I love Korean Barbecue. I love it so much, I usually travel to Koreatown in Los Angeles to get the good stuff. I always said if I bought one of those grill pans and had the mind to cook it I would. When I started my culinary quest, bulgogi was on the top of my list! I actually prefer the spicy pork, but I haven’t had beef in a while.

I put on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and began pulling out the ingredients.

This is where I realized I forgot the rice wine.

I used a ball tip asada (whatever that means), but I don’t think it was thin enough for bulgogi. It’ll do the job though.

Let’s get marinated!

Now I’m supposed to let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. I figure an hour will make the flavors mesh better. I couldn’t find the grater, so we will have an Asian Pear-less bulgogi. Boo.

What shall become of you, Mr. Pear?

While waiting, I’m contemplating what would make my fledgling blog better. Obviously some photography practice will need to happen and I wonder where I can get a WordPress for Idiots book. I’m also thinking of setting up a makeshift mini-studio to take pics of my foods… a foodio, if you will…  in my kitchen area. I wonder what my dad would say to all that equipment. And I know my mother would start putting her paperwork on that table. But would beat taking pics with my mom’s very weird taste in tablecloths and my scrapbooking paper wouldn’t get wet on the kitchen counter.

Waiting is very difficult……. GIMME DAT BULGOGIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After one hour, I pulled it out of the fridge and began to fry (grill? It’s a grill pan) the beef.

The smell is AMAYSING!

It was really quick to grill and it was so difficult to take the time to take the photos before I ate my concoction.

NOM NOM NOM

I plated it with jasmine rice and lots of kimchi that I bought from the local Korean restaurant. I had looked into making my own, but it looked über labor intensive.

Voila! My plating needs work, but there’s always time for that.

Well in the end, I realize that the meat I used really wasn’t the best choice for bulgogi. Maybe I’ll see if that Korean place sells the meat that they use, unmarinated. Now…. should I eat that asian pear for dessert?

*     *     *

Bulgogi! (from Korean Bapsang)

4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound thinly sliced beef (rib eye or top sirloin)*
2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 small onion thinly sliced
(*Pre-sliced bulgogi meat is sold at Korean markets. Pay a little more to get good quality meat. If cutting the beef at home, partially freeze for about an hour to firm it up for easier slicing. Cut across the grain into about 1/8-inch thick slices.)

Marinade:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirin)
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons grated Asian pear (optional)
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
1/2 – 1 cup anchovy broth* or beef broth (or simply use water)
1/2 – 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 – 1 teaspoon sugar

Optional Vegetables:
4 ounces mushrooms
1 small carrots
(Or equal amounts of other vegetables such as baby bok choy, green cabbage, or bell peppers.)

4 servings of cooked rice
(Use a little less water than usual to cook the rice. Cooked rice should be a little drier than usual since it will absorb the sauce from the topping.)

Enjoy!