Asian/Fusion Archives - Page 25 of 30

Holiday Spiced Purple Sweet Potatoes

Holiday Spiced Purple Sweet Potatoes

Do you make the same dishes every Thanksgiving? Over here, some dishes appear every year of course – like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. But the vegetables vary, so does the soup. I also make my Holiday Spiced Sweet Potatoes each year, but this time they are getting a twist. I’m making them with purple-fleshed sweet potatoes that I find at the Korean market. Spiced Sweet Potatoes are a seasonal favorite. Rich with cream and warm spices, it’s a perfect winter holiday dish. And the purple potatoes add a dash of mystery.

Holiday Spiced Purple Sweet Potatoes Recipe

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Braised Oxtail for Halloween?

Braised Oxtail

in a sauce flavored with
Shiitake, Star Anise, Red Wine, Tamari, Garlic
Radish, Ginger, Chile, Brown Sugar, Beef Stock

garnished with
Dried Korean Jeju Mandarin Orange, Cape Gooseberry
Yuzu Zest, Cilantro, Scallion

Serve braised oxtail for Halloween? Well, you certainly could. With its rich spicy flavors and warm autumn colors… Oxtails are browned then braised for 3 hours in a two day process resulting in a sauce that is deep and layered and unctuous. Shiitake imparts earthiness while hot chiles give it a kick.

The oxtail is butter-tender but it is really the garnish that puts this dish over the top. Dried Korean Jeju mandarin orange slices add that crispy texture and a sweet-tart component that brightens the meat. Cape Gooseberries add a flavorful pop while yuzu zest adds bitter-citrusy freshness and cilantro and scallions bring the vegetal notes.

Braised Oxtail Recipe

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Spicy Korean Beef Soup with Smoky Baby Oyster Mushrooms {Yukgaejang}

A Spicy Korean Beef Soup with Smoky Baby Oyster Mushrooms

Yukgaejang 육개장

Beef, Mushroom, Bean Sprout, Leek, Fiddlehead, Chili

Yukgaejang is a haunting red-hued beef soup that is simultaneously spicy, smoky, earthy, and addicting… The rich color comes from gochugaru, a Korean red chili powder that is definitely spicy – but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried red peppers.

In addition to the gochugaru, the pronounced smoky flavor in my non-traditional version of this soup is derived from the charred baby oyster mushrooms. Earthy notes come from gosari (charmingly referred to as beef-of-the-mountains) along with the shiitake. Gosari are young fiddlehead stems harvested from moist wooded forests when the fronds emerge from the ground. Beef flank and beef stock bring the deep meaty component while garlic, leek, and toasted sesame oil round out the flavor profile.

Yukgaejang Recipe

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Buchu Jeon {garlic chive blossom pancake}

Buchu Jeon

부추전

{garlic chive blossom pancake}

A popular Korean ahn-joo (snack enjoyed while drinking), Buchu Jeon is a savory garlic-chive pancake often paired with makkoli (rice wine) and served with a soy dipping sauce. My unusual addition of pungent chive blossoms makes for a pretty presentation while enhancing the garlic-onion flavors of the jeon.

I’ve heard that the invitation to go enjoy buchu jeon on a rainy day is synonymous with “let’s go have a drink” for Korean adults. Hopefully this crispy-chewy pancake with petite white flowers will help brighten your stormy days…Cheers!

Buchu Jeon Recipe

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LA Galbi and Pickled Korean Pear

LA Galbi and Pickled Korean Pear
Seasoned Chiffonade of Perilla, Ssamjang, Rice, Kimchi, OB

LA Galbi are grilled flanken-style (cut across the bone) beef short ribs in a Korean marinade. Curiously, this cut of short rib was popularized by Korean cooks – not in Seoul – but right here in Los Angeles, hence the name.

The magic of Galbi 갈비 is in the marinade. Asian pear tenderizes the meat and adds a hint of sweetness. Pear – combined with garlic, onion, and ginger, plus soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil result in a full Korean flavor explosion. This entire marinade is made in a food processor, it couldn’t be easier.

Hours of marinating result in the tender yet chewy texture. Grilling imparts a wonderful smoky note to the already complex flavors of the marinated meat while the honey and sugar caramelize into a slightly sweet glaze – making this an absolutely irresistible barbecue dish.

LA Galbi Recipe

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