Korean BBQ Traditional Sides

These serve 4 as side dishes and take ½ hr or less, except as noted

Korean radish is similar to daikon, but slightly sweet and peppery. Sub daikon if needed.

Musaengchae (Sweet and sour radish salad)

Clean the radish and carrot by scrubbing with a brush and/or scratching off the stubborn impurities with a small knife. Cut into match sticks. You can use a mandoline if you have one. Use the thickest blade.

Add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well by hand until the sugar is dissolved and the radish is evenly coated with the gochugaru (if using). Taste and add more vinegar or sugar to your liking.

Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. It will taste better the next day.

Mu Namul (Savory Radish Side Dish)

Clean the radish. Peel the skin if necessary. You don't need to peel if the skin is smooth and clean.

Cut the radish into match sticks (use a mandoline if available).

Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat.

Add the radish sticks with the optional soup soy sauce, salt, and garlic and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring well, until the radish sticks become wilted and translucent.

Add ¼ cup of water.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes, until it reaches the desired level of softness.

Taste and adjust seasoning and/or cooking time as needed.

Right before turning off the heat, add the chopped scallion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, and stir well. Serve warm.

Musaengchae (Spicy Radish Salad)

Scrub radish and peel the skin only if necessary. Cut into matchsticks.

Sprinkle salt over radish and coat evenly.

Rest ~ 20 mins until the radish has softened and released some liquid.

Drain excess liquid but do not rinse.

Add all the remaining ingredients, except the scallion and sesame seeds.

Mix well by hand. Taste and add more salt or fish sauce, if necessary.

Throw in the scallion and sesame seeds and toss everything well.

Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes)

Peel and cut potatoes into about 1-inch cubes.

Cut the carrot, peppers, and onion into big chunks.

In a small bowl, combine all the braising liquid ingredients except the sesame oil and seeds.

Stir well.

In a non-stick pan, sauté the potatoes in cooking oil over medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the potatoes don't stick to the pan.

Add the sauce mix and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Drop the carrot pieces in.

Cover, reduce heat to med until potatoes are almost cooked through (about 5 to 6 minutes, depending).

The potatoes should be firm and not mushy.

Add peppers and onion and boil uncovered until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, ~ 3 minutes.

The potatoes will continue to soak up the sauce even after being cooked.

Stir in the sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes

1. This dish can be made simply with just potatoes. The other vegetables in this recipe are only guidelines. You can use other vegetables of your choice such as red/orange bell pepper, scallions, garlic cloves, and mushrooms.

2. If using gochugaru (chili pepper flakes) try 1 to 3 teaspoons to taste.

Stir-fried Cucumbers (Oi Bokkeum)

Oi is cucumber and bokkeum means stir-fried.

1 pound cucumbers (about 4 to 5 short varieties such as Kirby or Persian or 1 English cucumber)

1.5 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon oil for stir-frying

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 small scallion finely chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (preferably crushed)

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, and then thinly slice crosswise slightly diagonally.

If the cucumbers are thin, you can simply cut into thin rounds.

Lightly salt the cucumber slices with salt to coat evenly.

Let sit for about 10 minutes.

Tightly squeeze out the water content from the salted cucumber slices.

Don’t worry about bruising them. They will bounce back when stir-fried.

Heat a pan over high heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan.

Quickly stir in the garlic, then add the cucumbers.

Stir-fry for a minute until the cucumbers are slightly cooked. Do not overcook.

Turn off the heat and toss well with the scallion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

Hobak bokkeum (Stir-fried Zucchini)

1 medium zucchini (about 10 - 12 ounces)

2 teaspoons saeujeot (salted shrimp) or salt to taste or fish sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 scallion finely chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (preferably crushed)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (cut into quarters if using a round zucchini).

Then cut crosswise into about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thick slices.

You can use saeujeot as is or finely chopped. This is very salty, so use 2 teaspoons first and add more if needed.

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of cooking oil over medium high heat.

Add the zucchini, garlic and saeujeot (or salt or fish sauce) to the pan.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring well.

Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan while stir frying, adding another spoon or two of water if the pan is dry.

Add the scallion, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Continue to cook until the zucchini is softened and turns translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Taste and add more salted shrimp, fish sauce or salt if necessary.

Kongnamul Muchim (Soybean Sprout Salad)

It’s important not to overcook the soybean sprouts to retain its signature crunchy texture.

Rinse the soybean sprouts twice in cold water, discarding any rotten beans or skins floating.

Place 1 cup of water in a medium size pot and the bean sprouts.

Cover, and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Do not open the lid until the sprouts are cooked or the raw bean smell will linger.

Drain quickly, and cool, reserving the broth if you want.

Shock the sprouts in cold water to stop the cooking and drain for an extra crunch, but not necessary.

Toss with the remaining ingredients.

Taste a little and add more salt (or gochugaru if making the spicy one) to your taste if needed.