Korean(-American) Bulgogi

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Disclaimer: I'm actually adopted by an Italian-American family so I can't say this is "authentic," but my Korean friends said it's the closest they've ever had to a perfect imitation. :) Also I don't use precise measurements for most things because I tend to eyeball and then taste as I cook, sorry about that.

Ingredients:
1lb sliced beef (I recommend marinating the beef in the marinade overnight, but if you're in a hurry then try to go for at least 2 hours) [if your butcher asks for instructions, ask him to cut the beef into strips, though if you ask for it to be cut into stir fry bits, that also works, too)
Jar of CJ Bulgogi Marinade (this is the best one I have found, also it has lines on the jar that you can use to measure the amount of marinade to use)
1 yellow or white onion
2-3 Scallions
1 head of bok choy or Korean cabbage
1 carrot
Vegetable or olive oil
Garlic (minced or powder)
Salt and pepper

Optional:
Korean red chili paste/peppers (optional for spiciness) [it's called gochujang, the Haechandle brand is easiest to find and my favorite to use]
Soju (I lied, soju isn't optional with Korean dishes, but it can be hard to come by depending on where you live)
Beer
Rice
Korean scallion salad (I might add a recipe for this later, but for now this post is too long as it is)
Soy sauce (I recommend a Korean brand like Sempio, but it doesn't matter too much unless you're a stickler for details)
Anything else you want!


Directions:

1) Slice up the onion and scallions. For the scallions, even include the leafy green part at the end so almost the whole things is used up. For the carrot I recommend only using a few slices or so, since carrots tend to get kind of sweet and in my opinion have a strong taste for a vegetable, and onions are already going to add sweetness to the dish (if you want a more "precise" measurement, I tend to only use 1/3 to 1/2 a carrot). For the bok choy, I cut it into strips and usually use the whole head. Once all the vegetables are cut up, I usually season them very lightly with garlic and ginger (optional).

2) For frying the vegetables, I use a skillet or a wok. Either way, I only use a few drops of oil (olive oil is preferred) and stir fry the vegetables on medium heat to get the juices out and spread the oil around the skillet/wok. Take the vegetables out once you're done (don't overcook the vegetables, the onions should be light brown/golden, the bok choy should be soft, etc.), but leave the leftover oil/juice in the wok/skillet (it will allow you to not add more oil later and keep the beef from getting oily).

3) For this step, if you want to make your bulgogi spicy without killing the flavor, you can add in 2 spoons of (not Tbsp, I just use a regular spoon for cereal because I'm lazy) gochujang paste and stir it in. This stuff complements Korean dishes well because it lets the original flavors stand out while adding spice to the dish, if you like spicy things you can add more, though. Alternatively, if you have a Korean grocer nearby, ask them if they have Korean red pepper flakes and use these to season the meat.
For the meat, you can use a grill to cook the beef, but I'm aware we don't always have access to a grill 24/7. If you do use a grill, you'll get a more smoky taste (especially on a charcoal grill) and more Korean BBQ-flavor. Just cook it as you would normal meat.
For a wok or skillet, pour the beef and all the leftover marinade into the wok together. The beef will start cooking right away since the wok should still be hot, so stir it as needed. Once the beef looks like it's almost cooked all the way through (or looks "rare"), start to lower the heat gradually to a simmer and then put it on low for a few minutes. This will let the marinade thicken and slow cook the bulgogi, and is an advantage a wok/skillet has over a grill. If you need time for the other parts, you can put the heat to "Low" and leave it (I'd keep an eye on it though to make sure it doesn't overcook).

4) When the beef is cooked to your liking, you can serve this with rice, salad, Korean scallion salad (pajeori), or other dishes. If you have a lot of marinade leftover in the wok, you can reintroduce the vegetables so they absorb the flavor, but you could also just as easily serve them over the beef or on the side.

Additional:
Serve with beer (I hate to say it but avoid Korean beer) and soju. Soju has a very clean aftertaste and will be refreshing to drink with the dish. Also, if you insist on Korean beer, make it a somaek [it's literally just pouring soju into beer and mixing it] (I find that 2 shots of soju with a can/bottle of Hite works pretty ok), Korean beer has some catching up to do. For those under 21, any drink that goes well with regular BBQ should do.

*Drink responsibly, soju has varying alcohol content from 16% to 50%. For mixing with drinks, the lower content soju works best (they're those little green bottles that are usually flavored and sell super cheap at like $5-$7), usually the higher percentages are higher quality, anyway and good enough on their own.

I also have a recipe for a simple but refreshing mixed drink that pairs well with it:
1 part gin (I use Roku)
1 part soju (I recommend plain, but that's up to you how fruity you want it)
1 part sake (use a cheap brand meant to be cooled)
1 part lemon juice (varies depending on how sweet you want it)
1 part lime juice (also varies depending on how sweet)
2 parts Midori liquer (the more of this you add, the more of a melon flavor/sweet flavor you'll get, but it is the main alcoholic part and should give the drink a bright green color)
2.5 parts pineapple iced tea (or some other fruity drink) [this should cut the bite]
*This is pretty much a Tokyo Tea with soju in place of rum/vodka but hey it works. I do recommend adjusting the measurements since I usually put more soju/gin in, but most people seem to prefer the above version I make.

Sorry if that was long/unclear. If you have suggestions let me know. :)


I'm going to save myself time: READ "THREE BOOKS OF OCCULT PHILOSOPHY"

I make the best french toast.
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I forgot to add a few things, so here they are:

Kimchi is also another great side to go along with bulgogi (if you haven't tried it, I can only say that I thought it looked disgusting until I tried it). If you can't grab yourself some, then the fried vegetable option I included should be more than enough.

Korean soy sauce is considered saltier than other types, so if you plan on using it to flavor your rice/marinade, use it sparingly and to taste. [I use Sempio 501 as a reference, but like I said if you can't find it, Kikkoman or any other type will suffice] The benefit of this is that you can use a lot less soy sauce and still get a strong effect [which saves money and makes the dish less oily, in my opinion].

Also, if you add the gochujang paste/Korean red peppers, taste test the spiciness level to make sure it's not out of control. If you plan on using a grill, I'd recommend putting gochujang in the marinade rather than waiting until the beef hits the grill like in the wok/skillet option.

Ideally the beef should have a very savory taste that sits between sweet and spicy (if you use the pepper flakes/chili paste). However, since everyone's taste buds are different, I highly recommend taste testing the marinade as you go.

Lastly, too many vegetables can take away from the dish for me, so honestly I usually combine this dish with Korean BBQ pork and stir fry vegetables/fried rice, but I encourage you guys to make your own combinations/revisions. For instance: my family hates kimchi, so I only add kimchi as a side when it's just me eating the recipe.


I'm going to save myself time: READ "THREE BOOKS OF OCCULT PHILOSOPHY"

I make the best french toast.
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