This was a bit of a last-minute whirlwind meal. I got a bit carried away making goodies for my last day of class in NZ. I ended up making an apple-feijoa crumble, maple butter tarts, and maccaroni & cheese. Then, in a panic, realized that I didn't have anything for dinner. So I whipped up a quick batch of this pasta to serve to Reiver and the Kidlet before I went.

Reiver later pointed out that I really needn't have worried about it and that he could have easily fixed them some dinner while I was at class. Also, the Kidlet ended up basically eating her body weight in leftover mac & cheese when I got home anyway. So I probably should've just taken the extra few minutes to chill before class. Oh well...

Photo goes here.

Creamy Kimchi Pasta

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Pasta

• 200g kimchi, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 500g dry pasta
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-6 green onions, chopped and divided
• 6-12 mushrooms, chopped
• 100g uncooked bacon, chopped
• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 c. milk
• 100g grated Parmesan
• ~1/2 c. pasta water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine the kimchi, gochugary, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ~1 c. of the water, then drain the rest.
3. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the onions and the white parts of the green onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and bacon and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the kimchi mixture and cook until liquid has evaporated (~3 minutes).
7. Reduce heat to medium and add the cream and milk.
8. Simmer until thickened slightly (3-5 minutes).
9. Stir in the Parmesan and reduce heat to medium-low.
10. Add pasta, stir, increase heat to medium-high, and mix in ~1/4 c. of the reserved pasta water.
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
13. Top with the green parts of the green onions and a bit of extra Parmesan to serve.

Symbol: I ended up changing the proportions on this recipe slightly. Mostly because kimchi is a bit harder to come by here than it is at home, so I ended up cutting it back to essentially a half batch, but with extra onion, green onion, and bacon relative to the original.

Stir Fried Kimchi

Slighlty adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1/2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)
• 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. dasida (Korean beef stock powder)

Kimchi

• 1 c. well-fermented kimchi
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. neutral-tasting oil
• 100g middle or back bacon (optional)
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions

1. Make the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small container and mix well.
2. Using tongs and scissors, cut kimchi into small, bite-sized pieces.
3. In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the bacon (if using) and cook until golden brown, then remove from the pan and cut into thin strips.
5. To the same pan, add the green onion and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
6. Add the kimchi and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
7. Add the onion, bacon, and sauce and cook for another 7 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
8. Turn the heat off. Finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

I had intended to make some barley with kale and a celery salad with boiled eggs for dinner last night. I succeeded in making the first of those two dishes, but I didn't end up getting all the ingredients that I needed for the second, so I was left scrambling trying to come up with an alternate dinner plan.

With a few adjustments, these noodles fit the bill. I ended up using thinly sliced stewing beef instead of steak. And the proportions were a bit different in my version since I was short on noodles but had more beef and more mushrooms than the recipe called for. I kind of like the results though. Lots of stir-fry, not too many noodles. It worked out pretty well in the end!

Photo goes here.

Korean-Style Noodles with Marinated Beef and Kimchi

Slightly adapted from Healthy Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2-3 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. gochujang
• 1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds, divided
• 400-450g flank steak or stewing beef, thinly sliced across the grain
• 150g bean thread noodles
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
• 250-350g shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1 c. julienned carrots
• 1/4 c. sliced green onion
• 1/2 c. (or more) kimchi

Directions

1. Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, gochujang, and 2 Tbsp. of the sesame seeds in a measuring cup. Mix well.
2. Pour half the mixture into a bowl and add the beef. (Set the other half of the mixture aside for now.)
3. Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes (or as long as 4 hours¹).
4. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl or pot and add very hot top water to cover. Let stand until softened², then drain and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. of the canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
6. Add the beef and stir-fry until it begins to brown (~3 minutes).
7. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
8. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil to the wok and return to medium-high heat.
9. Add the mushrooms and onion and stir-fry until they begin to soften (~3 minutes).
10. Add the carrot and green onions and stir-fry until the onions are soft and lightly browned (another 4-5 minutes).
11. Add the noodles and toss to combine.
12. Return the beef to the wok and add the reserved sauce. Toss to coat.
13. Remove from heat and serve topped with kimchi.

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¹ Be sure to store the meat in the fridge if marinating for longer than 30 minutes. ^Back
2 The original recipe says that this should take ~10 minutes, but mine only took ~3 (which is more in line with what I was expecting based on the thinness of the noodles). I suspect that their tap water may not have been as hot as mine. Keep an eye on your noodles and drain them when they seem ready. ^Back

This isn't the healthiest recipe, but it is delicious! And, if you go easy on the toppings and use oven fries and/or substitute your root vegetables, it's not completely horrendous nutritionally.

Kimchi Fries

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Bulgogi

• 450g extra lean ground beef¹
• 1/4 c. soy sauce²
• 2 Tbsp. sugar (or 1:1 monk fruit sweetener)
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp. oil

Kimchi

• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 1/4 c. kimchi, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. kimchi juice

Everything Else

• 400-500g oven fries³
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. shredded cheese⁴ (cheddar, mozzarella, manchego, or another cheese of your choice)
• 1/4 c. sour cream (optional)
• 3-4 Tbsp. nacho cheese/salsa con queso (optional)
• 3-4 Tbsp. mayo (optional)
• 1-2 Tbsp. sriracha (optional)
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1 green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the beef, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, oyster sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and pepper for the bulgogi. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven and get your oven fries cooking. If your oven has a convection mode (convection bake, convection roast, or airfry), I recommend using that for extra-crispy fries.
3. While the fries are baking, heat the oil for the bulgogi over medium heat.
4. Add the bulgogi (with all of its marinade) to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Transfer the bulgogi to a clean bowl and add the oil for the kimchi to the pan.
6. Add the kimchi along with the kimchi juice to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kimchi softens and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Once the fries are done, divide them into four portions.
8. Top each portion with some of the bulgogi, kimchi, chopped red onion, and shredded cheese.
9. Garnish with your choice of sour cream, nacho cheese, mayo, sriracha, cilantro, and/or green onion.

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¹ You'll only need ~1/4 of the beef, but I find it easier to cook up a whole pound at once and then just save the rest for another use. ^Back
2 I used 2 Tbsp. each of dark soy and light soy, but all light soy is also fine. I wouldn't recommend using all dark soy though. ^Back
3 I used veggie fries instead of traditional potato fries. The ones I got were a mix of carrot, parsnip, and beetroot and I really liked how they worked out. I was very happy with my results. And it reduced the Points cost of the meal a fair bit. So, feel free to play around with different root vegetables for this. ^Back
4 Since we still had some vidalia onion dip left over from the baby shower, we just opted to warm that up and use it in place of both the shredded cheese and the chopped onion. Obviously, this isn't something we normally just have lying around though, so I've written up the recipe as originally suggested with shredded cheese and red onion. ^Back

This is a nice quick weeknight dinner and it's really tasty and filling! Good on its own and over rice.

Kimchi, Beef, and Tofu Soup

Cook's Country December/January 2021 (recipe card)

Ingredients

• 450g ground beef
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 15mL grated fresh ginger
• 120mL (½ C) mirin
• 500mL water
• 750mL home-made chicken stock
• 750mL kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped
• 60mL (¼ C) kimchi brine
• 225g firm tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
• 30mL soy sauce
• 4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 15mL toasted sesame oil

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until the moisture has evaporated and it is browned, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds.
3. Stir in mirin and deglaze.
4. Stir in water, chicken stock, kimchi, kimchi brine, tofu, and soy sauce.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the flavours are blended, ~15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, stir in scallions and oil, and serve.

King Oyster Smagyupsal Bowls

I got some king oyster mushrooms on a whim because they were on sale last week. A few of them got used up in the hotpot we had for dinner a couple nights ago, but the rest have been sitting in the fridge waiting for me to come up with something to do with them. Luckily the Woks of Life had me covered. I decided to give their Korean barbecue bowls a try. This worked out doubly well since I had to run out to the grocery store to pick up some much-needed road salt today and came across some discount "Korean-style" meatballs. Since the Kidlet is currently off mushrooms (again), I figured the meatballs would make a good replacement.

I was pretty tired today, so this felt like a lot of work. But it's not actually that onerous. Especially if you already have some ssamjang on hand and opt to garnish it with plain sliced scallions rather than making the scallion salad (pajeori).

King Oyster Samgyupsal Bowls

Slightly adapted from Woks of Life

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. oil + extra for cooking
• 2 tsp. liquid smoke
• 3/4 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 2 large king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
• 1 small onion, sliced into discs
• 4 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
• 1 bell pepper¹, sliced into rings
• 1-2 c. cooked rice²
• 2-4 leaves green or red leaf lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 Tbsp. ssamjang
• 2 Tbsp. kimchi³
• 1 recipe pajeori

Ingredients

1. Combine the oil, liquid smoke, sesame oil, sugar, and salt and beat with a whisk to mix thoroughly.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan (I like to use cast iron for this) and add the mushroom slices. Brush them with the oil mixture.
3. Once the mushrooms have started to brown on the bottom, flip them over and brush the other side with the oil mixture.
4. While the second side is cooking, add the onion, garlic, and pepper slices to the pan.
5. Once everything is well-browned on both sides, remove it from the pan.
6. Divide the rice between two bowls.
7. Top each with half the mushrooms, onion, garlic, peppers, lettuce, ssamjang, kimchi, and pajeori.
8. Mix and enjoy!

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¹ The original recipe called for 2 long hot peppers, but I opted for 1 bell pepper since I figured that would be a bit more appealing to the Kidlet. ^Back
2 The folks over at Woks of Life recommend ~1 c. of rice per person. I like to go a little lighter on the rice and heavier on the toppings. I think I only did ~1/2 c. of rice per person. Tailor it according to your tastes. ^Back
3 If you would like to keep this recipe vegetarian, make sure to get vegan kimchi (or omit it). If you're aiming for a vegan meal, check to make sure your sugar is vegan too. (Some sugars use bone char in their production.) ^Back

The ramen train has no brakes. I did most of these a while ago but have been lax about writing them up.

This one is a bit more involved than the last, and the result is tasty, but also very heavy and quite salty. It's definitely a sometimes food.

Budae Jjigae Ramen

Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• Smoked sausage, sliced thin on bias
• ⅓ of a tin of spam (~100g), sliced
• 1 tbsp ketchup
  
• green onion, sliced
• 2-4 tbsp baked beans
• cheese
• optional kimchi to taste
  

Directions

1. Add 350mL water to a small pot (the original recipe calls for 600mL; we wanted it less soupy).
   
2. Add sausage, spam, seasoning powder, vegetable flakes, and ketchup; bring to a boil.
3. Add noodles and cook as directed.
4. Top with green onions, baked beans, cheese, and kimchi.

Korean Egg Breakfast Bowl

This is a great find by symbol -- it's really quick and easy to put together, we both like it a lot, and even the Kidlet will eat it if you swap out the kimchi for ketchup (although she's not as enthusiastic about it as we are). You do need to have the rice on hand, but it's easy to make a huge batch of it on the weekend and use it up making breakfasts over the course of the week.

Ingredients are per person; scale up linearly (ideally in separate bowls) if serving more.

Korean Breakfast Bowl

From somewhere on youtube

Ingredients

• ½ C cooked brown or red rice
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp kimchi, chopped
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Reheat rice.
2. While rice is heating, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, and kimchi.
3. Fry egg in a bit of butter or oil until whites are set, but yolk is still runny.
4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Break up egg and mix everything together.

This Cook's Country recipe card delivers on being quick and easy to put together; it took me a while to put together because I was chopping up stewing meat rather than using ground beef, but using ground beef it would come together extremely quickly! The only change in this recipe relative to the original is that it calls for frying an onion in the pan along with the beef.

Korean-style Sloppy Joes with Kimchi Slaw

Cook's Country

Ingredients

• 1 C kimchi, chopped
• ¼ C mayo
• ½+¼ tsp ground pepper
• ½ C ketchup
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef or finely chopped stewing beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 burger buns

Directions

1. Combine kimchi, mayo, and ¼ tsp pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Combine ketchup, sesam oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add a bit of oil and sautee the onion until it starts to soften and turn translucent.
4. Add the beef and the remaining pepper. Cook until the beef is just browned.
5. Add the sauce and cook until it thickens.
6. Top each bun with saucy beef, then kimchi mix. Eat.