Beansprout soup 콩나물국

2 cups of beansprouts
1 red chili - seeded and cut
3 cups water
8-10 dried anchovies
1 chopped scallion
3 garlic cloves minced
Salt to taste
1 tp kochugaru - optional

Bring water to a boil and add the anchovies to make the broth - boil for about 15-20 minutes.  You should see the water change color a bit

Add the beansprouts and cook for about 5 minutes.  Then add the scallions, red chili and garlic

I added some kochugaru to make it a bit spicier

Add salt to taste and then serve. It's really meant as a side dish, not a main

Dumplings 만두

1 cup kimchee
1 cup tofu
1 egg yolk
2 garlic
Sesame oil
Dash of pepper
2 chopped scallions
1 lb Ground pork / chicken / beef
1 package of mandu skins

Chop up the kimchee and put it in a big bowl

In a separate small bowl, put 1 tp sesame oil and some gochukaru on the tofu and then mash it up

Add to the kimchee

Add the yolk and scallions

The garlic and pepper

And mix together

Prepare the meat in a separate bowl.  I ended up using chicken, pork and beef to see what it's like but you can use all one type if you want.  Add some minced garlic and scallion and mix it together

Time for mandu making! I am not the best at shaping them!

Put some of the meat mix on first

Then the kimchee / tofu mix

Then close and shape as you like

I ended up making a variety - some with the meat mixture only, some with tofu/kimchee only etc

I know it's not pretty ha. I ended up getting lazy and didn't care about the kimchee stains you see ha.  Make sure to do this on wax paper with some flour so it doesn't stick.  I ended up freezing alot of these

Pork Bossam 보쌈

1 pound of pork (shoulder, belly etc)
1 whole onion
1 ginger (peeled)
1 sliced jalapeno
10-12 cloves of garlic
1 TB soybean paste
dash of pepper
2-3 scallions
1 teaspoon of coffee
Spicy dduk side (below, optional)
Pureed kimchee (optional)
Lettuce leaves
Samjjang for dipping
Grilled garlic (optional)

I made this once using shoulder and forgot to take pictures until the end! Then I made it again but used pork loin (I usually use shoulder or belly, but they didn't have any so I used pork loin in the first set of pictures)

First wash the pork and then put it in water on the stove to boil.  I added the coffee and brought the water to a boil for about 30 minutes to get (for lack of a better work) gunk out!

It's going to boil for about 30 minutes.  While it's boiling get the veggies ready.  I just peeled the onion and cut the ends off the scallion.  I used this strainer for the rest of the veggies but you can use tea bags too.

After thirty minutes take it off the stove and throw away the water and wash the pork

I switched to my Le Creuset pot for the rest of this.  Now I put the pork and veggies into the pot to boil again

Add the soy bean paste and dash of pepper

And cover with water and start to boil on low/medium heat.  I boiled it probably for about 6-8 hours over the course of two days.  Most people only do it for 3 hours if you want it like the traditional bo ssam, but I was making mine a bit different.  So you can cook it less if you like!

When you finally are ready to prepare it to eat, throw out everything but the pork for the last hour.

I pureed kimchee in a food processor to use with the pork

I also made some spicy dduk to eat with it (optional)
If you want to, mix a marinade of 2 TB soy sauce, 2 TB kochujang, 1 tb sesame oil, 1 minced garlic, dash of pepper, dash of ginger powder, 1 tb sugar, 1 tb kochugaru.  I heated a pan, added some dduk with the marinade and cooked it while waiting on the pork

One thing that is hard is that once things like dduk are off the stove, it doesn't take long for them to cook down! I bought this Staub pan at Willams Sonoma and it's AWESOME.  I let it heat on the stove while cooking other things (nothing on it) to warm it up. Once we are ready to eat, I transfer the dduk to the pot and it's still sizzling on the table!

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/staub-6-inch-round-gratin-baking-dish_51/?pkey=ccookware-staub|ckwstbred

Keep in mind all this is going on while the pork is cooking so make sure to time everything.  Before the dduk is done take the pork out. It should be really tender now... you can cut / tear it apart and throw out any fat

(back to when I used pork shoulder ha)

Now you can see what I mean by the difference - most times bossam is still "put together" ie like sam kyup sal pieces just  boiled.  The above is more shredded, so it's a matter of preference.

Then you are ready to eat!

I had to post this 2nd version.  I made it for about 6 people and used a 6 pound pork!

Mackerel #2

Another mackerel recipe - it's more a grilled type

Marinade: 4 TB soy sauce, 2 TB gochukaru, 2 TB mulyut / corn syrup, 3 TB chopped scallions, 1.b TB minced garlic, some ginger powder, 2 TB rice wine, 1 TB sesame seeds, dash of sesame oil, 1 TP pepper

1 pound of mackerel (i used spanish mackerel)
olive oil for cooking

Mix marinade together in a bowl

Set aside.  Wash your fish and then pat it dry with a paper towel.  Cut it into smaller pieces and mix with the marinade

Let it marinade at least 30 minutes in the fridge.  I covered it up - I did this the night before for dinner the next day

When you are ready heat the pan with some oil

Add the mackerel and cook on medium heat. Flip over to get both sides

You can add sliced potatoes too if you like.  Then plate and serve

Fish Tacos

I found this recipe somewhere awhile ago and I cannot remember where! But I atleast wanted to share it since it's pretty yummy

1 pound of fish - i used Mahi Mahi (red snapper also works)
Marinade: 1/4 canola oil, 1 lime, juice squeezed out, 1 TB chili powder, 1 chopped jalapeno, 1/4 chopped cilantro
tortillas
optional: salsa, guacamole, cheese, spanish rice

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.  Set it aside and now you have to get the fish ready.

I usually ask them to cut the skin off of the fish for me at the market, but I forgot this time so I had to (not fun!)

Cut it into small pieces and then mix together with the marinade

You can prepare it the day before and leave it in the fridge for dinner the next day.  I made this in the morning for lunch so it's a smaller portion then I would make for dinner

Make sure it marinades at least 30 minutes

When you are ready, you can cook it on the stove with some olive oil

Pop some tortillas in the oven or microwave - whatever you prefer! I had some shredded cheese and salsa in small bowls too

Normally I would make spanish rice and guacamole too but since this was for lunch and not dinner we kept it simple