story and photographs by Namju Cho
Some say classics are not to be fiddled with, but what if through experimentation, we came up with something even better than the original? I set out to test this theory, mostly motivated by gluttony and my own chronic addiction to spice.
I’ve always been a big fan of japchae, for instance, but often wondered whether this mild-tasting glass noodle and vegetable stir-fry dish wouldn’t benefit from stronger flavors than the usual garlic and sesame oil. A mix of kimchi juices and the fiery Sriracha sauce, or “death ketchup,” as The New York Times calls it, were the answer.
Although not a fan of fusion dishes because most tend to fall flat on their face, I tried preparing traditional pajun (pancake) and a Korean-style rice bowl using ingredients like mussels in escabeche (that is, marinated in paprika- infused oil) and Mexican chorizo, to stand in for Korean ingredients—to surprisingly good results, if I may say so myself. My verdict: The kitchen is a laboratory to celebrate all that this “sizzling pot” of different cultures has to offer. Try these decidedly nontraditional recipes, and you can judge for yourself.
Scallion pancakes with mussels and bacon (serves 2)
1 can of mussels in escabeche (available in most markets)
2-3 scallions, cut in 5-inch strips (Or to save time, buy green onions that have been cleaned and torn, called pamuchim, in Korean markets.)
1 tablespoon of finely chopped, thick-cut bacon
1 teaspoon of red pepper paste (gochujang)
1 cup of all-purpose flour
½ cup of water
canola oil or other vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the water so it has the consistency of pancake batter.
2. Add the chopped scallions or pamuchim, and then, the mussels and some of the escabeche oil. Mix evenly. Add the red pepper paste so it dissolves into the batter, and season batter with salt and pepper.
3. In a non-stick pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Leave the fat drippings in the pan.
4. In same pan, ladle a small amount of the batter into circular pancake shapes, and cook over medium heat. Top each pancake with bits of bacon and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Flip the pancakes until crisp and golden brown, and cook for about a minute. Make sure you use generous amounts of oil when pan-frying to ensure a crisp crust on both sides.
Bean sprout and chorizo rice bowl (serves 2)
2 cups of bean sprouts, roots removed (kongnamul in Korean)
1 cup of Mexican chorizo, casing removed, mashed and separated into balls (Note: It’s important not to use Spanish chorizo because it is cured.)
1 cup of rice (Double the water if substituting with brown rice. Optional ½ cup of brown lentils can be added when cooking rice.)
Sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
½ green onion, finely minced
½ teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of Korean pepper flakes (gochugaru)
1 tablespoon of chili paste, or to taste (AKA Sambal Oelek, this paste is often used in Southeast Asian cuisine. I used a Huy Fong Foods brand available in markets.)
1. In a rice cooker, add the washed rice and water. Top with bean sprouts and chunks of raw chorizo. Set rice cooker on normal setting.
2. While rice is cooking, mix all the sauce ingredients together.
3. When rice is cooked, scoop out rice with the bean sprout and chorizo toppings into a bowl, and add the sauce. Add more spice to taste.
Spicy japchae (serves 4)
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, cut into strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups of sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 green onion, sliced about ½ inch thick
2 cups of spinach
1 cup of sliced beef strips (rib-eye or other tender parts; no stew meat)
1 ½ cups of glass noodles
Sriracha sauce to taste
kimchi juice (optional)
2 tablespoons of canola oil or other vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
salt to taste
Marinade for meat
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
½ tablespoon of minced garlic
½ teaspoon of sesame oil
½ tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce
1. Mix all the marinade ingredients and add the meat. Heat a non-stick pan at medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry the onions, mushrooms and carrots for about 3 minutes until translucent and soft. Season with salt. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and cook the noodles until done, about 2 minutes. Drain water from noodles and remove from heat.
3. Add remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan and cook the meat. When meat is cooked, add jalapeño and spinach. Stir-fry for about a minute.
4. Add the noodles to the pan with meat. Add the onion, carrot and mushroom mixture into the pan. As you combine all the ingredients, mix in the Sriracha sauce and optional kimchi juice to taste. Add more oil if needed. Season entire mixture with soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Read more from Namju Cho about cooking, eating and dining out at www.njeats.blogspot.com.
