Champion of Champong, Bulging from Bulgogi!
KOREAN FOOD TUESDAY! lol jokes. It’s been cooooold and rainy here in Seattle the past few days, and with me being a bit sick, I needed to make something with a bit of bite to jump start my work week.
Bulgogi – made just like my video on kalbi with the only difference being the choice of meat. Ballard Market had a special on big 2lb. hunks of boneless chuck roast ($5!!!), which has a good amount of fat and a great beefy flavor.
Normally used for long braises because the meat and connective tissue take a long time to break down, chuck roast *can* be cooked quickly IF sliced thinly. So I broke down the slices with a long 10” slicing knife (you could totally use a sharp 8” chef’s knife for this) and marinated the slices in a bowl overnight – the acids in the marinating liquid break down the meat and make it tender and easy to eat! All you need to do then is spread the pieces evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high until bits get charred on top! *pushes glasses up with a finger* ENOUGH FOOD SCIENCE, MOAR COOKING!
The champong, spicy Korean seafood soup, is always mandatory when Liana and I head out to a Korean restaurant. It’s her favorite. It was kinda last-minute, but I threw in…
8 cups of homemade chicken stock (use broth if you want)
1 bunch of green onions chopped into 1.5” pieces
a healthy handful of bean sprouts
3 garlic cloves
1 small nub of ginger
3 tablespoons of Korean red pepper paste
…in a pot and brought to a boil. I then dropped in some shredded chicken breast and (previously frozen) calamari rings and lowered it to a light simmer for 30 minutes. I scooped it in a bowl and dropped an egg inside and threw down immediately with a big bowl of rice! I made the soup without the use of any of the traditional Korean flavor bases like KELP or indigenous (lol did I just write indigenous?) veggies. I’m sure it made a difference, but I’ll make it right next time, next time. Hee hee.
Oh, if you were wondering, the list of “accoutrements” follow (top to bottom):
Tofu with sesame oil, sesame seeds, a touch of soy and green onions
Kimchi, straight up
Corn (added furikake afterwards in honor of Playground)
Quick pickle (salt, sugar rice wine vinegar) of cucumber and red onions
It was a tasty meal that could have fed 4 to 5 people – more than enough for leftovers the next day. Hee hee.
Check out the aftermath. LOL. 
~Spec
