Kalbitang /Short rib of beef soup/ 갈비탕

This soup is a very popular hearty soup in Korea, actually this is main meal rather than, another side dish.

It takes at least 2 hours to boil and meat can be fall off the bone. In Britain, this cut is difficult to get in main super market or even my local butcher , i have to order it in advance. Has to cook slowly long time, but meat is very sweet, It is a shame not readily available here, In America, they sell whole rib of beef call, Jacob's ladder. For soup you can get from Korean super market or butcher. Meaty part of rib (middle) is used in grilled short rib/ kalbigui. soup or stew( kalbi jjim) are with end of rib( less meaty). rib meat need slow cook, BBQ rib need at least 3-4 hours  marinate . We, Koreans love this rib meat, such sweet taste with deep flavour, like Oxtail. I love to  campaign to eat this cut, cheaper and tastier but longer and slow cooking, do Do try!!

400g short rib beef, 1/2 mooli( white radish). onion, 7 pepper corn, 1 bay leaf,ginger, 1tsp crushed garlic, chopped sprin onion

1. In a big pan or pressur cooker , put beef and 1 lt of water, small onion, ginger( your thumb size), pepper corn, bay leaf and boil for 5 minutes and rinse off scum on the top and put fresh water( 3lt) and boil for 10 mins, and reduce heat low , simmer for 1 hour. Skim off fat on the top time to time.
2. Get rid of ginger, pepper corns,and bay leaf and onion, add mooli and simmer another 45 mins until meats are tender and mooli is trasusent. Take out mooli and cut 1cm cube,and 0,3cm thin .put back to the soup pan boil for 3 mins. This time can add thinly sliced tube rice cake ( if you wish, 2tbsp) and boil until rice cake tender, add crushed garlic and simmer 10minutes.
3.Serve with good sea salt, chopped spring onion, kimchi and rice.
4. Kalbitang is not spicy and very soothing, same time hearty meal. Kabitang is very good during the winter .

  

Beef Bourguignon

Beef bourguignon is the one of best slow cooking dish, usually I cook with shin beef or braising steak, since Ox cheek is in the butcher section, I use this ox cheek meat now, i like the texture better than other, tight muscle tissue could hold together after 2 hours cooking. this is a economic dish at best, for £4 meat , it was more than enough for 2 of us.

Ox cheek 2, garlic 2, fresh thyme, baby onion 6,  carrot 2, celery stick 2, pepper, half bottle of red wine.

1, Cut ox cheek in half and trim, 2.Cut carrot as chunk, same as celery, take skin off baby onions,

3. In a big bowl, meat, vegetables and 2-3 branch of thyme, crushed garlic and add red wine, freshly ground pepper, put in the fridge over night.

4, Take out all the meat and vegetables, set aside, pour red wine from the bowl, boil first and simmer , continually skim on the top, reduce just less than half.

4. Dust meat with flour, heat oil in a frying pan and seal the meats, In oven proof stew pan, put reduced wine, meat veggies and pinch of chili freaks, add beef stock (5 cups) and season , add 1 bay leave, quick boil and put in the oven(120c) for 2 hours until meat is tender.

4. When dish is ready, cook chest mushroom and 5 shallot with butter, and cook 1tbs of thinly cut bacon or pancetta until crisp.

5. Add chopped parsley in the stew with cooked mushroom and shallot.

Serve with cooked bacon on the top.

I serve with boiled new potato but I ate with rice , this dish is very versatile, even you can eat kimchi and rice!!! 

Octopus Salad

I found one of big supermarket chain had  octopus the other day, they are from Cornwall ,surprisingly, I did not know, Shore of England has this beautiful seafood. We, all family love octopus, spicy stir frying or boiled until tender, dip in the sour spicy Korean sauce, or  grilled  but our favourite one is Italian style. Put in the octopus with 2 cups of  red wine, half onion( with skin), 2 cloves of garlic, 5 peppercorn, 1 carrot, 3 cups of water, bay leave, 1/2 of dry chili and boil, then simmer at least 45min.and then let it cool.

Slice octopus very thinly, 2 lemon juice and zest, thinly sliced shallot( 1tbsp), Thinly chopped red chili ( 1tsp), virgin olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, season with salt and pepper.

Marinate in the sauce( above) for 3 hours, add chopped parsley and serve with nice bread.

We all love the taste and slightly chewy texture.When we lived in Athens, whenever we visit  island, we enjoyed watching, men catching small octopus, when they caught, always beat octopus 40 times on the rock to tenderise. It was a such funny sight, dangling octopus by hand. I wish i took the photo!!!

I am very happy to see octopus in supermarket here now, about time , English should try this,why waste or export to Spain like other good seafood!!! It was quite cheap, about £4 for one,

 This may continue!!!   

Korean Restaurant. Kimchee

I 've been hearing about Korean Restaurant, Kimchee  for 1 year now, even , they do queueing 2-3 hours so on. I decided to have a look and eat. it looks very modern and clean line from out side. equally very minimalistic, I liked 2 colour interior, black and dark grey, open kitchen, all very Wagamamaish.

I can see why students and young executive do like here, not very formal and more like cafe and also not too stereotype oriental. Korean eateries, one word ,it is something different!!

It 's past lunch hour, the place was nearly empty, I was guided to sit a long table against window, looking at unintresting street, I do not know why they did not ask me where I prefer to sit, after all it was empty, I rather sit in the middle. Anyway I was so tired to argue, so I sat and looking at the menu.
As I heard from one of my cookery student, all side dish has to be paid, kimchi, so on £2.50. Well, I am going to order "spicy cold buckwheat noodle/bibim nangmun" I do not need anything but one dish of kimchi would be a nice gesture. noodle came with veniger, meat was about a spoon of minced beef rather boiled beef , the portion was very small even for me. Pickled cucumber and white radish was not much but OK .  I know I can not compare with Seoul, but this is too minimal for my liking.
 Spicy sauce on the top was good. I think this kind of cafe style Korean Restaurant is very welcome but like Wagamama, at least when you go to Wagamama, feel plenty with a nice big plate and deep bowl, feeling eat hearty food , I admit Kimchee is more stylish .

After meal I got the bill ,I found 10% service charge were added, I was not very impressed by it at all. This is not a formal restaurant why they did not leave to customers to give tip or something.
I think London needs cheap and cheerful, simple Korean eatries, like in New York!!

Korean Cookery to the Korean Language Students

Suddenly I was invited to do Korean cookery demonstration to the 30 Korean language students from Korean Culture Centre in U K, but I did not know what to expect but concern me the place, this event will be held. KCC Uk rent Korean Restaurant in Leicester Square for 2 hours. they  will provide all the ingredients I need.

I was worried how 30 students fit in and cook, but needn't, Every table has a portable gas burner .

It was a part of KCC U K 's Korean Culture awareness project, called K-Pop academy.

Making Rice roll in Laver (Gimbab), and Rice cake in spice sauce( Tteokboggi) which are student's favourite in Korea. When I arrived at restaurant, Dong San, it is rather a big project than I imagined,

Most of all 60 bright  young eyes are staring at me, it was scary.

Fortunately I was warmed by their intention to learn Korean food, most of all it was obvious they are all crazy about Korean Culture,food, language , history and pop music. They all love Korean boy band!!!

Well, well, now all young students are ready for my instruction, all 60 eyes on me!!! I did not have so many audience since I was in Seoul, promoting songs like Eagles, Queen, but it was 35 years ago and I was young and naive!!
I was be able to settle and start talking and cooking , some of them moved near me and listen so intently, I feel so moved by it. I realised they really love Korean food and love to learn , not because it's free. Seeing this , it was so comforting. Well, through this Young students, Korean culture will be well known in Britain , most importantly the momentum has started

All group made food lovingly but unfortunately I had to pick the winner, It was not comfortable position in, but It was a great experience ! I feel much better knowing Korean food is getting popular.As I am writing Korean Food and running Korean Cookery.

Art of Cake Decoration.

Skirt Beef Steak

I am very pleased to see certain super market selling inexpensive cuts of beef,Ox cheek, skirt beef so on. I remember one of celebrated London butcher said, skirt beef is very tasty  but for years I could not find local butcher or big super market. I bought skirt beef and marinated with  olive oil, apple juice (1tbsp) and thyme for overnight and cook like any other steak but it has to be rare if you cook medium can be very stringy and when you eat, cut against  grain, this makes more tender. It is superb, tender and very good flavour comes out. it is VERY VERY cheap too.  Since beef steaks are so expensive ,specially Ribeye steak are beyond our budget these days, only special occasion we treat ourselves. But this welcome alternative is surprisingly a success.

Cornish pasty are  made with skirt beef but, do try as steak it will change your mind.Ox cheeks also appeared in the shop, for years in London restaurants served slow cooked Ox cheek with a price, but now I could be able to buy £ 4 for two pieces. It is heavenly tender when cook slowly with red wine.

Do do try this cheap cut and be more experimental!!!

photo: skirt beef steak with grilled asparagus.
skirt beef steak and chips 

Jamie Oliver is in Korea.

I just heard Mr Oliver is in Seoul, some work with Korean Food Company CJ Foods. I am guessing he will taste all kind of Korean food and hope he will visit big market like Dongdaemun, and Fish market .

I sent a letter a while ago to Jami Oliver's PR company Edlelman, because I could not contact him in anyway.I was lucky to find out his PR Co. by accident. I told that one of his book, 30mintues Meal. has Kimchi Slaw, it was just using Chinese cabbage to make coleslaw. I said this can not be any type of Kimchi. If you like to use word, Kimchi, you have to make kimchi in Korean way, after all Kimchi is the most famous Korean dish!!. Well I offered the recipe or show him how to make but of course no reply from them. I do wish he learn and taste all kind of Kimchi while he is in Seoul.

I am sure when he comes back he will have a few new recipe with Korean twist
A good point is Korean food will be mentioned by Mr. Oliver in TV .