Korean Bulgogi & Japanese Bean Sprouts with Purple Thai Rice

They’re prettier not on the same plate, but the flavors work very well together!

The bulgogi recipe is Korean and the bean sprout recipe is Japanese – or at least I tried to imitate the fabulous stir fried bean sprouts that I get at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in town – and the only rice I had left in my kitchen was some purple Thai, so we’re going…Asian Fusion?

Bulgogi is Korean BBQ Beef. I don’t make mine on a bbq, just a hot, no-stick pan. This is my all time favorite Korean food, right up there with the fluffy green onion pancakes. I make it with Splenda instead of sugar, though I do use the mirin, which has a lot of sugar in it. I tried it without the mirin and the flavor was off. I like it when my homemade tastes like it does in the restaurants.

The base for this recipe comes from http://www.oliviajasonkim.com but I adjusted some things and added a couple.

• 2 lb sliced beef (sirloin or rib eye)
• 5 Tblsp sugar (or Splenda)
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tblsp minced garlic
• 1-2 Tblsp mirin (cooking wine)
• 1 medium onion, cut into strips
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrot
• 1 cup green onion (chopped)
• 1/2 Asian pear (grated or julienne)
• 2 Tblsp sesame oil
• 2 Tblsp cooking oil or olive oil
• 2 Tblsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Slice the beef as thin as humanly possible. I use my fillet knife sharpened to a razor’s edge. The easiest way to do this is to put the raw chunk of meat into the freezer until the outside starts to harden (1/2 hour usually works for me). This makes it less wiggly when you try to get thin slices.
2. I use the thinnest slice on my OXO slicer for the carrots, and the second setting on the slicer for the onions. The thinner the slices, the faster it cooks through with the meat. Chop the green onions as big or as small as you wish, and I julienne or grate the Asian pear.
3. Mix all ingredients except sesame seeds together in a bowl, mix well, and put in big Ziploc. Squeeze out as much air as possible and put in fridge to marinate. A few hours is needed, but overnight is best. The Asian pear works as a tenderizer. When I have rib eye, I don’t bother with it, but any other meat, I use it. It makes a huge difference!
4. After it’s done marinating, heat cooking oil in a non-stick pan to med-high. Fast fry in small batches, removing right after all pink is gone from the meat.
5. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of sesame seed.

This was the first try for bean sprouts quite this way. I’ve never been able to duplicate the restaurant’s flavor, but this one came close – though I’m still trying. I’ve always put in soy sauce or some other Asian sauce, and I think that was the mistake. Leaving it pure with just a hint of sesame seemed to be just the thing.

• 2 Tblsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green pepper
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 Tblsp sliced garlic
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional – we just love mushrooms)
• 1 pound bean sprouts
• Salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a very hot pan (or wok, but I don’t have one), add cooking oil, sesame oil, ginger and garlic, salt and pepper – be quick and don’t let it burn!
2. Add mushrooms and stir until they begin to wilt. Remove to a bowl.
3. Heat more sesame and cooking oil with garlic and ginger.
4. Add the sprouts and stir, keeping them moving, coating with the oil and seasoning. Cook until wilted and a little tan in color.
5. Add the mushrooms, stir.
6. Serve immediately.

The rice was an afterthought. I’m not eating rice, but I knew hubby wouldn’t last without some starch on his plate, so I found about a cup of Thai rice in the back of the pantry and cooked it. 1 cup rice to 2 cups water. I throw in some garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion powder before bringing it to a boil – and some butter if you want, though I don’t. Turn it down way low, cover and let it simmer for about 20 min until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Why Thai rice? I think it’s pretty!

Enjoy!