Kaoru: Kalbi & Bulgogi

I love Korean food – Korean BBQ, jap che, mandu, dok boki, pancakes, tofu soup & all the little pickled things you get when eating at a Korean restaurant. You name it, I like it! So I thought I'd try my hand at making a few dishes at home. Friends of ours had recently invited Mr. Martini and me over for home-cooked Korean BBQ; I took that opportunity to get their kalbi & bulgogi recipes.

Kalbi (short ribs)



Kalbi Recipe
1 # beef short ribs, cut for kalbi (buy at Korean market)
2+ Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed/minced garlic
1 Tbs. sake
Pinch black pepper
½ piece of fresh kiwi (or pineapple or orange), juiced/shredded

1. Distribute sugar evenly on beef by sprinkling on each piece. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.



2. In bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sake & black pepper.
3. Massage beef with shredded kiwi (& kiwi juice) using hands.
4. Add sauce & mix. Allow beef to marinate anywhere from 6 hours, up to 2 nights. If you do 2 nights, cut back on kiwi as it will tenderize the meat almost too much. The meat is traditionally eaten a little stiffer (vs. fall off the bone soft).
5. Once marinated, broil (or throw on grill) for about 5 mins.



The traditional way to eat kalbi is to wrap it in lettuce, with some rice & a smear of miso-sauce (see photo above).

Miso-sauce (for kalbi wraps)
Miso paste
~1/4 the amount of red pepper paste
Sesame oil
Minced garlic
Sesame seeds
Minced green onions (if desired)
Touch of white sugar


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Bulgogi



Bulgogi Recipe
1 # boneless pork or beef, sliced very thin (buy at Korean market)
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. crushed/minced garlic
½ teaspoon crushed ginger
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. red pepper sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. sake
2 Tbs. sesame oil

1. Mix ingredients together.
2. Marinate meat in mixture anywhere from 6 hours, up to 2 nights.



3. Once marinated, broil (or throw on grill) for about 5 mins.



Bulgogi pairs well with rice and kimchi (particularly the daikon kind). Below is the kimchi we ate for dinner.