So there’s been a lot of talk lately on kimchi, the various ways to pair it with other foods, and the wonderful health benefits that it offers. Last month, we talked about the Kimchi donuts at Dunkin’ Donuts in Korea, and that got me curious to see what other sorts of creative concoctions people are coming up with these days.
From Amanda Cohen (owner of Dirt Candy) comes her version of Kimchi donuts with watermelon radish, cilantro, and wild arugula. I haven’t actually tried these since they were out when I went last time, but it definitely sounds interesting.
Of course, there’s Kimchi tacos from the famed Kogi taco truck, which I think is on its way to New York. Woohoo!
Christina Tosi is whipping up some kimchi butter at Momofuku Milk Bar. It’s actually quite delicious and goes great with a warm toast in the morning.
We also have a great recipe for Kimchi Quesadillas! Gotta love the Latin/Korean fusion theme going on here. Latin and Korean actually make an interesting duo since they both are heavy on flavors and spices. If you’re interested, here’s a recipe for Bastardized Kimchi Burgers.
And finally, I’d like to bring your attention to this little bottle down below. Yup, it’s official. In Korea, you can buy Leuconostoc kimchi candy that will help you stay away from swine flu! It’s got 9 different vitamins is available in apple flavor. I’d be curious to try it and I wonder whether it’s super popular in Korea.
So I guess this kimchi craze has officially begun. You can never overdose on kimchi, so eat up! Do let me know if you have any other interesting Kimchi creations!
Every country has its finger foods. Spanish tapas have ridden the wave of the popularity in recent years. Japanese izakayas serve delectable small plates that taste absolutely divine with sake. The Greeks have their rich and colorful Meze, many of which I tried at Pylos (great place) last month.
So what do the Koreans have? Banchan – unlimited, and best of all, free, appetizers that the waiters so generously stack onto the table immediately upon your arrival. There are endless combinations of different dishes, but they generally fall into the following categories:
Kimchee
Named a national treasure by the Korean Government, kimchee comes in different shapes and forms, ranging from turnip and cabbage to cucumbers pickled in garlic, red chili peppers, and salt. The dish is fermented for months, making it super rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B. It was rumored that back in 2003, SARS barely touched Korea thanks to the properties in kimchee that boosted people’s immunity. I’m by no means a kimchee connoisseur, but I’ve definitely heard people say, you can measure the quality of the restaurant by its kimchee.
Jjim
Jiim refers to steamed dishes, like my favorite steamed egg! The soft fluffy texture of steamed egg is truly irresistible.
Bokkeum
In a nutshell, these are dishes that are stir-fried in a red chili pepper sauce. Bokkeum is often made with squid, kimchee, and pork.
Namul
These are vegetables that are seasoned with sesame oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, green onions, chili peppers, and soy sauce. You’ll often see broccoli seasoned in sesame oil and tossed in with a few sesame seeds.
Jeon
These are the fried dishes, including the popular Korean pancakes. How could anyone not love these pancakes? They may not be the best thing for you, but the crunchiness of the pancakes always leaves me stomach very satisfied. Restaurants have been quite creative with what goes into the pancakes. Zucchini, Potato and Leek, and Seafood are among the favorites.
Jap Chae (see below)
Often eaten as an appetizer, Jap Chae consists of cellophane noodles and vegetables stir-fried in sesame oil and flavored with soy sauce. Made from sweet potato, the noodles are translucent when cooked, and the consistency can often be a bit chew. Make it yourself here!
The variety of dishes make up a very balanced meal (complementing the hefty chunks of galbi and samgyupsal). I also think it’s interesting to note that food can play an important role in defining a culture. Nearly all Korean dishes are meant to be shared, giving it a more communal and familial feel, and unlike Western main dishes that will serve a main course with two self-contained sides on the same plate. In Korean meals, the appetizers arguably can be just as important as the main dish. There’s no hard and fast rule as to what types of panchan restaurants should serve, but there’s generally a pretty good mix of everything (as evident in the pictures below).
Kimchi made its morning show debut on the Today Show with Matt Lauer and the famed chef David Chang showing how he makes his version of kimchi. David is out and about promoting his “Momofuku: The Cookbook”, which was published this week. If you would like the Napa Cabbage Kimchi recipe we featured early this week, click here.
If you’re in the mood for some sushi rolls, but not really feeling the raw fish tonight, try out kimbap. It’s a popular Korean staple that is fairly quick and easy to make, and is also very portable friendly for picnics, airplane, and road trips. Kimbap is similar to Futomaki, the large Japanese sushi rolls, but it generally does not contain any raw fish or meat. Unlike sushi, it is not served with any soy sauce, wasabi, or ginger – the flavors are self-contained in the tasty rice rolls that make a wholesome and nutritious meal.
So what does a traditional kimbap consist of? Thin sheets of crispy, seasoned seaweed wrapped around white rice (bap), spinach, carrots, takuan (pickled daikon radish), and sometimes bulgogi (traditional Korean marinated barbecue beef).
Kimbap
Vegetable Kimbap, close up
Over the years, moms and chefs have tapped their creative juices in concocting up new fillings to put into their lovely kimbap. One restaurant that has taken the initiative in doing so is E-Mo, a hidden hole-in-the-wall, which of course, is located in K-Town. At E-Mo, they offer a variety of different flavors, ranging from traditional beef and tuna to cheese, sausage, and even jalapeno! (Warning: it can be quite spicy). The kimbaps are freshly rolled to prevent the seaweed from becoming too soggy. I really liked their spicy tuna kimbap, but the cheese was a bit rich for my taste buds.
E-Mo, Storefront View
Menu at E-Mo
If you’re looking for better value, you can also find kimbap next door at Woorijip, the popular Korean “food court”-like deli with an extensive offering of Korean dishes. Woorijip has the traditional flavors like spicy tuna, bulgogi, and squid, and you definitely get more bang for the buck.
As you know, kimbap is very quick to make. You just have to lay out all the ingredients beforehand, and then you can roll away on a small bamboo mat. Here is a simple tuna kimbap recipe from Maangchi. But remember, you can always be super creative with the fillings and come up with your own inventions!
Cheers,
Jess
E-Mo 2 W 32nd St
(between 5th Ave & Broadway) New York, NY10001
David Chang’s “Momofuku: The Cookbook” will be out in bookstores on Tuesday and here’s one of the first recipes shared with the public: Napa Cabbage Kimchi. If you don’t know David Chang, then he’s someone you should get to know because he’s the boy genius that the culinary world has embraced. He’s doing it in the most difficult city to win in and that’s New York with his 4 restaurants: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar. Try out David’s Napa Cabbage Kimchi from his famed Momofuku restaurants.
At Momofuku, we make three types of kimchi: Napa cabbage (paechu), radish (from long white Korean my dishes or, failing that, Japanese daikon), and Kirby cucumber (oi). Our recipe has changed some since I learned it from my mom, who learned it from her mom. I add more sugar than they would. We let the fermentation happen in the refrigerator instead of starting the kimchi at room temperature and then moving it into the fridge when it starts to get funky. At the restaurant, we let the kimchi ferment for only a couple of weeks, instead of allowing it to get really stinky and soft. There’s a point, after about two weeks, where the bacteria that are fermenting the kimchi start producing CO2 and the kimchi takes on a prickly mouthfeel, like the feeling of letting the bubbles in a soft drink pop on your tongue. It’s right around then that I like it best.
Makes 1 to 1 ½ quarts
INGREDIENTS
• 1 small to medium head Napa cabbage, discolored or loose outer leaves discarded
• 2 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 20 garlic cloves, minced
• 20 slices peeled fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup kochukaru (Korean chile powder)
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup usukuchi (light soy sauce)
• 2 teaspoons jarred salted shrimp
• 1/2 cup 1-inch pieces scallions (greens and whites)
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
DIRECTIONS
Cut the cabbage lengthwise in half, then cut the halves crosswise into 1 inch wide pieces. Toss the cabbage with the salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Combine the garlic, ginger, kochukaru, fish sauce, soy sauce, shrimp, and remaining ½ cup sugar in a large bowl. If it is very thick, add water 1/3 cup at a time until the brine is just thicker than a creamy salad dressing but no longer a sludge. Stir in the scallions and carrots.
Drain the cabbage and add it to the brine. Cover and refrigerate. Though the kimchi will be tasty after 24 hours, it will be better in a week and at its prime in 2 weeks. It will still be good for another couple weeks after that, though it will grow stronger and funkier.
Is David Chang the wunderkind of the food world? Depends on how early is early for success. It would be safe to say that David Chang is a food genius because he simply cooked what he really wanted. Luckily for us and the many foodies in New York, we’re glad he chose cooking (what he really wanted to do) over golf because that’s what he almost trained to be before he discovered his real calling in life. David Chang didn’t have immediate success but went through some soul searching before arriving at success – all before thirty. He’s coming out with his cookbook which is appropriately titled “Momofuku,” which is the common name in for all of his reataurants: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar.
Momofuku tells the stories and recipes of your first three restaurants. There’s no real sex, drugs and scandal, but lots of fear, anger, desperation and joy of the Korean-American boy who studied religion, taught English in Japan and fell hard for ramen – “soup with noodles in it, topped with stuff. That’s it. I love ramen but the sanctimony that’s often attached to it is a bit too much.”
I’ve personally eaten at all his restaurants and even had the once great pleasure of eating with David and having him order for us. He is simply a genius! But the genius wasn’t that evident when he first opened up shop not to long ago.
My restaurant bombed after a month. I couldn’t keep my chefs or waiters happy. They constantly demanded food, water and rest. My menu never progressed beyond garden salad, bruschetta, tiger prawn platters, margarita pizza and fruit plates. No dim sum, yakibuta ramen and saffron tea at Buffalo Gal’s – I wasn’t qualified to cook them or buy the ingredients.
I blew too much money on uniforms, pretty stoves, wallpaper and flooring. I didn’t sink every waking hour into my restaurant and it showed. Customers marched out fuming. My restaurant sucked, but at least it sucked in obscurity running a virtual eatery at Restaurant City on Facebook.
David Chang’s book Momofuku will be hitting the store shelves on Wednesday, Oct 28th.
With swine flu and the wintry chill coming at us in full force, people are scavenging clinics and pharmacies in hopes of getting the highly desired vaccine. Immunity boosts are much coveted these days, and our familiar chicken soup just might be facing some fierce competition now. Sul lung tang lovers say, ditch the canned chicken soup, bundle up, and head to K-town for some authentic Korean beef soup.
Sul lung tang, in its purest form
Sul lung tang is a hearty, luxuriant beef broth made from ox bones that are simmered on low fire for 12-15 hours. During this lengthy process of beef essence extraction, the bone marrow and collagen melt slowly, creating a milky, sumptuous broth rich in minerals and nutrients that will give you an instant immunity shot. Sul lung tang is served with strips of tender beef brisket that lay on a bed of soupy rice and thin noodles. Even when you’re not sick, sul lung tang also a wonderful hangover cure after a late night of partying, when you need a boost to get back into that happy state.
Sul lung tang, with scallions and sea salt
Subtlety is king here, in face of the traditionally strong, piquant flavors of kimchee and grilled galbi. Sul lung tang is traditionally served in its purest form without any salt, but you can sprinkle a dash of sea salt to your liking (or several dashes) into the soup, slowly stirring until melting, and taste until you’re satisfied. Scallions also add a nice crunchy kick of brightness to the solemn broth. I’m a sucker for scallions, so I always pile ‘em up in my mine.
It seems like sul lung tang is not terribly hard to mark, but it can be a pretty time-consuming process (see recipe below). For those who want some immediately relief, most of the restaurants in K-town offer this delicious soup. Aficionados have repeatedly told me that Gahm Mi Oak is the best in Manhattan when it comes to sul lung tang. Apparently they also serve the best kimchee in Manhattan? If you know of any hot contenders, please do share!
Cheers,
Jess
How to Make Sul Lung Tang: Ingredients:
8 cups of water
4 large oxtail bones
4 cloves of garlic
4 leeks
1. Soak beef bones for 30 minutes and rinse well
2. Put beef bones in a big pot with cold water and bring to a boil for about 45 minutes
3. Throw out this broth (should be very murky)
4. Rinse bones and bring them to a boil with clean water for 3-4 hours
5. Add garlic, leeks, and onions to the soup
6. Continue to let it boil, while adding water at the same time
7. Once it has a snowy white color, let the broth cool
8. Put the broth into the fridge for a 1-2 hours
9. Trim the layer of fat on top
10. Reheat the broth and serve with salt, pepper, and scallions
Where to Get Sul Lung Tang:
Gahm Mi Oak 43 W 32nd St
New York, NY (212) 695-4113
Gahwa Korean Restaurant 2932 Union St (Downtown Flushing) New York, NY (718) 886-3223
Did you know Gwyneth Paltrow loves Korean food and one of her favorite restaurants in New York is Korean (HanGawi). This video below is a bit odd because it’s Gwyneth and her chef friend making the Korean dish bibimbop. The caveat here is that they add a Japanese accent to their version of bibimbop to make it a Japanese/Korean fusion bibimbop.
Bibimbop is one of the most commonly eaten Korean dishes at restaurants and sometimes made at home. In NYC, I’m seeing more variations of this fabulous Korean dish with kimchi and bulgogi mixed in or genip (leaf) and bulgogi mixed together. It’s really a flexible dish that can be mixed and matched in different ways, whether you want it to be vegetarian like Gwyneth or carnivorous like many Korean men.
Here’s Gwyneth’s version of bibimbap that we found on her blog Goop.com.
Bibimbop, which roughly translates to “mix it up,” is essentially a rice bowl that you can adorn with whatever toppings you like. It’s a great vehicle for leftovers—a veritable ‘kitchen sink’ kind-of meal. The key is the Spicy Miso Sauce, which ties all the various parts together.
It’s one of the most popular dishes at Korean restaurants and though it’s been around for a long time, the “Korean Bacon” has had a recent resurgence. It’s called Samgyeopsal (sam-gyup-sal) and oh boy it’s really good. The literal translation is the not so appealing “3 layered flesh”. Surprisingly, I did not come to eat my first samgyeopsal until last year when I took a trip to Seoul, but boy was it cheap and it was so darn good. And since that trip across the Pacific, my cholesterol has probably increased by several points.
One of our favorite Korean home cooks is Maangchi and it appears that she just released her version of samgyeopsal. If you like pork and love Korean food, this is definitely a dish worth trying out. Enjoy!
Korean Beacon was present at a luncheon with the first lady of South Korea, Kim Yoon-Ok. The first lady, famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Moon Bloodgood, a Korean-American actress, and Salvatore Scarlato were cooking up and serving Korean food – pajeon – to American vets of the Korean War. The South Korean president and his wife were in NYC for the U.N. General Assembly. Her coordinated efforts were part of South Korea’s international efforts to globalize Korean food.
The government’s Korean Cuisine to the World campaign began in April, with official goals that include quadrupling the number of Korean restaurants abroad and lifting Korean food into the “top five rank of world cuisines” by 2017. Putting aside that such a ranking system does not exist, the campaign shows how seriously food is now taken by many governments, especially in Asia.
Bang Moon-kyu, a ministry official who is leading the campaign, said that it has about $10 million to spend in 2009, including grants and scholarships for South Koreans to travel and attend culinary school. The campaign has already established a research and development lab devoted to the popular street-food dish called tteokbokki, a garlicky, richly spiced dish of rice cakes bathed in red chili paste. Tteokbokki (pronounced duck-bo-key) got its own festival in March, spinning off from the larger annual Seoul festival of rice cakes, or tteok. “And tteokbokki is only the beginning,” he said.
“First was Chinese food in the U.S., then Japanese and Thai,” said Min Mon-hong, director of tourism for Korea. “Korean is the next big boom.”
Along side Jean-George was his wife, Marja, who happens to be Korean-American herself. “I’ve been teaching him some sauces and marinades,” said Mr. Vongerichten’s wife, Marja. “I think he would do great things with gochujang,” she said, referring to the spicy, fermented paste of ripe red chili peppers that is one of the basic seasonings of the Korean kitchen.
New York seems to be the perfect city to launch Korea’s crusade to evangelize Korean food since it is one of the culinary capitals of the world. However, there’s a lot more to do to reach the goal of putting Korean food on the global map. Let’s hope it gets there!
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