The Korean Wave 2010-2011 - Korean Cultural Service

The instantly recognizable profile of Koreanfood, however, comes not from obscure ingredientsbut from the relatively mainstreamones: sesame (both seeds and oil), garlic, soy sauce,garlic, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar and scallions. And garlic.I’ve more than once called Korean food “Japanesefood with guts,” not as a slight against Japanese food(wonderful in its own right) but as an endorsement ofKorean cuisine’s vigorous, muscular, completely unsubtleflavor profile. Korean food’s aggressive seasoningis really just right for grilling, where attempts atnuance are usually in vain.Some elements of this barbecue are familiar buttweaked. (Some of that familiarity comes fromthe American presence in Korea, now going on 60years.) Korean potato salad, for instance, is similar toAmerican potato salad in that its dressing is mayonnaise-based,but the Korean version sometimes usesjulienned rather than chunked potatoes and also containscarrots, peas, scallions and chives. It’s far fromconventional and far from bland.I will not (and cannot) claim that every element of thismenu is legitimately Korean. In fact one recipe, theplum-and-herb cocktail, is plain made up: a sangrialikeconcoction of white wine, gin, rosemary-infusedsimple syrup and fresh plums. I see it as a tribute tothe sweet plum wine so often served in Korean restaurants.(If you want to be authentic, drink soju — itwill get you drunk in a hurry — or beer.) But if mycocktail isn’t authentic, it is good and, like the rest ofthe menu, very potent.Beef BulgogiTime: 45 to 150 minutes1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped8 or more garlic cloves, peeled and roughlychopped1 tablespoon sugar or honey1/2 teaspoon black pepper1/2 cup soy sauce1 tablespoon sesame oil2 pounds sirloin, rib-eye or skirt steak, thinly sliced, or3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs, boned and thinly slicedBoston or loose-leaf lettuce leaves for servingGochujang (Korean chili-bean paste) for serving.1. Combine the scallions, garlic, sugar, pepper, soysauce and oil in blender and purée, adding water asneeded to form a smooth mixture. Toss the meatwith the soy mixture and marinate for 15 minutes to2 hours. Heat a grill with the rack 4 to 6 inches fromthe flame; the fire should be as hot as possible.2. Remove the meat from the marinade, and grill untilbrowned outside but still rare inside, no more than acouple of minutes per side; do not overcook. Servethe meat wrapped in lettuce leaves, with gochujangfor dipping.Serves 4 to 6.Sesame Spinach and TofuCook 1 tablespoon minced garlic in 2 tablespoonssesame oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute; add1 pound chopped spinach and cook, stirring occasionally,until it begins to wilt. Crumble in 1/2 poundextra-firm tofu and stir until warmed through. Stirin 1 tablespoon soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and 1tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve hot or warm.Korean Potato SaladCook 1 pound julienned or shredded potatoes and1/2 pound julienned or shredded carrots in saltedboiling water until barely tender, about 5 minutes;add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas for the last minuteof cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. Whisktogether 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons ricevinegar; toss with the vegetables, 1/2 cup choppedchives and 1/4 cup chopped scallions. Garnish withmore chopped scallions and chives, season with saltand pepper to taste and serve.Grilled-Scallion SaladBrush 1 pound untrimmed scallions with 1 tablespoonsesame oil; grill over moderately high heat,turning once, until charred and tender, 5 to 10 minutes.Roughly chop and toss with 1/3 cup rice vinegar,1 to 2 tablespoons gochugaro (Korean chili powder)or less if using red-pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon sesameseeds and 2 teaspoons sugar. Serve immediately.KimchiLayer 1 small green or white cabbage (separatedinto leaves) and 1 small-to-medium daikon radish(cut into 1-inch cubes) with 1/2 cup coarse salt in alarge bowl. Let sit until the cabbage is wilted, about2 hours, massaging and weighting it if needed tohelp soften. Rinse and dry well. Roughly chop andtoss with 15 to 20 chopped scallions, 1/4 cup fish (orsoy) sauce, 1/4 cup minced garlic, 2 to 4 tablespoonssugar, 2 tablespoons minced ginger and 1 to 2tablespoons gochugaro (Korean chili powder) orless if using red-pepper flakes. Serve immediately orrefrigerate for up to a week.Fried HijikiSoak 1 ounce dried hijiki in 2 cups hot water. Whenit’s tender, about 5 minutes later, drain, squeeze dry,remove any hard bits and chop. Cook 1 tablespoonminced garlic and 1/4 cup chopped scallions in 1tablespoon neutral oil (like grapeseed or corn) and1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heatfor 1 minute; add the hijiki and cook until brownedand beginning to shrivel, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1tablespoon each soy sauce and sesame seeds and apinch of sugar. Serve hot or warm.Plum-and-Herb Wine CocktailCook 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1 sprig freshrosemary or thyme over medium-low heat until thesugar dissolves; cool and remove the herb. Combine1 bottle not-too-dry white wine (like Riesling), 1/4cup gin, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 to 4 chopped plumsand 1/4 cup of the rosemary syrup. Chill for at least 2hours, taste and add more syrup if you like and serve.The New York Times, Wednesday, August 17, 2011Feel Free to Graze,but Just Be QuickBy SAM SIFTONDanji is a wee little restaurant on West 52ndStreet, done up in whitewashed brick andblond Ikea stylings, naked bulbs, extensioncords and a lot of wooden spoons artfully displayed, asif by David Rockwell on a $200 budget. The crowdsare fierce.There is a good reason. Hooni Kim, who opened thisplace in December as a new-style Korean take on aJapanese izakaya, is a terrific cook. Those who take thetime and care to explore his menu of both traditionaland modernized Korean food will be rewarded.Some stipulations before we eat. Danji is not a particularlycomfortable restaurant. Customers perch onD6stools along the bar or at high tables in the front of theroom, or wedge into the few tables in back. There arejust 36 seats. It gets quite hot in the dining room, as ata crowded party in a small apartment.Dinners proceed not as planned, leisurely affairs, butas fast-casual turn-and-burns: you get small, shareableplates and some drinks, and then make room forthe next set of customers. You would not want to dobusiness at Danji, unless your business involves kneestouching and the thrill of discovery.So stipulated. (A cold OB beer or glass of soju may help.)Now slide your menu out of the drawer that hides justbelow the surface of each table. It is time to graze.Danji works best if you buck the trend and eat a greatdeal as leisurely as you can, building a tasting menuout of the tapas. (The plates run $6 to $18.)Start with a pairing off the “traditional” list, of spicywhelk salad and a small pile of buckwheat noodles.This ought to be protected by the Marriage EqualityAct. The tender little whelks are poached French-stylewith a mirepoix cut through with lemongrass, garlicand ginger, and dressed in a sauce of gochujang,a Korean hot chile paste, that has been muted withrice vinegar and mirin, grated garlic and ginger. Acrossfrom them sit fat noodles of the Japanese soba variety,glossy with that same hot sauce, along with honey andsoy, some watercress, slivered red onions, chives. Theyare each other’s best friends.Order more noodles: japchae, glassy little numbers offa family reunion table in Seoul, sweet and salty withsesame oil and soy, with hints of ginger and garlic toromance the accompanying julienne vegetables anda small mound of barbecued beef. Have a crisp littlepancake of scallions and Korean peppers, or the seafoodversion if it is available as a special. You will benefitfrom some kimchi as well, made for the restaurantby Mr. Kim’s mother-in-law. There is Napa cabbage,of course, among other varieties: cucumber, of late,and ponytail radishes.28 Copyright © 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.29