Eat Like a Local, Eat like Koreans

The weekend has finally arrived, bringing enough leisure time to cook a proper meal. Are you still enjoying your weekend while reading this? Or has your Monday already begun? Looking at the food I prepared, I feel so proud and happy to have cooked a genuine home-meal for a change.

My weekend menu features “Jeyuk–bokkeum” (Spicy Pork) and “Doenjang–jjigae” (Soybean Paste Stew)—truly the ultimate soul foods for Korean men. If you look at office workers during lunch hour, it seems like men almost always go for Spicy Pork as their “fail-proof” choice.

Personally, I love wrapping the meat in fresh leafy vegetables; it gives me that healthy satisfaction of eating plenty of greens! ^^ Since Jeyuk-bokkeum contains gochujang and red chili powder, it might be a bit spicy, but the touch of sweetness makes it absolutely delicious. Plus, wrapping it in vegetables will balance out the heat significantly. It’s really easy to make, so I highly recommend giving it a try!

Koreans rarely eat just one single dish for a meal, so I prepared some Doenjang–jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew) to go along with the Jeyuk–bokkeum.

The Doenjang–jjigae I made this time turned out especially delicious, making this weekend’s meal truly one of the best I’ve ever had.

<Ingredients to Prepare:Jeyuk–bokkeum>

■ Frozen Pork Belly or Butt (Thinly Sliced) 600g
■ Vegetables: Green onions, Onion, Carrot etc. (It’s perfectly fine to just use whatever vegetables you happen to have in your fridge!)
■The Sauce (Marinade): 3 tbsp Gochujang (Korean red chili paste), 2 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean red chili powder), 2 tbsp Soy sauce, 2 tbsp Sugar, 2 tbsp Minced garlic, 2 tbsp Mirin (sherry or white wine are fine), 2 tbsp cooking oil, A pinch of Black pepper (Mix all the ingredients together in advance.)

<How To Cook>

If you’ve prepared the sauce ahead of time while getting your ingredients ready, you can consider the cooking practically finished as soon as you start!

1. Prepare the thinly sliced meat, and chop up any extra vegetables you’d like to add. (I only had an onion in my fridge, so that’s all I used this time!)
2. Put the meat, vegetables, and the prepared sauce all together in a bowl and mix them well until everything is evenly coated.
3. Heat your pan and add a light drizzle of cooking oil. Then, pour in all the marinated ingredients and stir well until the meat is thoroughly cooked. (I recommend using a deep pan or a wok since the oil might splatter!)
4. If you have sesame oil and sesame seeds, sprinkle a little bit of each on top. (It’s perfectly fine even if you don’t have them!)

And just like that, the Jeyuk–bokkeum is done! Now, shall we move on to the Doenjang–jjigae? (I actually recommend starting the stew first, as you can let it simmer and then just quickly reheat it right before serving.)

<Ingredients to Prepare:Doenjang–jjigae>

■ 1 to 1.5 cups Water (Approx. 200~350ml)
■ 1 tbsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
■ 3.5 oz Potato, cubed (Approx. 100g)
■ 1.5 oz Onion, chopped (Approx. 40g)
■ 2 oz Tofu, cubed (Approx. 50g)
■ 2 oz Zucchini, sliced (Approx. 50g)
■ Seafood broth

1. In a pot, add the water and the 2 seafood broth tablets, then bring it to a boil.
2. Whisk in the Doenjang (soybean paste) until it’s fully dissolved, then add the potatoes and onions first, as they take longer to cook. Let them simmer.
3. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, add the tofu and zucchini. Let it simmer for another 1 to 5 minutes.
4. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface for a cleaner broth, then give it a taste. If it needs more seasoning, simply adjust the taste with a bit of soy sauce or salt, and you’re all set!

Now, all that’s left is to enjoy it with a bowl of steamed white rice! (Since you might not make rice from scratch often at home, feel free to use instant microwaveable rice instead—it’s just as good!)

I hope you enjoy this delicious meal and have a wonderful weekend! I’m going to head to bed now to get ready for work tomorrow. See you soon!

Best from Korea, 
MJay

If you’ve come to Korea and want to taste Jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) the right way, you need to look for a “Baekban-jip” (a traditional set-meal restaurant).

Must-Visit Traditional Markets in Seoul : Namdaemun Market (Kalguksu Alley)

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