anchovies added. If you are not a big fan of anchovies, you can skip them. Sliced rice cakes can be easily found in most Korean groceries, some as frozen, or some fresh.

 Main ingredients are; sliced rice cakes, beef brisket, onion, black peppercorn, anchovies, dried sea kelp(kombu), green onions, eggs, and garlic which I forgot to add in the picture.



These are for seasoning the soup. Mirim(sweet rice wine, you substitute with regular rice wine or skip it), Korean soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and salt.

 Let's make the stock first. Have them bath all together; beef, anchovy(optional), sea kelp, onion, peppercorn, and rice wine in a pot. The party has just begun.

When they come to boil, remove the sea kelp. She needs to go home (it gets slimy if cooked too long). Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. This will make very flavorful stock.

 Meanwhile soak your main actress in the water for 15 minutes, drain and set aside. If your cake is made fresh (soft to touch), no need to soak.

 When the stock is done, drain and discard everything except the beef.

 Cool the beef for a few minutes and shred them into desired sizes.

Beat eggs lightly and set aside.

 Bring the stock back into pot and let it boil again and add the drained rice cake. The cakes will sink to the bottom of the pot, so stir them with a spoon. Add the reserved beef at this point.

 You will see some scum floating on top, remove it using a spoon. When the rice cakes are done, they will float to the top.

 Reduce the heat to medium low, add Korean soy sauce and chopped garlic.

Add beaten eggs in swirling motion but do not stir the soup.

Add green onion, sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Done!

Garnish the soup with some toppings.
Roasted seaweed slices are excellent choice to add, but chili or mushrooms are good too.
Gather up the crowds and serve the soup immediately. If you have Kimchee as side dish you are one sensible chef. They must go together.

Eat, celebrate, and share wise goals for the new year with each other. 

There is nothing like having family together on the day of new beginning.

I have my kids and the piano man to set 3 goals to accomplish this year.

We talked about their realistic goals.

Then,

They asked me what my goals are,

So I answered,

"My goal is to remind you to accomplish your goals"

Happy New Year!

Rice Cake Soup

 makes 4-6 servings

For the stock:

9 cups water

1 lb beef brisket

5-6 dried large anchovies (optional)

3 medium dried sea kelp, rinsed

1 Tbsp black peppercorn

1 small onion, diced

1 Tbsp rice wine

For the soup:

2 lb rice cakes, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained

2 Tbsp Korean soy sauce

2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 green onions, chopped

1 garlic, chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste 

roasted seaweed, chili slices, or mushroom slices for garnish (optional)

To make the stock, combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil. Remove the sea kelp, reduce the heat to low, cover with lid and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the stock and discard all except the beef. Shred the beef into desired size and set aside.

To make the soup, bring the stock to boil again. Add the rice cakes and reserved the beef, stir. There will be some scum forming on the soup, remove with a spoon. 

When rice is fully cooked they will float to the top. Reduce heat to medium low, add chopped garlic and Korean soy sauce. Add the beaten eggs in swirling motion, add green onion, sesame oil, salt and pepper to season. Remove from heat and serve immediately with some Kimchee on the side.

Garnish the soup with some roasted seaweed slices or chili if you desire.

Printable recipe