[Food] Galbi (갈비, Korean Rib BBQ)

[Food]

[Food] Galbi (갈비, Korean Rib BBQ)

A typical Korean BBQ restaurant. Long silver hoses drain smoke out of the grill.

It is part of Korean culture (almost convention) to buy dinner for somebody when there is something to talk about or to give serious cheer or comfort. The serious and the greater the matter, the more Koreans will bring you to a better and more expensive restaurant. If Koreans say they want to buy dinner at a BBQ restaurant, it means they have something to talk to you about like the examples above, or they think you are an important and precious person, or they want to welcome you with warm hearts (if it is your first time meeting them). So it seems like the rule of 'there is no free lunch' is occasionally exempt in Korea.

When I was young my dad used to bring his family to a nearby BBQ restaurant at the weekends. He was a successful businessman so he wasn’t concerned about spending much money eating out. My family's favorite BBQ place was Poong-nyeon ('rich harvest') BBQ restaurant. My parents usually ordered sweet soy-sauced Galbi (갈비, Korean Rib BBQ), then additionally ordered cold noodle and Doenjang jjigae with bowls of rice.


I still remember the neon sign shaped with a running wild boar with green and red lights. Many families like mine went there to enjoy its famous Galbi. When I last visited that town, where my family lived when I was young, the BBQ restaurant was still there and it made me reminisce for a long time. Oh, how can I forget the sweet soy sauce taste of Galbi!

A Galbi BBQ restaurant in Korea

Galbi (uncooked)

Side dish of Galbi. Lettuce, garlic, Ssamjang (Mixture of Korean chili paste and Doenjang) and chopped spring onion.

Today, I met my dad at a BBQ restaurant in Busan. It is not the place where we used to go when I was young but it was enough to reminisce of our family’s old times. We ordered Galbi with Soju (for my dad, not mine).

"Hey, dad. How was work? How many boxes have you loaded onto the trucks?"

After his retirement as a 'successful businessman', he opened a woman's clothes shop but it didn't go well...and now he works as a delivery service man.

"Oh well...almost...I think more than 500 today. You know it is Christmas holiday season soon so we will have to deliver more boxes. Phew...
How’s your work going Jerry? Is your freelance work still so fun?"

"Yeah, like always. I like being 'free'-lancer - no boss and the more I work the more money I earn. The best thing is I can work alone, hahaha."

Soon the charcoal fire came to my table and I started to heat the grill. At the same time, I poured Soju for him then we toasted for our lives (I toasted with soda). However, having happy chit-chat was not the purpose of having dinner with my dad. I wanted to talk seriously with him - family things.

Soju (Distilled Korean rice liquor, best friend to a Korean dinner)

"Dad, I have something to talk to you about. It’s serious."

Dad raised his eyebrows.

"What’s that? Go on."

"Why...uhm...why did you divorce? Is that true that you cheated on mom?"

I could see dad's face was stoned with embarrassment. Well, I already knew everything about their divorce because mom had told me everything. Dad would not have known that I knew their story. I just wanted to know if it was truth or not from dad's mouth.

"Yes, Jerry...it is true...but listen, you are grown-up now. And your mom and I are also adults and grown-ups. We had been having personal problems with differences of character and...."

"Dad, but you should have at least told me before signing the legal papers. I understand you and mom had been in conflict over many things, but...cheating? Oh my.....dad....that is the worst-case scenario. It's like abandoning being with your family including me and Liz (my elder sister)."

"You never know, you don't understand how much you and mom suffered from each other. And...."

I crossed my head.

"Uh-huh, but the bottom line is that you cheated on her. You should have not done that, dad. As father and son...man-to-man, I think you have to apologize to mom."

I could see he was a bit angry and his complexion reddened, but I didn't want to stop my criticism of him because I was angry when I had heard about the divorce.

Dad gulped a cup of Soju and poured another one again, then said:

"I've already paid her so much money as an alimony (compensation). I have nothing more to say. Sorry, young man."


"I'm not talking about a legal thing, dad. You are so guilty and must be sorry to mom, Liz and I. You are the one who tore this family apart. Don't you understand? Mom had to go through a long and painful menopause right after you left her. I know you didn't like each other at the end of your married life, so I would have understood it if had all cheated on one another...but it is not."

Charcoal for Korean BBQ

He was silent. I was silent too. Only the crackling sound of charcoal and the sizzling sound of Galbi filled the air.

"So it is very true...phew....sigh...Okay...I don't care now wherever and whoever you live with, but I think you should be ashamed of what you did not and rationalize it."

"Okay...okay...now drop it please. Eat your Galbi, son."

Galbi on a charcoal grill

"Dad."

"What? Still have something to blame me?"

"I'm sorry for shouting at you now but I was so angry, I hope you forgive me."

".........."

"Please know that you are still my dad whom I proud of. You have been such a good father to us except for being a heavy drinker. I just couldn't accept you cheating on mom and giving up on being with the family."

"Sigh....I'm sorry. I disappointed you."

"You did, but....you have your life...I understand that."

".....Thanks, Jerry. Thanks...but...did I do that wrong?"

I could see his eye were filling up with tears. He was sniffling.

"Dad, come on. Eat some Galbi with Ssam, it's for you."

"Thanks, Jerry...thanks...(sniffle)"

Koreans make 'Ssam (Ssam means 'bundle' or 'pack' in Korean)' when they eat meat. You put meat, onion, garlic, ssamjang and other things you want to put on wide lettuce and wrap them to make a small pouch-shape and eat :) It is a very healthy way to eat meat with vegetables and also good because garlic sterilizes meat.

-CRUNCH-

"Aww! What the....what did you put! How much garlic and chili have you put in! You son of...!!"

"Ahahahaha!!! Sorry, dad, it's punishment for what you did to mom and us."

Well, I have just put so much garlic and chili in Ssam :) I brought him some more cups of water and he looked so painful.

"Dad, do you remember you did the exact same thing to me last time? It's payback time."

"Jerry, but I don't think this is the right time to do that...aww..."

Pork for BBQ

Pork BBQ grill with Doenjangjjigae

After that I didn't say anything else about the divorce and family matter. However it made me so sad that my family couldn't have happy Galbi time together ever again like when I was young.

You can do many and more things as you grow up but you have to know some things you don't want either. And sometimes you can lose some more things too. It is so shame that the life cannot be so sweet as always like Galbi.

Bon appétit!

[Food] Yakgwa (약과, Traditional Korean deep-fried honey cookie)

[Food]

[Food] Yakgwa (약과, Traditional Korean deep-fried honey cookie)

I love desserts. 

I call myself 'gourmet' and love to enjoy tasting most foods. And, today, I'm at a traditional Korean market near my place to have lunch alone. I usually spend a lot of time picking a menu for myself but I don't think I will because I'm one hungry hippo now. I quickly found one beef gukbap (Korean-style soup eaten with rice) place that can fill my tummy in 30 minutes.

Korean traditional market. A lot of people are walking through an arcade.

pposite the gukbap place where I'm sitting, there is a rice cake shop. Rice cake is not today's topic but I love rice-cakes too :) The mixture of chewy, sweet and salty flavored rice-cakes drives me to happiness.

A typical rice-cake shop and rice-cakes

After finishing a pot of gukbap, I obviously walked into the rice-cake shop to buy some traditional sweets. I picked up a pack of colorful rice balls, rice-cakes with sugared sesame inside and....one of my favorite of all times :)

Yakgwa (약과, Traditional Korean deep fried honey cookie)

Oh, what a sweet and salty aroma you have :) you beautiful Yakgwa. I love your crispy outside and moist inside :). Moreover, Yakgwa is not an expensive dessert nowadays. I see each yakgwa bagged into a transparent plastic pouch.

"How much is Yakgwa, sir?"

I asked a middle-aged man who seems to be the owner of the rice-cake shop.

"700 won (Won, Korean currency) each but 2000 won for 4 of them. Cheaper than in other shops, right?"

"Oh, sweet. I 'd love to take 4 of them."

"Thanks, precious customer. 2000 won, please. You know, yakgwa was a very expensive dessert that was usually used for ancestral rites and other important days like New Year or Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving day)."

"Yeah? I didn't know that. I'd like to hear more."

I continue talking as I pay 2000 won.

"Well...Koreans had been cooking yakgwa a thousand years ago but do you think flour was very common in Korea?"

"No, I don't think so. I know Koreans have been using flour since 1~2 B.C. but it was very rare so only rich nobles or the royal family could use it, right?"

Flour was very common in China and western countries but Korea :(

The owner smiles. His facial expression saying 'How do you know that?'

"You clever boy, you know things eh? Then it is easy to talk with you, haha. 

Yeah, so yakgwa was one of the most expensive foods in the Chosun dynasty. Actually, to make good yakgwa, we need ingredients that used to be expensive long ago."

What are they? I want to know how to make yakgwa."

"To make good Yakgwa, you need to boil a mixture of grain syrup, ginger slice and water to coat it in yakgwa."

Grain syrup - a long time ago, honey was a very rare ingredient. So the Koreans created a sweet syrup with rice :)

Ginger slice

"Then how do you make this yakgwa cookie? How do you make dough out of it?"

I talk to him as I begin eating my first yakgwa and feeling the sweet honey flavor and moist texture flowing into my mouth.

"Mix flour with salt, black pepper powder and cinnamon powder. Then make dough after putting some soju (Korean rice liquor) and honey to make dough"

Cinnamon must have also been expensive in the past

Sesame oil

Soju, Korean rice liquor. A very common liquor in Korea.

Honey :)

"...then what do you do? bake it in an iron pot?"

"Nope. You deep-fry it in an iron pot - not bake it - till it forms a dark-brown color. And you coat them with sweet syrup that you have already made by dipping them in for 3~6 hours."

This is how to make yakgwa :) (Korean only)

"Wow....I can't believe a lot of work and time is needed for this small thing. I think that it's worth more than 500 won, don't you think?"

"Well....there are factories where yakgwa is mass produced today, so it becomes really cheap and you can buy 4 of them with 2000 won. It's a good thing for you, haha."

Yakgwa with pine nuts on it. 

Yakgwa for ancestral rites

"Haha...that is absolutely right. Oops, I've already eaten them all. May I have another 4, please? I will enjoy them at home."

He grabs 5 yakgwa from a display shelf.

"One more is a bonus for you, yakgwa lover. Come again."

"Yes, I will come again. I think one more visit will pay for your story." I grin.

I think that I have to thank God for letting me be born these days so that I can enjoy yakgwa at a cheap price :)

Bon appétit!

[Food] Doenjangjjigae (된장찌개, Korean bean paste stew)

[Food]

[Food] Doenjangjjigae (된장찌개, Korean bean paste stew)

Today's menu, Doenjangjjigae :)

What would be on your ideal breakfast table? I would say a breakfast buffet in a five star hotel with various eastern and western-style breakfast dishes such as bacon and sausage, bread, cereals, Chinese Yumcha dumplings and bread, porridge, fruit juices, milk and Korean-style stew. Ever since I visited a breakfast buffet at a hotel where my friend once lived in China, I have always loved a breakfast buffet.

Chinese Yumcha dumplings and dimsums

If this were in my dreams, I wouldn't want to wake up XD

However, if anyone asked me 'What is your favourite breakfast?' then I would answer 'Korean-style breakfast with Doenjangjjigae (된장찌개, Korean bean paste stew).'

A typical Korean breakfast

Doenjangjjigae is a very typical Korean dish that is loved by most Koreans. 'Doenjang' is Korean bean paste and Jjigae means stew in Korean (Likewise 'Jjigae' of Budaejjigae). In historical Chinese records of 290 A.D., it is written 'Koreans are very good at making bean paste'. This means that Koreans have been producing and eating 'Doenjang' and other Korean style pastes for almost 2000 years.

So, as was the case with most Korean families, I woke up sniffing mom's Doenjangjjigae when I was young. Furthermore, it is very obvious that every Korean family has their own secret recipe of cooking Doenjangjjigae that has been passed down from generation to generation. And, I have never met any Korean who doesn't like Doenjangjjigae. Doenjangjjigae can be set on the table every meal time, and Koreans love to eat it with a bowl of rice after enjoying Korean BBQ.

Do you see that Doenjangjjigae pot on charcoal fire? I'm so sure it is being made after Korean BBQ time :)

"Which means I'm going to eat Doenjangjjigae and rice, Vance. Enjoy your cold noodles"

I finished my story as I grabbed my spoon to scoop some rice. Vance and I are in a Korean BBQ restaurant now. 

"But does it have to be so smelly? Don't you think you should consider your non-Korean friends when you order your favorite Doenjang dish?"

"My dear friend Vance, this is made of fermented bean paste so it is obvious that it smells of bean and something that you don't like...be a man, Vance, take your chances as a friend of Jerry Kim."

"Man, it's not about being a man or not. It is a 'To be or not to be' matter. This smell will kill me soon.....aww..." Vance murmured as he gulped cold noodle.


Well...I understand Vance because what I'm eating is Doenjangjjigae that uses one of the most smelly types of Doengjang but I don't want to give up on my favorite dish. Doenjangjjigae is usually salty, a little spicy and (to Koreans) has a savory bean flavor with its unique smell of Doenjang. Doenjang's main ingredient is soybean. Now let's see how Koreans make Doenjang :)

Wash and steam soybeans

Traditional Korean Kitchen where Koreans made many Korean dishes

Pound all soybeans to bean paste then shape them into a cube or a circle to dry them in the air :)

And you put these dried bean paste into a crock with cloves of garlic, some red chili and charcoal to ferment and prevent any germs. In this procedure, soy-sauce is produced too. After 50 days of fermentation, you break dried bean paste bricks and mix them with chili powder, soy-sauce and dried bean paste powder. Then it finally becomes Doenjang :) but you need another long period of fermentation in a crock.

Doenjang (Korean bean paste)

"Looks like there are many veggies in this stew. What do you put into the stew?"

"Uhm....many...." then I listed the ingredients:

Rice-washed water, it gives a savory flavor to Doenjangjjigae :)

"You need rice-washed water, dried kelp and anchovy to make stock for the stew...and we usually put minced garlic, chopped onion for base flavor, and:

Korean green chili

Shiitake mushroom

Tofu

.....for basic ingredients for the stew, and the stew's flavor differs according to what you choose to put in as a main flavor....there two choices, seafood or beef."

Beef!

Clam!

"Hm..it's interesting that the stew's flavor changed according to what you put...." 

Vance said as he nodded his head.

"Yeah, I'd rather choose meat than seafood...haha..."

"I'm not accustomed to this Doenjang smell though.....phew..."

Vance crossed his head.

"However it tastes really good, Vance...Try!"

"Nah...not even in my dreams."

"Haha! Someday I will put this Doenjang in your sandwich or lunch box!"

"Oh...I'm gonna kill you man....don't ever dream of it."

Doenjangjjigae with thick Doenjang paste, it tastes saltier and spicier than usual Doenjangjjigae

Doenjangjjigae with beef

Doenjangjjigae with seafood

Koreans love to eat barley rice and Doenjangjjigae together with any kind of kimchi

Nowadays you can buy a pack of Doenjang at any nearest Korean grocery :)

A Korean proverb says 'Taste of a bean paste is better than a Ttukbaegi (Korean pot for a stew)', which means that a Ttukbaegi's outside looks clean and bright but what people love is the bean paste's taste inside Ttukbaegi. This proverb means the same as 'You can't tell a book by its cover'. Bean paste maybe smelly but it tastes great :)

I want to be someone about whom people can say the above proverb about bean paste when they see me. I'm not good-looking but I want to be a 'good' man. How about you, guys? :)
Don't you want to talk it over a pot of Doenjangjjigae and some rice with me? :D

Bon appétit!