This article may be a little out of some folks cooking “comfort zone,” and it may require a special trip to the Asian market, but it will be worth your effort and willingness to explore a new cuisine.
I love to taste and learn about cuisine and cultures from around the world. Korean food is one of my daughter’s favorites but there is no Korean restaurant in the metro area. I have been wanting to learn how to cook some traditional Korean dishes myself but did not know where to start. I had taken a few steps in that direction with some store-bought Korean barbecue sauce. It was good but did not seem very authentic.
Then, in walks my destiny with Korean food all wrapped up in the person of Jain Kwak Bourne. Jain married the son of a friend, and she agreed to come over and teach a few friends some of her family’s favorite recipes. What followed was a night of delicious, interesting, and relatively simple home cooking: Korean-style.
Jain is a patient teacher and an impressive cook. She easily demonstrated and prepared the food she grew up eating and serves her family on most nights. Jain is also an artist, and the most impressive part of the evening was her dessert. It was called a Black Sesame and Yuja Petit Gateau and was a work of art. It looked beautiful and tasted fantastic. The flavors were interesting and complimented each other perfectly. I know her dessert is definitely out of my cooking comfort zone and skill level, but the great news is that she has started posting her delicacies on Instagram (Maumbakery) and will take special orders. I am so thankful for our new friendship and thankful that I can order her delicious pastries.
Glazed Lotus Root
I had heard and seen lotus root before and to be honest, they frighted me a little. They look like something from outer space, but basically it is the root of the aquatic lotus plant. It has a beautiful flower and the roots are a commonly found vegetable in many Asian dishes. When found fresh, it looks like a large potato but we found ours blanched and pre-packaged at the Asian market in Jackson.
Jain admitted that glazed lotus root might seem simple, but can sometimes be a little tricky to prepare. She encouraged me not to give up and the resulting dish is a tasty, slightly sweet, slightly savory treat that is not your everyday appetizer.
4 cups blanched or pickled lotus roots, about 16 ounces
1 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, it’s important use low sodium
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon each of rice wine and molasses
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Sesame seeds for garnish
If using pickled lotus root, rinse well and dry on paper towels. If it is blanched, drain well on paper towels. Sauté lotus roots in the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until lightly browned on both sides or for about five minutes.
In a separate bowl combine water, soy sauce, sugar, wine, molasses and stir well to combine. When lotus roots are nicely brown, stir in the mixture and reduce heat to medium. Simmer on very low until sauce is syrupy and reduced, about 20 minutes, stirring often.
Add the honey or maple syrup and continue to cook about five additional minutes.
Transfer lotus roots to a raised baking rack and allow to cool. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve.
Jeon or Hobak Jun
Jain prepared something she referred to as Jeon as our appetizer and it is a simple but well-prepared pan-fried meat or vegetable. Jain prepared zucchini and shrimp.
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, seasoned with salt and pepper and allowed to drain for a few minutes
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mixture of about 3/4 cup regular flour and 1/4 cup potato starch, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, well-beaten
Lightly dredge the shrimp and zucchini in flour mixture and dip in the eggs. Fry in a large sauté pan in hot oil, turning once. Fry until light golden brown. We ate these with a little of Jain’s sauce on the side.
Sushi Rice
Jain explained that most dishes in Korea, including the meat, are considered a side dish or condiment for the rice. Rice is a main ingredient in almost every meal that her family eats. Jain uses sushi rice, and it is a short-grained rice that has a sticky consistency. Jain uses a small pressure cooker to cook her rice, but said an Insta pot, rice cooker, or regular pot can be used.
2 cups water
1 cup sushi rice
A pinch of salt
Lightly rinse the rice a few times and allow to drain. In a pot with a tightfitting lid. Add water and rice and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes but not more than an hour. Cook rice, simmering, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove the top and turn up the heat the last few minutes to dry out the rice a little at the end.
Suyuk (Steamed or Boiled Pork)
2-3 large white onions, cut into rings about 1/2 inch thick
Boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips
1 bunch green onions, cut in a few pieces
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
Apple or pear (optional, but we did not use)
Add a little oil to the bottom of a large stock pot. Layer white onion rings, pork, green onions, garlic, and apple or pear if using. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 40 minutes to one hour until meat is tender.
Serve with rice, kimchi, and Jain’s ssam jang sauce and wrap in a lettuce leaf. Butter lettuce, romaine, or iceberg lettuce leaves work well.
Ssam Jang or Jain’s Dipping Sauce
Although styled as a dipping sauce, Jain’s Ssam Jang has the consistency of a paste. It is very flavorful and a perfect addition to the Suyuk.
7 teaspoons miso paste
3 teaspoons pepper paste or gouchujang, more or less depending on your spice tolerance
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3-4 teaspoons sweetener of your choice; honey, maple syrup or agave
1/2 teaspoon or drizzle of sesame oil
Mix all ingredients and serve.
Fresh Kimchi Salad
Many people know about kimchi, and fermenting cabbage or other vegetables is very popular trend. Jain’s kimchi salad is quick, flavorful, and delicious without the timely fermentation required of the traditional dish.
1 head napa cabbage
5-6 green onion
6 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3-5 tablespoons coarse red pepper flakes (specific kind ground for kimchi. Found at the Oriental market)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup (This helps the seasoning to stick to the cabbage)
Chop napa cabbage to one to one and a half inch slices, rinse the cabbage a couple of times and allow to drain for about 30 minutes to an hour. Chop green onions into two inch pieces. In a separate bowl add fish sauce, chopped garlic, pepper flakes, sugar and corn syrup and mix. Add the cabbage and green onion and mix. Serve or store in the refrigerator.
Bulgogi
3 cups of beef sirloin (or New York steak), sliced into thin slices
1 cup of onion
1/2 cup of shiitake mushrooms
1/3 cup of green onion
2 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoons of corn syrup/honey/agave syrup
2 tablespoons of pureed onion
1 tablespoons of minced garlic
6 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
*1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons of sesame oil
Cut green onions about two and a half inch long and slice shiitake mushrooms thinly. Cut onion into thicker slices, and chop some into small pieces to blend. In a mixing bowl, add beef, sugar, and corn syrup, and marinate for 10 minutes. You can marinate overnight, if desired.
To the marinated meat, add dark soy sauce, pureed onion, minced garlic, pepper, and sesame oil. Add onion, shiitake mushroom, red pepper, and green onion to the seasoned meat.
Stir-fry bulgogi in a heated pan and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds (sesame seeds are optional)
Black Sesame Seed Tuile
As I explained, Jain’s real talent in the kitchen is creating delicious and show-stopping desserts. She served us a Yija Petit Gateau (or mousse) that she topped with a delicate black sesame cookie. Seriously, please check out her Instagram, Maumbakery, and look at the photos of her amazing creations. While, the preparation for the Petit Gâteau is definitely above my skill level, Jain did share the recipe for the black sesame cookie, called a tuile. Tuile is a French word for tile, and in French cooking it refers to a thin baked wafer-like cookie that resembles a European roofing tile.
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/3 cup cake flour or regular flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Melt butter on low and then mix with all remaining ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment or a non-stick baking mat.
Roll mixture into small, or about 1/2 inch in diameter, balls and place on lined baking sheet at least two inches apart. They will spread out a lot. Bake for about 10-12 minutes and immediately transfer to a baking rack to cool.
