If you follow me on IG, you may have noticed that I've been on a Korean food kick lately! While Korean food cravings are not unusual for me (let it be known that "Let's Eat" is on my top three list of favorite K-dramas), they're in unusually high gear lately since I've been researching and planning for an upcoming trip to Korea. By research, I mean lots of YouTube videos on great Korean food. And boy, am I hungry!
I decided to try making some bibimguksu (spicy cold noodles) and bulgogi the other day, since I had gochujang (Korean chili paste) in the fridge. One thing I try to avoid as much as possible is food waste, but every time I buy gochujang to make kimchijjigae, I never finish the tub. I even buy the smallest tubs available! Well, now that won't be an issue, because I could eat bibimguksu SO often. Crunchy, spicy, salty, refreshing and oh-so delicious.
I'll share with you the bibimguksu recipe inspired by Maangchi - though I will say, after you make this dish using the recipe for the first time, it's pretty easy to just go by feeling afterwards. There are few ingredients, and the proportions really depend on personal taste. Do you prefer really spicy or sour or sweet? Adjust accordingly! For the bulgogi, I used Savory Sweet Life's recipe.
Also, you can definitely check out my video down below. I include a "mukbang" where I enjoy the bibimguksu and bulgogi. What's a mukbang? It's basically a show that originated in Korea (the name is short for eating broadcast), where the host eats a large amount of food and interacts with the audience. Sounds a little strange, right? I talk about it in the video, but you can certainly only watch the recipe portion if you'd prefer. I actually really like watching people eat food (remember how I mentioned "Let's Eat" is my favorite K-drama?), so long as it's food I think looks really delicious.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped kimchi
1/4 cup kimchi juice
2 tsp white vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup gochujang
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Hard-boiled egg*
2 portions somyeon noodle (I used fresh)
1 small cucumber
1/4 cabbage (or lettuce)
1 carrot
*Alternatively, you can fry an egg and cut it into strips. Again, personal preference!
Directions:
1. Thinly slice the cabbage. Cut the cucumber and carrot into thin matchsticks.
2. Mix together the kimchi, juice, vinegar, garlic, gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Taste sauce and adjust accordingly.
3. Cook the noodles according to package directions. They should be soft and chewy. Remove them from the hot water and run under cold or ice water until they are cool.
4. Put each portion in a bowl. Top each bowl with half of the sauce mixture. Top that with the cut up vegetables, then add half of the egg. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds on top if you'd like.
5. Mix and enjoy!
So easy and SO satisfying. What are some of your favorite Korean foods that you'd like to try in the kitchen?
Also, what are your thoughts on mukbangs? Love them or hate them? And if you do love them, what types of food do you like to be featured?
- HungryDeb
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