Christmas Dinner Is Korean Grill And Hotpot

Wild Boar and I decided to have grill and hotpot for our Christmas dinner. We both love grilled pork belly and to eat them wrapped in lettuce leaf (green coral ) with kimchi and roasted seaweed is truly delicious. Watching too many Korean dramas has greatly influenced my liking for Korean food.  Grilled pork belly wrapped with lettuce leaf into a little parcel ,with kimchi and roasted seaweed is one way of eating grill pork belly and this is the only time where I lose control over my meat intake :p  We simply added a pot on top of our griller and it instantly became a hotpot :)  Thus making our Christmas dinner a wonderful one !

my favourite plate and bowl for grill and hotpot

swiss brown mushrooms, enoki, lotus root, radish 

for the hotpot

chinese cabbage for hotpot

my favourite coral lettuce for the Korean grill,

sweet and crunchy, perfect for wrapping the grilled pork belly slices

beef balls for hotpot

beef tender loin slices marinated for the Korean grill

 lean pork belly slices perfect for Korean grill

bottom left -homemade kimchi - Korean grill

bottom right - roasted seaweed - Korean grill

top left - ginger and onions sauce - hotpot

top right - crispy fried garlic for hotpot

I added fresh pineapple for grill...simply refreshing

after a heavy intake of grilled meat :)

the smell of sizzling meat on grill whets my appetite

roasted seaweed is a must for us to have with Korean Grill

you can wrap grilled meat with roasted seaweed

it is so delicious and addictive

I can eat this everyday if health permits :)

After a heavy intake of meat,  weight lifting is added to my daily work out!

Korean Cubed Radish Kimchi 깍둑설기 ( Kkakdugi )

Recently, I was recommended to try out the imported radish from Korea by my daughter and she told me that it is sweet and crunchy when eaten raw and that after which I will not want to eat the local ones :) seriously , it is true.  After having eaten it raw, I realised what I have been missing all this while . No wonder the korean loves their radish so much.  Upon her recommendation, I bought one big one from the K mart which sells all korean ingredients and utensils. 

Came home, could not wait to make them into cubed radish or 깍둑설기 ( kkakdugi ) in the korean language.  Making korean side dishes has become a simple task for me, for I have been making them since the day I was introduced to banchan :)  Since the radish is sweet, making banchan would be ideal.

cut them into cubes and seasoned with salt and sugar

after which add in the chilli flakes and mix evenly

add in the radish kimchi base

I prefer to give it character by not blending the ingredients

but chopped them fine

best to ferment them in glass jar

leave it a day in room temp before

storing them in the fridge

Korean Cubed Radish  깍둑설기 ( Kkakdugi ) - adapted from My Korean Kitchen

Ingredients:

1.1 kg Korean radish – rinsed and skin peeled (2.5 pounds), or other variety of white daikon radish 

3 stalks (50 g / 1.8 ounces) green onion – rinsed  

2 Tbsp raw sugar 

2 Tbsp rock salt or Korean coarse salt

 

Radish Kimchi base

1/2 small brown onion (70 g / 2.5 ounces), skin peeled, cut into small pieces to blend 

1/2 small red apple (50 g / 1.8 ounces), seed and core removed, cut into small pieces to blend  

3 Tbsp Korean fish sauce , I used anchovy sauce 

1 Tbsp Minced garlic  

1/2 Tbsp Minced ginger 

4 Tbsp Korean coarse chili flakes (gochugaru)  

1/4 cup water 

1Tbsp rice flour

 

Instructions

1. Cut the radish into medium sized cubes. (It could be smaller or bigger if that’s what you prefer. Just be mindful that the radish will shrink as they go through the fermentation process.) Put the cubed radish into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar and the salt and mix them well. Leave it for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. While waiting, chop the green onion into small pieces and make the Kimchi base. Blend the onion and apple with the fish sauce in a blender. (It can take a few minutes as the liquid isn’t as much as the solids.) Make the rice porridge by mixing the water and the rice flour in a bowl and heating them up for 1 min in a microwave. (It could be shorter or longer depending on the output power of your microwave). It should give you a mildly runny porridge texture. Mix all the Kimchi base ingredients (*except for 2 Tbsp of Korean chili flakes) in a medium sized bowl.
   
   
3. After one hour, rinse the radish in cold running water a couple of times and drain any excess water for 5 mins.
4. Put the radish into a clean mixing bowl and add 2 Tbsp of Korean chili flakes.  Mix the chili flakes with the radish evenly. (By adding this chili flakes separately and earlier than rest of the Kimchi base, you are giving a nice vibrant colour to the radish). Add the chopped green onion and the Kimchi base and mix them evenly and thoroughly.
   
   
5. Move the seasoned radish into an air tight glass container (1.5L glass jar for the above-listed quantity) and leave it at room temperature for between 6 to 24 hours depending on the temperature  After that keep it in the fridge.

Japchae 잡채

I have been wanting to cook this for a long time now. Japchae is sweet potato starch noodles stir fried with vegetables and meat and is one of Korea's best loved dish. Of course, it is often featured in Korean dramas and that's how I first got to know of this dish.  Seriously, my passion for korean food started when I was first introduced to korean dramas.  Finally, I get to taste my first Japchae , homecooked by your truly , of course  :)  

It is hard not to like the chewy ,sweet and slightly slippery noodles with colorful vegetables and mushrooms,  tender juicy  beef (grain fed ) , its irresistible sesame flavor , healthy amount of garlic , light and refreshing taste.  Awesome ! 

Each ingredient have to be cook separately because each requires different cooking time and care.  It may seems a lot of labor but the end result is a delicious Japchae that I will want to make again and again.  You can get the sweet potato starch noodles from Jusco .  

these ingredients has to be cooked separately

and seasoned

love the colorful veggies

tender and juicy beef  (grain fed type )

you can get them from Jaya Grocer

sweet potato starch noodles

love the beef and mushrooms :)

all you have to do lastly is to mix all the cooked ingredients together

yummy !

this is how it looks after mixing all together

a healthy dish

Japchae 잡채 - adapted from Maangchi

Ingredients:-

4 ounces beef, filet mignon (or pork shoulder), cut into ¼ inch wide and 2½ inch long strips

2 large dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 2 to 3 hours, cut into thin strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 large egg

4 ounces spinach, washed and drained

4 ounces of dangmyeon (sweet potato starch noodles)

2 to 3 green onions, cut crosswise into 2 inch long pieces

1 medium onion (1 cup), sliced thinly

4 to 5 white mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 medium carrot (¾ cup), cut into matchsticks

½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (optional)

ground black pepper

salt

vegetable oil

Preparation:

Marinate the beef and mushrooms

Put the beef and shiitake mushrooms into a bowl and mix with 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil with a wooden spoon or by hand. Cover and keep it in the fridge

Make the egg garnish (jidan):

1. Crack the egg and separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Remove the white stringy stuff (chalaza) from the yolk. Beat in a pinch of salt with a fork.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to a heated nonstick pan. Swirl the oil around so it covers the pan, and then wipe off the excess heated oil with a kitchen towel so only a thin layer remains on the pan.

3. To keep the jidan as yellow as possible, turn off the heat and pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan. Tilt it around so the mixture spreads thinly. Let it cook using the remaining heat in the pan for about 1 minute. Flip it over and let it sit on the pan for 1 more minute.

4. Let it cool and slice into thin strips

Prepare the noodles and vegetables:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then take it out with a slotted spoon or strainer. Let the water keep boiling to cook the noodles.

2. Rinse the spinach in cold water to stop it from cooking. Squeeze it with your hands to remove any excess water. Cut it a few times and put it into a bowl. Mix with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Put it into a large mixing bowl.

3. Put the noodles into the boiling water, cover and cook for 1 minute. Stir them with a wooden spoon so they don’t stick together. Cover and keep cooking for another 7 minutes until the noodles are soft and chewy.

4. Strain and cut them a few times with kitchen scissors. Put the noodles into the large bowl next to the spinach. Add 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well by hand or a wooden spoon. This process will season the noodles and also keep the noodles from sticking to each other.

5. Heat up a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil with the onion, the green onion, and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry about 2 minutes until the onion looks a little translucent. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

6. Heat up the skillet again and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the white mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until softened and a little juicy. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

7. Heat up the skillet and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add the carrot and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the red bell pepper strips and stir-fry another 20 seconds. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

8. Heat up the skillet and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the beef and mushroom mixture and stir fry for a few minutes until the beef is no longer pink and the mushrooms are softened and shiny. Transfer to the noodle bowl.

Mix and serve:

1. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to the mixing bowl full of ingredients. Mix all together by hand.
2. Add the egg garnish and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Mix it and transfer it to a large plate and serve.

Jokbal - Chicken House @ Solaris, Mont Kiara

During my week stint in Semenyih, my partner-in-crimes took me to this Korean restaurant Chicken House @Solaris, Mont Kiara, for they know that I love Korean food :) The moment they say Korean food for dinner...the first thing that flashed across my mind is JOKBAL !

I watched Nation's Big Three on Astro, whereby in one of their series, they featured Jokbal . Jokbal is a Korean dish consisting of pig's trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices. It is usually braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. . WB and I can only drool while watching the that series . I was so happy when my partner JO told me that Chicken House do serve Jokbal. Hehehe , now I get to eat the real one.  I must say it is really delicious.  Flavorful and the trotters so tender and succulent.  Maybe one day, I should try to replicate and bring for our cell group pot luck dinner :) We ordered one Jokbal and one Spicy fried chicken...and a jug of Mango rice wine (korean rice wine) Makgeolli ).  By the time we finished the Jokbal and the spicy fried chicken , we can't walk properly.....hahahaha it was either the rice wine or we had too much meat that filled our small stomach *wink... it was the best dinner I had thus far.  Love the Jokbal !

one whole trotter for 3 person *wink wink

 tender and juicy...you can either eat it stand alone or

wrap in lettuce which comes bottomless.  They will replenish

for you when you have emptied the plate

the jokbal comes deboned and cut into thin slices

the Jokbal order comes with a set of banchan - 

a plate of kimchi, pickle cucumber,

spicy garlic scapes and stir fry sausages

and not to miss this...spicy fried chicken...crispy and

garnishes with ground peanuts and crispy garlic

and sesame seed

finger licking good....

Korean  (Makgeolli )  is so good that I know I will

order this again the next time I come here for Jokbal..

every sip is intoxicating

mango rice wine is a great accompaniment for Jokbal

one way to eat jokbal is wrap in lettuce, add garlic and kimchi

and sliced jalapeno ...and go nom nom

a toast to many more jokbal meals together :)

wow, these two partners-in-crime of mine...

posing for me...hehehe testing out my skill :)

in using my Nikon 

Chicken House 치킨하우스
Jalan Solaris 4,
Solaris Mont Kiara,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 – 6211 5928

Ssambap - Korean Rice Wrap With Lettuce

Ssambap - Korean Rice Wrap With Lettuce.  Ssam means " wrap " in korean and bap means " rice " . I promised Piggy Jo that we will have Ssambap , a country style Korean food ,for dinner when she is back for the weekend.  She and myself are great fan of Korean cuisine and ssambap is on of her favourite korean food.  I prepared some succulent stove grilled pork belly and made some pickled garlic slices for the rice wraps.  The best crisp lettuce is the green coral lettuce. The kimchi I made came in handy and in it goes for the rice wrap. I wanted to make some ssamjang (condiment sauce made of guchojang paste and soybean paste) for the ssambap but Jo told me with the kimchi , the ssambap would be flavorful enough. 

How to make ssam

Start with the lettuce , choose a smaller leaf.   Place the lettuce in your hand, add a small mound of rice, stack grilled meat on top, finish with some kimchi and a few slices of pickled garlic . Wrap the whole thing into a neat package ( about the size of a golf ball ) and eat it in one bite.  Try not to make the whole thing too big, because then you are stuck with two messy options: stuffing it in your mouth or biting into the ssam and spilling its contents everywhere.

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