One of the many reasons I wanted to start this blog was so I could make and keep in one collection, definitive recipes of Korean food. By this I mean one core recipe for each dish, with simple proportions to take the guesswork out of how to amend recipes for larger or smaller portions, and to describe the basic flavor combination so it'd be easy for people to make it sweeter if they'd prefer, or spicier, or saltier - you get the idea. Also, now that I have two kids, I find myself obsessed with one-pot dishes - anything with meat, vegetables and carbs altogether - and the simplest recipes possible without sacrificing taste or healthfulness. So, here goes: A recipe for kalbi chim that I made for a visiting cousin tonight.

The Quickest Tasty Kalbi Tchim

5 lbs short ribs
(the following vegetables are optional and are up to you, my only suggestion would be to do no more than three for the sake of seasoning it all)
(also, vegetables should be thickly cut so they don't fall apart in a lengthy simmer, I like a thumbs width at least)

one giant carrot or two normal sized ones
one med. potato, partially or totally peeled
6'ish large white mushrooms, shitake, crimini
one parsnip
one med. turnip

Marinade
4 stalks scallion
1 asian pear, peeled and grated/minced.
4 tbs rice wine
12 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs sugar
5 tbs minced or coarsely chopped garlic
black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Score rib meat diagonally to the bone, several times.
2. (optional) Heat a few tbs of oil in a pan and when very hot, sear each rib piece for a minute or two. This is purely for looks but adds a nice finishing touch to the meal.
3. Make marinade and evenly coat the ribs and vegetables.
4. Probably using two wide pots/sauce pans, spread the ribs and vegetables in one layer if possible, no more than two.
5. Bring to a boil then simmer if possible for at least an hour. It can be ready in thirty to forty minutes as well but I prefer a low, low simmer up to ninety minutes for a falling off the bone tenderness.
6. Most of the meal should eventually be simmering in it's juices, there's quite a bit. If not, I'd recommend spooning juices over portions that are not covered occasionally and/or bringing the ingredients at the bottom to the top, etc.

Flavor
This basic recipe is more soy sauce/salty than sweet. You can reduce by 1-3 tbs of soy sauce for a more balanced soy sauce to sweet flavor. You can add 1-2 tbs of red pepper for spiciness, and 1-2 tbs of sugar for a sweet saltiness.

Portions
This feeds five average sized adults with small second helpings.

posted at 10:06 PM by jenn

Filed under: recipes