korean beef bulgogi: a barbecue among friends.

Tweet

I always find Fridays are impatient days. I sit at work, almost visibly tapping my foot, my eyes quickly moving to the clock and away again: I just want the weekend to begin!

To delay this its-the-end-of-the-work-week fever, I always try to do something that will distract me during lunch. So, after a quick pop-in, pop-out to my favorite place - the library - I headed over to CBC to see what mellow distraction they could provide me with.

Throughout the summer, at lunch time, the CBC is giving live concerts in front of their downtown Vancouver location. Yesterday was South American, and it was lovely.

I raced home (the mellowness of the concert didn't supersede my excitement about my friends would were coming over for dinner) to check on how my marinade was I had thrown on beef the night before. It was really a spur-of-the-moment thing - "what should I make Gord and Steve" followed by "what ingredients do I have around me" followed by "I love Korean food (after seeing my old bottle of kimchi" followed by "Korean barbecue!" It is also the most lovely to serve with friendship and fellowship in mind, for it is a meal where everyone shares every dish.

My kimchi was bad unfortunately (how does anything pickled go bad?!). So an integral part of our meal was left out, but it was delicious anyways. Besides, for those who have not experienced Korean food, throwing kimchi (figuratively of course) at them during their first meal is not the best of ideas. 

But, they loved it. I could finally relax after a hasty Friday.

 (And, a preview of what I'm making tomorrow night! A whole lotta meat!)

Beef Bulgogi
(adapted from Kitchen Wench Blog)

2 lbs. thinly sliced sirloin (if you buy it as one big mound of meat, just stick it in the freezer for a bit, and then cut it - t'will be much easier my friends!)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 nashi/Asian pear, chopped
1 apple, a sweet variety such as gala, juiced (grate and squeeze the juice out)
2/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
3 tbsp superfine sugar
2 green onions, sliced
black pepper, to taste
 
1. Pour the apple juice over the beef. Put the pear and onion in a blender and blend until smooth. Add soy sauce, garlic, and sugar.

2. Pour marinade on, along with oil and onions, and let sit overnight.

3. Serve with a bowl of rice, kimchi, and other bachan (Korean side dishes). Alternatively, you can use the meat to make Korean lettuce wraps with ssam jam paste.

4. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Remember that while Fridays may herald the start of a weekend, never wish for them to go by any faster - enjoy them as you would any other day (well, maybe with a bit more foot tapping).