Bulgogi
Together with bibimap, bulgogi (불고기) represents the most loved and well-known gastronomic specialty of South Korea. The name literally means "meat on fire" and consists of very thin slices of beef marinated and then cooked on the grill or in a pot. Its origin in history is remote. Bulgogi was said to have been cooked as a skewer initially. Following the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese rule in 1945, this dish was popularized especially in Seoul by refugees fleeing Pyongyang. In 1947 the word bulgogi was inserted in the Korean dictionary with the words "grilled meat directly on the coal fire". The recipe that I propose is the classic one based on beef. There are also alternative versions: dwaeji bulgogi (돼지 불고기) based on pork and osam bulgogi (오삼 불고기) with squid and pork belly served with vegetables. INGREDIENTS -15O gr of excellent quality beef cut very thin - 1/2 apple (or 1 Asian pear) cut into chunks - 1 whole crushed garlic clove - 1/2 onion roughly chopped - ground black pepper - 3 tablespoons of soy sauce - 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar - oil - 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil - sesame seeds - 1 finely chopped spring onion (the green part)
PREPARATION - Prepare the marinade by combining the garlic, apple and onion in a large bowl soy sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, plenty of ground black pepper. Then add about 50 g of natural water and blend everything. - Put the meat in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight. - The next day, heat some oil in a pan or on a plate. Then pour the meat with all the marinade and cook until the sauce has thickened and the meat is cooked (it will take about 10 minutes). - Transfer the meat to the serving dish. Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onion. - Serve immediately accompanied with banchan, rice, salad leaves and kimchi aside.
