The Korean Wave 2010-2011 - Korean Cultural Service

Kim, who grew up in New York and dropped outof medical school to become a chef (his motherdid not speak to him for a year), cooks withcareful precision, even delicacy. For him, as for mostrestaurant chefs, the dish is made up of componentparts that must be assembled separately beforehandand then put together, in the style of French-trainedkitchens, expressly for each order: à la minute.For this first exercise, then, you should do as he does,exactly. While making the marinade in a large bowl,you chill some brisket in your freezer, which makes iteasier to slice the beef thinly. You mix the sliced beefinto the marinade and place it, well covered, in the refrigerator.You make your spicy mayonnaise and storethis in the refrigerator as well. You make your scalliondressing, then carefully wash and dry your scallionsand place them wrapped carefully in a paper towel besidethe marinade and the mayonnaise. You make yourcucumber kimchi.Then you go in search of proper buns: soft and notat all crusty, with enough structure to be able to absorba great deal of fat and flavor without falling apart.Kim orders par-baked rolls from the Parisi bakery onElizabeth Street near Little Italy but does not finishthem off in his ovens at work. “Almost finished is justthe right texture,” he said in a telephone interview.“Koreans do not like crust at all.” (A good-qualitychallah bun will suffice for home use.)Finally, when you are ready to cook, you do so quicklyand efficiently, never crowding your pan with toomuch meat, buttering the toasted rolls before applyingany mayonnaise to them, applying a large pinch ofscallions to each sandwich at the very last minute andthen — and only then! — drizzling the thing with ateaspoon of dressing, so as not to wilt the greens. Thisresults in a superlative sandwich.So does forgoing the sauté pans and precision. On thissecond path, the cook fires up a backyard grill to approximatethe smoky flavor of traditional restaurantbulgogis, where diners cook the meat themselves overtabletop braziers loaded with glowing charcoal. Allelse remains the same, including the quality of thesandwich.But here is a truth of Kim’s marinade, and of its excellence.If you do not have time or energy to spare forartfully dressed scallions or elegantly plated sandwiches,all will be forgiven by all those who eat the result.You can cut the beef into the marinade on a weekendand keep it in the fridge for a few days, softly absorbingflavors, and then toss it into a pan some eveningwhen the children begin to whine.Toast a few hamburger buns and spread them withbutter or spicy mayonnaise or both or neither. Thentong some meat onto the bread, or onto white rice ifyou like, with a side of steamed greens. Scatter somefresh scallions over the top, and let them have at it.Which method is best? In matters of feeding, as inmeditation and poetry, it is best not to consider thequestion too deeply. The Buddhist teacher ChogyamTrungpa Rinpoche said it, and Allen Ginsberg calledit art: “First thought, best thought.” In this bulgogi,there is only joy.Bulgogi Sloppy Joes With Scallion SalsaFor the bulgogi:1 cup soy sauce2 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon peeled and grated garlic1 tablespoon sesame oil3 tablespoons sake2 tablespoons mirin1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and puréed in a foodprocessor1 small carrot peeled and sliced into julienne1 medium white onion peeled and sliced intojulienne1 cup apple juice2 pounds beef brisket, chilled slightly and sliced thinFor the spicy mayonnaise:1 cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon soy sauce3 tablespoons hot chili sauce, ideally SrirachaFor the scallion salsa:1/2 cup soy sauce2 tablespoons water1/4 cup sugar2 tablespoons gochugaru(Korean red-pepper flakes)2 tablespoons grapeseed oil2 tablespoons sesame oil3 tablespoons rice vinegar2 tablespoons mirin1 tablespoon sesame seeds2 bunches scallions, cleaned, dried and sliced on thebiasUnsalted butter6 soft hamburger buns.2. Meanwhile, in a small, nonreactive bowl, combinethe mayonnaise, soy sauce and hot chili sauce andstir to combine. Taste and adjust flavors, then coverand store in the refrigerator until ready to use.3. When you are ready to make the sandwiches, setone very large sauté pan (or two large ones) overhigh heat. Using tongs, lift meat from marinade inbatches, allow to drain well, then cook, turning occasionallyuntil the excess liquid has evaporated andthe edges of the beef have started to crisp.4. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the salsaexcept for the scallions, then stir to combine.5. Toast and butter the hamburger buns. Spread spicymayonnaise on the buns, and using tongs, cover oneside of each set of buns with bulgogi. Add a largepinch of scallions on top of each burger and drizzlewith the dressing. Serve with cucumber kimchi(recipe follows).Serves 6. Adapted from Hooni Kim, Danji restaurant,New York.Cucumber Kimchi3 small cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices2 tablespoons kosher salt1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)1/4 cup mirin6 tablespoons rice vinegar1 teaspoon grated garlic1 teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp(optional).1. Place the cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, thensprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.2. Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt, drainand pat dry.3. Return cucumbers to bowl, add other ingredients,toss to combine, cover tightly and place in refrigeratorovernight or until ready to use.Serves 6. Adapted from Hooni Kim, Danji restaurant,New York.1. In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the soy sauce,sugar, garlic, sesame oil, sake, mirin, pear, carrot,onion and apple juice. Add the sliced brisket, stir tocombine, cover tightly and place in the refrigeratorovernight or for at least six hours.32 Copyright © 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.33