Korean Sesame Beef with Lettuce Wraps

RECIPE

Based on the classic Korean barbecue dish bulgogi, this recipe offers savory-sweet-garlicky beef wrapped in lettuce leaves with rice and kimchi. Kimchi is a traditional Korean condiment of fiery fermented cabbage. Look for it at Asian markets or in the supermarket's produce section.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 4 filled lettuce leaves)

Ingredients
3/4 pound flank steak, trimmed
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
1 cup kimchi
16 red leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation
1. Cut steak across grain into 1/4-inch slices; cut slices into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut strips into 3-inch-long pieces. Combine steak pieces, 1/4 cup onions, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

2. Heat a 14-inch wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add half of steak mixture to wok; stir-fry 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon cooked steak mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and remaining steak mixture. Sprinkle with remaining onions and sesame seeds. Spoon 1/4 cup rice, about 2 tablespoons steak mixture, and 1 tablespoon kimchi onto each lettuce leaf; roll up. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories:498 (27% from fat)
Fat:14.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 6.8g,poly 3.3g)
Protein:25.2g
Carbohydrate:62.2g
Fiber:3.2g
Cholesterol:28mg
Iron:8.7mg
Sodium:581mg
Calcium:88mg

Korean cooking@home
by cooking lover

Pork and Kimchi Dumplings

RECIPE

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 3 dumplings and about 2 teaspoons sauce)

Ingredients
Dumplings:
1/2 cup finely chopped shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup finely chopped Shang Kimchi
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 ounces ground pork
24 gyoza skins
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Cooking spray
Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced green onions
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Preparation
To prepare dumplings, combine first 10 ingredients. Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons pork mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumplings, seam sides up, on a baking sheet sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cover loosely with a towel to prevent drying).

Arrange half of the dumplings in a single layer in a bamboo or vegetable steamer coated with cooking spray. Steam dumplings, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove dumplings from steamer; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining dumplings.

To prepare sauce, combine 1 tablespoon onions and remaining ingredients. Serve sauce with dumplings.

Nutritional Information
Calories:131 (24% from fat)
Fat:3.5g (sat 1g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.8g)
Protein:5.8g
Carbohydrate:17.7g
Fiber:1.2g
Cholesterol:12mg
Iron:1.3mg
Sodium:466mg
Calcium:29mg

Korean cooking@home
by cooking lover

Pork and Kimchi Dumplings

RECIPE

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 3 dumplings and about 2 teaspoons sauce)

Ingredients
Dumplings:
1/2 cup finely chopped shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup finely chopped Shang Kimchi
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 ounces ground pork
24 gyoza skins
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Cooking spray
Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced green onions
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Preparation
To prepare dumplings, combine first 10 ingredients. Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons pork mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumplings, seam sides up, on a baking sheet sprinkled with 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cover loosely with a towel to prevent drying).

Arrange half of the dumplings in a single layer in a bamboo or vegetable steamer coated with cooking spray. Steam dumplings, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove dumplings from steamer; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining dumplings.

To prepare sauce, combine 1 tablespoon onions and remaining ingredients. Serve sauce with dumplings.

Nutritional Information
Calories:131 (24% from fat)
Fat:3.5g (sat 1g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.8g)
Protein:5.8g
Carbohydrate:17.7g
Fiber:1.2g
Cholesterol:12mg
Iron:1.3mg
Sodium:466mg
Calcium:29mg

Korean cooking@home
by cooking lover

Shang Kimchi (Summer, or Raw, Kimchi)

RECIPE

You can buy kimchi from an Asian market or make your own. Most kimchi is fermented for days or weeks to develop a pungent flavor. Although this recipe skips the fermentation step, it tastes authentic.

Yield
4 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)

Ingredients
14 cups coarsely chopped napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
2 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek or Thai chile paste
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Preparation
Place cabbage and salt in a large bowl, tossing gently to combine. Weigh down cabbage with another bowl. Let stand at room temperature 3 hours, tossing occasionally. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain and squeeze dry.

Combine cabbage, sesame seeds, and remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:19 (47% from fat)
Fat:1g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:0.9g
Carbohydrate:2.5g
Fiber:1.9g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Iron:0.3mg
Sodium:302mg
Calcium:51mg

Korean cooking@home
by cooking lover