Gimbap, Take One

After eating gimbap at least once a day for the first four days we were here, I knew I had to try and make it myself. I didn’t have too many interesting ingredients for the filling, so I wanted to make a simple roll as a trial run.
I browned some sticks of tofu

and cut a cucumber into long, thin pieces.

I also cooked up some short grain rice and bought some 8″ x 8″ squares of nori.

I found this absolutely GENIUS recipe for cooking rice without a rice cooker: (It works really well if you have a pan with a glass lid, so you can see how much water has absorbed)
1. Rinse about 1 1/2 cups of short-grain rice
2. Place in the bottom of a saucepan, put your hand flat on top of the rice, and fill the pan with water just until your knuckles are covered.
3. Cover the pan, put over high heat, and boil for about 6 minutes
4. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. If it looks like all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and let the pan sit for about 15 minutes. If there’s still water, simmer until it’s gone, then let the pan sit for about 15 minutes. Don’t remove the lid!
6. Give the rice a good stir with a wooden spoon before serving.

Here’s the general idea:
1. Mix about 1 cup of cooked rice with about a tablespoon of rice vinegar
2. Place a sheet of nori in front of you, and spread about 2/3 of it with rice (the rice should be about 1 cm thick)

I learned through trial and error that you want the side with the rice toward you, and the uncovered nori away from you.
3. Put a few pieces of cucumber and a few sticks of tofu along the middle of the rice, and carefully roll it up. You don’t need one of those fancy looking sushi-mats, just your own two hands.

The end doesn’t look that pretty, but it’s okay.
4. Cut into slices about 3/4″ thick and enjoy!

Now that I know how easy it is, next time I’ll branch out and use some more interesting fillings.

Japchae

This is an absolutely DELICIOUS dish, but it is very involved.  Give yourself about two hours from start to finish.  Every ingredient is seasoned and cooked individually, then they are all mixed together in a huge bowl.  In the process you will dirty a TON of dishes, but don’t let that deter you – the great blend of flavors and textures is completely worth it!  

(adapted from Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall)

4 tbsp rice wine or vermouth

3 tbsp sugar

8 green onions, white and pale green part only

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp sesame seeds

salt 

pepper

8 oz chicken breast, sliced into 1/8″ by 3″ strips

8 oz lean beef tenderloin, sliced into 1/8″ by 3″ strips

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for about 2o minutes, then drained

3 tbsp soy sauce

5 tbsp sesame oil

1 lb napa cabbage hearts, stem part only, cut into 3/4″ by 3″ strips

1 lb spinach leaves, cut into 3 inch pieces

8 oz sweet potato noodles

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 jalapeno, cut into thin strips

To make the seasoning for the meat: combine 2 tbsp vermouth, 1 tbsp sugar, 4 green onions, 2 cloves garlic, lemon juice, sesame seeds, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.  

Stir well, then pour half into each of two bowls.  

Toss the chicken in one bowl and the beef in the other

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet, then add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl.

Wipe out the skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil, then add the beef and cook until done.

Place in the bowl with the chicken.

Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the mushrooms, then cut into slivers.

Toss with 1 tbsp vermouth, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 green onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the skillet, add the mushrooms, and cook for 10 minutes.  Transfer to the bowl with the meat.

In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.  Blanch the cabbage for about 3 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water.  

Squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then add to the bowl with the meat and mushrooms.

Fill the pot with water again, and blanch the spinach for about 10 seconds.

Drain, squeeze out all the water, then transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp vermouth, 1 green onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Add to the bowl with the other ingredients, then add the peppers.
To cook the noodles, boil 3 quarts of water and add the noodles.  Boil for about 5 minutes, then drain.  Add to the bowl with meat and vegetables, add all remaining ingredients, and toss well.

Korean Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables

This was my first attempt at making Korean food at home, and my second attempt at eating and enjoying kimchi.  (I HATED it the first time I tried it, but this time I really liked it.  Amazing the difference a couple years makes).

I LOVE the presentation, and how it lends itself to customizing your meal.  It takes a little longer than a simple stir fry, but once you get going on the blanching and sauteing, it moves pretty quickly.  The list of ingredients looks a little daunting, but everything is pretty easy to find, and you could always omit components you don’t care for.

(from Growing up in a Korean Kitchen by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall)

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine

1 green onion (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

salt

pepper

3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin 3″ strips

1 lb summer squash, sliced into thin 3″ strips

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into thin strips

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

1/2 lb white mushrooms, shredded

1/2 lb napa cabbage (stem only), cut into thin strips

1 cup kimchi

1 pound Asian wheat noodles

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

To make the seasoning for the chicken, in a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, green onion, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the chicken, toss well, and set aside.

Place the summer squash in  bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. 

Let sit for 15 minutes.

Using a kitchen towel, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. 

Add the squash and saute for about 2 minutes. 

Season with a pinch of pepper.  

Place on serving plate.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat until hot.

Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through but still moist.

Transfer to the tray next to the squash.  

In the same skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot.

Add the jalapeno and bell pepper strips and saute for 1 minute.

Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper and transfer to the tray next to the chicken and squash.

In a large saucepan, boil 4 cups of water with 1 tbsp white vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Blanch the mushrooms for 10 seconds, or until barely wilted.

Scoop out the mushrooms and plunge into ice water to stop cooking.

Reserve the blanching water.

Drain the mushrooms in a colander and, with a clean kitchen towel, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.  

Set aside on a work surface.

Add water to the saucepan and bring to a boil again.

Add the cabbage, blanch for 3 minutes, and plunge in ice water and squeeze out the liquid (as with the mushrooms).  

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tbsp sesame oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.  

Add the mushrooms, mix well, and transfer to the serving plate next to the chicken, peppers, and squash.

In the same bowl, repeat with the cabbage and transfer to the serving plate.

Combine the kimchi with 1 tbsp sesame oil and transfer to the plate.

In a large stockpot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add the noodles.

Cook according to package directions, drain in a colander, and transfer back to the same pot.

Add 1 tbsp sesame oil and toss well.

To serve, divide the noodles into individual bowls. 

Each person can then distribute the cooked ingredients over the top of their noodles, and garnish with sesame seeds and pepper flakes.