Seasoned Seaweed

Seasoned Seaweed
Adapted from www.maangchi.com

I seem to have a lot of favorite Korean side dishes that I love to make repeatedly. This seaweed side dish is another favorite I love to eat with brown rice and kimchi. This recipe makes about a 4-cup quantity and can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1 week. If you like to eat the seaweed wrap of a sushi, you will love this side dish.

3.4 ounces dried seaweed or dolijaban**
3 thick stalks green onions, thinly slice entire stalks (about 1.4 ounces)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced (0.5 ounce)
3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or any low-sodium soy sauce (1.2 ounces)
1/2 cup water (4.0 ounces)
2 tablespoons organic brown rice syrup or agave nectar (1.0 ounce)
3 tablespoons sesame oil (0.9 ounce)**
3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (0.6 ounce)**

**These items can be purchased at a Korean market or any Asian stores that carries Korean products.

 

Measure out 3.4 ounces of dried seaweed. Set aside.

 

A closer look at the dried seaweed. This seaweed is very different from the flat square nori sheets that are used in rolling up sushi. This dried seaweed or laver looks like strands of seaweed woven together into large thick sheets or rounds. This type of seaweed are used for soups, stews and salads.

 

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the green onions, garlic, liquid aminos, water, brown rice syrup, and sesame oil.

 Whisk ingredients until thoroughly blended.
 

Crush, pull and tear the seaweed apart into small pieces over the sauce.

Wearing a disposable vinyl glove, toss the seaweed and the sauce until all the seaweed are saturated with the sauce and thoroughly coated.

 

Sprinkle in the sesame seeds and toss well until thoroughly combined.

Transfer seasonsed seaweed into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Best to allow the seasonsed seaweed to sit in the refrigerator for several hours before consuming as the flavors will deepen with time.
Serve as a side dish alongside with brown rice and other side dishes.

Yield about 4 cups

Spicy Shredded Cabbage MuChim

Spicy Shredded Cabbage MuChim

Here is another favorite Korean side dish recipe adapted from www.aeriskitchen.com. I am addicted to this cabbage side dish. It has a nice balance of spicy, salty, tangy, and a touch of sweetness all in one. It is delicious eaten as a side dish alongside with rice, meats, seafood, and/or other vegetable side dishes. I'm satisfied just eating this with rice all by itself. It doesn't keep too long in the refrigerator, so you do want to consume it within a few days. I had mine for about three days and it was still delicious on the third day.

Half of a medium-size green cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced to fine shreds (1 pound, 453g)
2 thick stalks green onions, finely chopped (40g)
3 tablespoons Korean coarse red pepper powder (17g)**
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (21g)
1-1/2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (9g)**
1 tablespoon sesame oil (9g)**
1 tablespoon organic brown rice syrup (14g) or agave nectar
1 large garlic clove, finely minced (6g)
1 teaspoon salt (5g)

**These items can be purchased at a Korean market or any Asian stores that carries Korean products.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage and green onions. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, combine the red pepper powder, vinegar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, brown rice syrup, garlic and salt. Stir the sauce with a spoon until thoroughly blended.

Add the red pepper powder sauce to the cabbage. Wearing a disposal vinyl glove, toss the cabbage and sauce until cabbage is thoroughly coated with the sauce.

Salad can be eaten right away or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

To serve, transfer desired amount to serving dish. Sprinkle with roasted black sesame and white sesame seeds for garnish. Eaten as a side dish alongside with any meat or seafood dishes and, of course, BROWN RICE.

Yield about 6 cups

Korean Spicy Braised Chicken

Adapted from www.maangchi.com

Version 1

Made with SKINLESS CHICKEN thighs and added Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin).

Version 2

Made with SKINLESS, BONELESS TURKEY thighs and used The Little Potato Compay brand Terrific Trio potatoes (red, yellow and blue potatoes) with Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin).

Both versions of this recipe are equally delicious. I doubled the recipe so I can eat it all week long. I love it that much and it is so easy to make. Just dump all ingredients in one pot and cook. The sauce becomes thicker as it sits in refrigerator. So simple and so delicious. This is Korean homestyle comfort food at its best. Maangchi's recipe uses entirely potatoes, but I decided to use half potatoes and half Kabocha squash (or you can use acorn squash or Delicata squash). Instead of cooking the stew right away, I marinade the meat and onions overnight with the sauce so the flavor will penetrate through the meat (my daughter's idea).

Here is my version of Maangchi's recipe:

4 pounds skinless chicken thighs (about 12 thighs) OR
3-1/2 pounds skinless turkey thighs (about 6 thighs)

1-1/2 large yellow onion, thickly sliced and separated (1:1.2 pounds)
1/2 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or any low-sodium soy sauce (4.6 ounces)
1/2 cup finely minced garlic, about 1 head (2.5 ounces)
1/2 cup Korean coarse hot pepper flakes (1.6 ounces)
1/2 cup Korean hot pepper paste (5.4 ounces)
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar (1.0 ounce)
2 tablespoon sesame oil (0.6 ounce)
2 pounds red or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks OR 2 pounds Little Potato Company brand Terrific Trio potatoes (red, yellow and purple), unpeeled

2 pounds Kabocha squash, cut into large chunks

2 jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced with seeds (2.4 ounces)

2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced

Remove all visible fat from the chicken thighs or turkey thighs.

If using chicken thighs, cut each chicken thigh in half vertically along the thigh bone to get two pieces from each thigh. If using turkey thighs, remove the bone from each thigh and cut each thigh meat into 6 pieces.

In a very large mixing bowl or an 8-quart stock pot, combine the meat and onions. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, combine the liquid aminos, garlic, pepper flakes, pepper paste, sugar and sesame oil. Stir well to combine into a thick paste. Rub the entire paste into the meat and onions. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or place lid on stock pot and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

The next day, transfer meat and onions into an 8-quart stock pot (if it is not already in one). Add 4 cups of cold water. Stir well to combine.

Ready for cooking. Cooking time will vary with chicken and turkey:

If you are cooking with chicken, bring to a boil over high heat. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and continue to cook, covered, for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Kabocha squash and jalapeno chilies. Continue to cook until potatoes and squash are knife tender, about 15 minutes.

If you are cooking with turkey, bring to a boil over high heat. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, covered, for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and continue to cook, covered, for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Kabocha squash and jalapeno chilies. Continue to cook until potatoes and squash are knife tender, about 15 minutes.

If made ahead of time, let stew cool completely before transferring stew to an airtight container and refrigerate. Rewarm serving-size portions at a time. Transfer stew to a serving dish and sprinkle generously with green onions.

Yields 8 to 10 servings

Soybean Sprout Bibimbap

Soybean Sprout Bibimbap with Multi-Grain Rice and Ground Turkey

Adapted from Maanghi.com

Soybean Sprout Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish cooked with meat and soybean sprouts. It is served with an egg cooked over-easy. To eat, you will break up the egg into the rice; then mix the rice mixture and the egg together with a few spoonfuls of homemade seasoned sauce (yangnyeomjang).

This dish is so amazingly delicious and healthy! The soy beans from the soybean sprouts has a nice delicate crunch and the seasoned sauce mixed together with the rice is so flavorful and addicting. You may have extra seasoned sauce when all the rice is eaten up, but there are other uses for the seasoned sauce. I actually use the remaining sauce with Baked Tofu and I'm sure the seasoned sauce will also be delicious eaten with fish, soba noodles, steamed vegetables, etc. It is amazingly delicious!!

I modified Maangchi's recipe to be cooked with multi-grain rice and replaced the ground beef for ground lean turkey. Since we love this dish so much, I doubled the recipe so we can enjoy this rice for a few more dinners.

1-1/2 cups medium-grain brown rice (9.9 ounces), washed and drained

1/2 cup Thai red cargo rice (3.2 ounces) or black medium-grain rice (3.5 ounces), washed and drained
3 cups cold water (24 ounces or 1:8.0 pounds)

Two pounds soybean sprouts
12 ounces lean ground turkey or ground chicken
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce (0.4 ounce)
1 tablespoon sesame oil (0.3 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce (4.5 ounces)
4 garlic cloves, minced (0.6 to 0.8 ounce)
2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced (1.0 ounce)
3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion (1.0 ounce)
1 small jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, thinly sliced or coarsely chopped (optional)
4 teaspoons Korean coarse hot pepper flakes (0.3 ounce)
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey (0.5 ounce)
2 tablespoon sesame oil (0.6 ounce)
2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds (0.4 ounce)

6 eggs (any size)

In a 6-quart stock pot, combine the brown rice, red rice and water. (Note: You can use entirely 2 cups of brown rice (13.2 ounces) if you do not have red or black rice.) Set aside to let rice soak for about 1 hour.

While rice is soaking, remove root ends of each soybean sprout and discard any discolored rotten sprouts or remove discolored rotten soybeans, but save the healthy sprouts (do this while watching your favorite television program). Wash well in several changes of water. Transfer to a large colander and set aside.

Season the ground turkey with 1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and ground black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Bring the pot of rice to a boil on high heat (do not need to change water). When rice comes to a full boil, give rice a stir and cover pot. Reduce heat to low heat. Let rice cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.

While rice is cooking, make the seasoned sauce (yangnyeomjang): Combine 1/2 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos, garlic, green onion, yellow onion, jalapeno chili pepper (optional), Korean hot pepper flakes, agave nectar, 2 tablespoons sesame oil and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

After the rice have been cooking for 15 minutes, increase heat to medium-low heat. Add the entire soybean sprouts on top of the rice. Spread the ground turkey mixture on top of the soybean sprouts. Immediately cover pot and continue to cook on medium-low heat for additional 25 minutes, undisturbed. After 25 minutes of cooking, remove the pot of rice from the heat. Transfer the ground turkey patty to a plate. Cover the pot of rice and let the rice rest off the heat. Break up the turkey patty to smaller bite-size pieces. Return turkey pieces back to the pot of rice and give the rice mixture a good toss to evenly incorporate the soybean sprouts, ground turkey and the rice.

NOTE: You can stop at this point if you decide to make this rice early in the day or even one day in advance. The rice mixture and seasoned sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container. When ready to eat, just reheat the rice in the microwave and poach-fry your egg.

When ready to eat, either you can fry your egg over-easy the traditional way or you can follow my instructions for Poach-Fried Eggs.

For each serving, scoop one-sixth portion of the rice mixture into a shallow bowl. Place a poached-fried egg on top. Pass the seasoned sauce to be served with the rice. To eat, break up the egg into the rice. Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the seasoned sauce over the rice mixture, mixed everything together and it is ready to eat. You can also tear up a few sheets of Korean roasted seaweed on top of the rice and/or sprinkle with some roasted black sesame seeds. Even more delicious!

Yield 6 servings

Soybean Sprout Bibimbap served in a shallow bowl with a
Poach-Fried Egg on top.

Before you eat, break up the egg into the rice mixture.

Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the homemade seasoned sauce (yangnyeomjang) to the rice mixture.

 Thoroughly mix everything together.

(The rice is hot - notice the steam on the lower left of the photo.)

Now it is ready to eat!
You can also tear up several sheets of Korean roasted seaweed and place it on top of the rice mixture. The roasted seaweed adds another depth of flavor to the bibimbap.

Savory Steamed Custard

Savory Steamed Custard
Adapted from Migi's Kitchen

This is a savory steamed custard that is eaten with rice. The delicate silky texture is achieved from the art of steaming. Thanks to Migi's Kitchen website where I learn to master steamed custard. I like my savory custard simple and plain. You can substitute the water for vegetable stock, chicken stock, or even seafood stock or dashi. You can add a few fresh shrimp or shitake mushrooms  (Japanese version), salted shrimp sauce (Korean version) or dried shrimp and Chinese sausages (Chinese version), but I just like it plain. This is such a simple, quick and healthy dish to make.

1-1/2 cups cold water (12 ounces)
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 large or extra large eggs, beaten (5.4 to 6.0 ounces)
1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped green onions

In a medium-size bowl, combine the water, salt and sesame oil. Strain the beaten eggs into the water mixture through a fine sieve. Whisk until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Steam on medium-high heat (7.0 on induction cook top) for 10 minutes; then reduce heat to low heat (2.0 on induction cook top) and steam for additional 8 minutes. Custard is firm on the sides and slightly jiggly in the center.

Yield 3 to 4 servings

 

 What's for Lunch?

Brown rice topped with Savory Steamed Custard, Steamed Spinach and sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds.

Garlic Chive Kimchi

Garlic Chive Kimchi


This recipe is adapted from from http://www.aeriskitchen.com/. There are many types of kimchi, but the Garlic Chive Kimchi is now my favorite type of kimchi. Garlic chives are also known as Chinese chives found in most Asian stores. Do not substitute regular chives for garlic chives. The flavor are very different. Garlic chives has a sweet, garlicky flavor while regular chives have a mild flavor of green onion or scallions. This recipe is very quick and easy to prepare. I am addicted to eating this with rice every day as my lunch. I have to make sure I have a supply of Altoids with me before I consume this.

1-1/2 cups cold water (12 ounces)
3 tablespoons Mochiko brand sweet rice flour (1.0 ounce)**
1-1/2 pounds garlic chives**
Half of a small onion, thinly sliced on the grain and separate slices (about 5.0 to 6.0 ounces)
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced with the seeds (Optional)
1/2 cup Three Crabs brand fish sauce (4.6 ounces)**
2/3 cup Korean coarse hot pepper powder (2.0 ounces)**
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar (0.8 ounce)
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced (0.7 ounce)
1-1/2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (0.4 ounce)**

**These items can be purchased at a Korean market or any Asian stores that carries Korean products.

In a small saucepan, add the cold water. Gradually whisk in the rice flour until blended and smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until mixture becomes bubbly, translucent in color and thickened (about 2 minutes). Remove pot from heat and set aside to cool.

Cleaning and trimming the garlic chives: When you purchase the garlic chives, it usually comes in a styrofoam wrapped with plastic wrap, either wire-twisted or rubber-banded at the root end. Before removing the rubber band and keeping the garlic chives in one bunch as purchased, trim off about 3/4 inches of the root ends and discard. Cut the remainder of the chives into 2-inch length slices. Chives are very dirty so wash chives thoroughly in 2 to 3 changes of cold water in the kitchen sink. (Fill sink about 1/3 full of cold water, dump the chives in the water and thoroughly clean by swishing the chives in the water. Transfer chives to a colander of a salad spinner to drain and repeat this process one or two more times or until water is clear of sand and grit.) Drain chives and spin dry using a salad spinner (may do the spinning in two batches).

Transfer chives to a very large mixing bowl. Add the onions and chili pepper, if using. Set aside.

Making the hot pepper sauce: Add the fish sauce, hot pepper powder, sugar, garlic and sesame seeds to the cooled rice mixture. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. Add the entire hot pepper sauce to the garlic chive mixture.

Wearing a disposable vinyl glove, gently toss everything together with your hand until all vegetables are well coated with the hot pepper sauce. Transfer to a half-gallon size container with a tight-fitting lid. I like to use a glass jar container. Store immediately in the refrigerator.

Garlic Chive Kimchi can be eaten immediately, but I like it aged for a few hours before eating. The longer it ferments in the refrigerator, the more flavorful the kimchi. It can be kept refrigerated for several weeks. I have kept mine for 3 weeks before it was completely consumed.