[Food]

[Food] Gopchangjeongol (Beef Tripe Casserole, 곱창전골)

Koreans have enjoyed eating beef for a long time and began eating more beef from the Chosun dynasty onwards (approx. 600 years ago) because the Chosun dynasty believed in Confucianism more than in Buddhism which prohibits the killing of any living thing. Therefore, the everyday people of the Chosun kingdom ate roast beef and beef soup as a special meal.

More than anyone, it was especially the soldiers in Korea who needed plenty of protein from meat, so they cooked casserole with beef and pork. They used their iron helmets that they wore for battle to cook with because of its deep and wide dimensions, and their wide and round visor. Soldiers roasted meat and vegetables on their visors and boiled beef-stock and soup to make beef casserole. At that time, beef was also expensive, as it is today, so they used ox intestines which was cheaper than the flesh. Koreans call this dish 'Gopchangjeongol (Beef Tripe Casserole, 곱창전골'.

Ox has five types of intestine and they are a fatty, but very chewy and savory, food with a unique texture and umami (savoriness). When ox intestines are boiled or roasted, it secretes much oil, and this oil adds a rich aroma and taste to the dish. Different from Japanese-style beef tripe casserole, Korean-style beef tripe casserole - 'Gopchangjeongol' - uses spicy red chili powder, spring onion, onion, red chili, mushroom and beef to give a deep and thick meaty taste with spicy seasoning, which Koreans love.

Ox intestine was a cheap ingredient a long time ago but it has become so popular these days. It's as expensive a part of beef as other parts of ox. However, it's still cheaper than beef :)

The winter season is upon us in Korea,and will arrive soon after autumn passes:) I will cook gobchangjeongol for the cold winter nights :)

Bon Appétit! 

 [Food]

[Food] Sogogi Muguk (Beef Radish Soup, 소고기무국)

Sogogi muguk (Beef Radish Soup, 소고기무국) is a very typical, plain and popular dish for Koreans. It's more a home-cooked meal than one cooked in a restaurant. Perhaps you'll find sogogi muguk at a casual Korean restaurant. To cook a hot bowl of sogogi muguk, you need some beef and a big piece of radish.

Sogogi muguk is not hard to cook. In fact, it's really easy, so I usually cook it for my family at home within a short period of time. Chop beef and radish into small pieces so you don't choke, and add some soy sauce, spring onions, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. If you are a spicy food lover, you can add spicy red chili powder and bean sprouts, too.

Stir fry chopped beef with some oil in a pot, and throw chopped radish into a pot when the beef is half-cooked. Then pour water into a pot just enough to soak the ingredients in water. You can add more water if you love much soup from beef and radish. When the water boils, put some soy sauce, chopped garlic and spring onions, and put salt and pepper to season the soup.

There are two styles of sogogi muguk; the first one is plain and clean, and the second is Gyeongsang (Southeastern region of Korea) style, which is spicy. Most Korean restaurants and families prefer the clean and plain style because they are easier to cook and eat. Some people don't even know there is Gyeongsang style of sogogi muguk, and that's why people usually eat plain sogogi muguk.

Sogogi muguk tastes better in the winter because Korean radish tastes more sweet and savory in the winter than in summer. Moreover, people think sogogi muguk is more delicious in the winter because no one dislikes hot beef soup in the cold season :)

Sogogi muguk soup is very refreshing and savory, boiled radish is sweet and cooked beef is chewy and soft :) Even children love it too.

Bon Appétit! 

[Food] Gopchang & Makchang (곱창 & 막창, Pork & Beef Intestines)

[Food]

[Food] Gopchang & Makchang (곱창 & 막창, Pork & Beef Intestines)

Koreans have been eating meat since ancient times - no one knows exactly when, but it's certain that they loved it. Unlike Japan, the Korean peninsula was influenced by China and Mongolia so Koreans knew of a variety of meat recipes. Royal families - the noble and rich - enjoyed the flesh of beef and pork. Meanwhile, poor people who couldn't afford to buy the flesh of beef or pork found other ways of enjoying gourmet like roasting or braising the intestines. Koreans eventually learned not to waste a single part of the cow or pig. They ate almost everything including ears, nose, tail and bones.

Among them, pork and beef intestines were, surprisingly, delicious and its simple roasting/braising recipe has been passed down to Koreans today. Hallelujah!

The efficacy of pork and beef intestines was also recorded in a famous medical book by Dr.Jun Heo during the Chosun dynasty. It was written: "It energized the whole body, and strengthens the stomach and spleen. It protects one's intestines and minimises dizziness."

Pork and beef intestines are very chewy and savory because they are full of fat, iron and vitamins, and are high in protein and low in cholesterol. In Korean, pork intestines are called 'Gopchang(곱창)' and beef intestines are called 'Makchang(막창)'.

Gopchang and makchang are usually roasted/braised with many vegetables  as garlic, spring onions, onion and perilla leaves. It is usually stir-fried on an iron plate in a spicy sauce. So some cities like Busan are famous for gopchang and makchang recipes.

Today, it is no longer a cheap dish like it was. It's very popular to many people because of its taste, but its ingredients are limited and require import of intestines from overseas.

Koreans love to eat stir-fried rice after any meal.

If you are a meat-lover (sausage included), how about tasting gopchang and makchang? You won't regret it :) 'Chewy and savory' doesn't do justice to explaining their full taste :)

Bon Appétit!

[Food] Gomtang & Seolleongtang (곰탕 & 설렁탕, Beef Bone Soup)

[Food]

[Food] Gomtang & Seolleongtang (곰탕 & 설렁탕,  Beef Bone Soup)

Famous Naju Gomtang (Beef Soup)

A long time ago in the 1500's, every king in Korean Chosun dynasty performed annual rituals to their ancestors and the heavens with his vassals for good harvest, peace and prosperity for Chosun.

After worshiping a Chosun god, all people within the Korean peninsula slaughtered cows and cooked them into beef soup to share it with everyone. And the altar that the king of Chosun worshiped was called 'Sun-nong (meaning 'advantage for farming')', and they called the beef soup they ate after the ritual 'Sun-nong tang (Sun-nong soup)'. Later 'Sun-nong tang' changed into the word 'Seolleong tang' or 'Gom tang ('Gom' means 'to simmer meat/bones' in Korean). As a result, it became today's origin of Gomtang and Seolleongtang in Korea :)

A bowl of seolleongtang with rice and thin noodles

In the beginning, Gomtang meant 'Braised soup/simmered bones and soup meat' and Seolleongtang meant 'A soup meat-only' braised but today there is not much difference between gomtang and seolleongtang. Moreover, most Koreans don't know the difference unless they've studied the two dishes. Therefore, Koreans often  quarrel when they eat gomtang or seolleongtang without giving a clear answer. Nevertheless, they taste so good and much better with kkakdugi (radish kimchi).

Radish Kimchi

They are both beef soup, so its deep savory meat taste gives you both taste and energy. Koreans love to put steamed rice, much chopped spring onions and thin noodles with salt and pepper. Maybe you think it's too high in carbohydrates, but you should know many Koreans love full 'high-carbohydrate' meals XD

Gomtang with steamed rice, beef, egg, sliced mushroom and chopped spring onions

Gomtang with rice and kimchi

Gomtang and seolleongtang are soups that Korean moms usually cook for their spouses and children when they are away from home for a long time (i.e. travel for some days or a week) because these dishes are easy to cook in large quantities (as much as 10 or 20 litre pots), and also easy to heat up again. I remember my mom cooking gomtang for me and my sister when she wanted to travel for a few days with her friends :)

However, it has huge side effects. If eating gomtang every meal then you will become so sick of it :(

Can you tell this is Gomtang or Seolleongtang? I can't.

One unique thing about gomtang and seolleongtang is that its beef becomes so soft and chewy when they are simmered and braised in soup. It's savory and soft beef is very addictive.

Look at this, it's so beau---tiful!

If you are a classic meat/meat soup lover, then how about trying a bowl of gomtang or seolleongtang with kkakduki? :) I'm sure that you will love it.

Bon Appétit!

[Food] Jangjorim (Soy sauce braised meat, 장조림)

[Food]

[Food] Jangjorim (Soy sauce braised meat, 장조림)

Beef jangjorim garnished with garlic and gguari pepper (shishito pepper)

It is true that many non-Koreans who are fond of Korean gourmet know about main, heavy, meaty and typical Korean foods such as Bulgogi, Galbi, Kimchi and Bibimbab. However, I would say these are not frequently neither commonly served menus on the everyday Korean table because Koreans usually eat these foods on special occasions (except Kimchi, which is a typical side dish). Then, what do Koreans usually eat for their daily meal? I have been introducing many Korean dishes and side dishes. Today's menu is one of the Korean's favorite :) Jangjorim!

Jangjorim placed in the middle of a Korean meal

Jangjorim's 'Jang' means 'Sauce' and 'Jorim' means 'Braise', so it means 'Braised in sauce'. What do Koreans braise in which sauce? They usually braise meat (beef and pork) in sweet soy sauce :) The jangjorim recipe is recorded in a 15th century Korean book. Korean culinary experts estimate that the recipe of braising in sauce initially came to the Korean peninsula from China.

In the past, people didn't have freezers in the time of the Chosun dynasty (obviously because this period was far before the invention of the freezer) but Koreans wanted to store meat for a long time in jars and pots. So they invented recipes that could preserve meat and egg for a long time using salt. Jangjorim is one of the results :)

The recipe is not very hard, but it takes a long time.

1. If using beef or pork, put it into the water to remove the blood
2. Boil or steam meat with rice wine and a laurel leaf (no need to boil if using egg)
3. Put meat into a mixed soy sauce (soy sauce, sugar, sliced ginger and plum juice ), and braise for 15 minutes
4. Put quail eggs (if desired) and garlic, then heat it till it boils.

5. Tear the meat apart into small pieces (so you can eat it easily), then boil them once again in the sauce with sesames.

Usually, jangjorim is stored in a plastic box to be stored in a freezer, so it can be enjoyed longer

Egg jangjorim is not as popular as beef, but is still a welcomed side dish

Quail egg jangjorim, cheap and tasty jangjorim

Beef jangjorim. The 'eye of round' is usually used for it.

I love eating jangjorim with hot rice and kimchi :) chewy beef or pork that is well braised in soy sauce gives you a sweet and salty flavor every time you chew it :) I think I will cook jangjorim tonight. I miss its chewy and salty flavor.

Bon Appétit!

[Food] Yookhui (육회, Korean-Style Chopped Raw Beef)

[Food]

[Food] Yookhui (육회, Korean-Style Chopped Raw Beef)

Yookhui with pine nuts and sesame

In my previous article about Samgyeopsal, I said that Koreans have enjoyed eating meat for a long time as a staple diet -  whether beef, pork or chicken. Since the Mongolian invasion of the Korean peninsular, their food culture flowed into Koreans'. 

Mongolians used to hang raw meat (beef, lamb, horsemeat etc.) on their saddle when they went to war as a protein supply. This custom then became 'Tartar-steak' in Europe (Germany, France, Italy etc.), which later became the origin of today's Hamburger.

Tartar-steak with parsley and capers

Tartar-steak of a Spanish restaurant

Meanwhile, in Korea, the raw beef culture from Mongolia developed into something called 'Yookhui ('Yook' means meat and 'hui' means raw), chopped raw beef with chopped Korean pear, pine nuts, sesame and egg yolk.

Yookhui with the egg yolk, garlic, sesame, chopped Korean pear from Youngdeungpo, Seoul

According to classic Korean cuisine book, Koreans have been eating yookhui since the 1600s. It is written :

"Rump and beef thigh make the best yookhui. Chop the beef coarsely and add soy-sauce or salt, chopped garlic, spring onion, sesame oil and chopped Korean pear. Then finish it by sprinkling pine nut powder."

Another book provided a slightly different recipe for yookhui :

"Slice the beef very finely and put it into the water to get rid of its blood. Then dry its moist on hemp cloth, and marinate it with chopped garlic & spring onion, black pepper, sesame salt, sesame oil and honey. Add plenty of pine-nut powder"

To make fine yukhui, using good-quality Korean pears is as important as using good beef. Such Korean pears have a milky flesh, juice that tastes like honey and a crispy texture which goes very well with tender, juicy beef.

Korean pear

In the eastern region of Korea, people eat raw beef (rump) by adding salt and sesame oil instead of sauce or seasoning.

They say, 'This is the best way to enjoy beef and its unique flavor.' They call this 'yook-sashimi (sashimi means 'raw' in Japanese)' instead of 'yookhui'.

Mungtigi. Chopped raw rump steak. Famous dish in Daegu. Chewy and juicy flavor attracted meat-lovers in Korea, and made beef restaurants in Daegu so popular.

On the other hand, in the western region of Korea, people eat yookhui with rice as a form of 'bibimbap' with coarsely chopped vegetables and herbs. They are also so popular to Korean gourmet-lovers for their natural vegetable and beef flavor.

Yookhui bibmbap in Jinju

Yookhui bibmbap in Mokpo

If you were to ask me, 'which one is best?' then I would answer 'Taste them yourself, and choose your favourite raw beef dish.' I'm so sorry you can't find a Korean restaurant near your home or visit Korea, but you will come to know what I mean when you taste one of them someday :)

However, yookhui is not a very common orcheap dish in Korea because beef is not cheap, and Korean pear and pine nuts are expensive ingredients (so sad, isn't it?) Unlike the past, it is now a dish that you can usually see at an expensive buffet or beef-restaurant.

If you are sick of everyday steak, BBQ or grilled meat, how about trying some Korean yookhui? I'm so sure it will lead you into becoming a meat-lover :)




Bon Appétit!