korean bbq meets stir fry

I'm not big into stir frying. It's not that I have anything against stir frying, per say, but more that I just never think about it. And on Sunday night, I still wasn't thinking about stir fry. I was thinking about making some Korean BBQ: Beef Bulgogi. Thinly sliced rib eye steak gets marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, chili flakes, and a sprinkle of sugar. Then into a hot pan it goes until it's just cooked through and then it's served in lettuce cups with a spoonful of rice.

But I was feeling a little vegetable-deprived. To be fair, I was feeling extremely vegetable-deprived. Because pizza toppings don't count as a serving of veggies, Kiira. So after I'd cooked my ridiculously aromatic marinated rib eye, I removed it from the pan and threw in a generous amount of broccoli florets (seriously though, how great is broccoli?), a handful of grated carrot, and some shredded green cabbage. I placed the lid back on for about two minutes so the veggies could steam then added the meat back in, gave it a few Martin Yan-Can-Cook tosses and just that quickly, my dinner (and lunch for the next day) was completed. I could barely wait long enough to spoon some rice into a bowl, garnish the plate with a few extra scallions, and snap a picture before ravenously diving in.

This little number is better than take-out. And you know how I know that? Because the previous Sunday I spent $20 (it still makes me cringe) on a pathetic ginger chicken and oyster mushroom dish and an order of duck-basil spring rolls with a pineapple dipping sauce. Yes, I know how good that sounds. I mean, obviously I know how good that sounds. C'mon, that's why I ordered it. But as I sat there, regretfully watching Carrie push away the sweet, sweet Aiden, trying to find the good in my $20 Thai take-out, I felt taken advantage of. Cheated. Wronged. Mediocrity has no place in this life of mine. Just as Aiden had no place in Carrie's.

And that's why now, I stir fry.

Korean BBQ Stir Fry

1 lb. rib eye steak, thinly sliced against the grain

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

sprinkle of chili flakes

sprinkle of sugar (about 1-1/2 tsp.)

2 scallions, finely chopped (whites and greens separated)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 cup of broccoli florets

1/3 cup grated carrot (small handful)

3/4 cup shredded cabbage (large handful)

Combine the garlic, ginger, chili flakes, sugar, the whites of the scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a ziplock bag. Add in the sliced rib eye and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

After it's marinated, heat a non-stick pan over high heat and add in a drizzle of a neutral oil. Add in the steak with all of the marinade and allow to cook, quickly, on both sides. About 3 minutes total. Remove the steak from the pan and then add in the onion, broccoli, carrot, and cabbage. Give it a toss then place a lid on the pan and allow to steam for about 2 minutes.

Add the steak back in, toss again, and turn off the heat.

Serve over white or brown rice with a sprinkle of the greens of the scallions.

sam sifton update

Korean Beef Bulgogi BBQ made by yours truly, photographed by Aimee Herring

Reading through Sam Sifton's latest review of Madangsui, a Korean BBQ joint, I noticed something. After an awfully wet and depressing start to my day, I found myself smiling. From beginning to end. Because thus far? I totally dig Sam Sifton.

There's a certain relevancy in his writing style and restaurant choices. He's approachable, witty, passionate. All qualities that I hope to convey in my writing as well and that Sifton delivers so seemingly effortlessly. He's hip without having to try too hard and the fact that he saw the value in reviewing a Korean BBQ joint that lacks any and all glitz or glamour makes him that much more credible in my book. I mean, it could also be credited to my affinity for Korean BBQ and all its incarnations but ehh, whatever. As always, I'm already looking forward to next week's review. You should be too.

playing food stylist

So this past weekend, a good photographer friend, Aimee Herring, came up for the day on Sunday to shoot some food in the new tricked out kitchen for her portfolio. And who was to do the food prep? Well, none other than yours truly, my friends. Throwing everyone for a curve ball (including myself) I decided to try my hand at some Asian-inspired foods and settled on the following menu: Vietnamese Summer Rolls (shrimp, mango, avocado, cilantro, lettuce) with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce, Pan Fried Pork, Shrimp, and Leek Dumplings with a Cilantro-Serrano Dipping Sauce, Korean BBQ Beef Skewers served in Boston Lettuce Cups, and a Ginger-Mint-Lime Mojito to cool the heat and wash it all down. An Asian-style tapas spread, I suppose. Anyways, I really can't stop looking at the pictures in complete and utter awe. They're stunning and I can't believe how beautiful the food ended up looking. Hats off to Aimee for making my food look better than I could have ever imagined. (And for the record, it tasted pretty darn good too.)