K-alliance K-food Tour!

As a member of the K-Alliance SNS Foreign content supporters. I recently had the opportunity to visit several places in the south province of Jeollado to both sample and learn how to cook delicious Korean foods.

 In my time there we made a delicious and colorful dish called gujeolpan. It uses all fresh ingredients and was surprisingly simple to make with our team.


Heres how to make it:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 lb beef, pork, or chicken
• 1 small English cucumber
• 1 small carrot
• 1 bunch Korean chives
• 6-7 shitake mushroom
• 1 bundle/bunch enoki mushrooms
• 3 eggs
• salt
• pepper
• sesame oil as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Meat
   Mix marinade for meat by whipping ingredients together with a whisk. Let stand while slicing meat.
   Partially freeze the meat (just until very firm) then thin slice (about 1/8 inch slices).
   Cut each slice into thin strips of about 1/8 inch width and about 1 1/2 inch in length.
   Place meat in marinade and let stand for 1 hour.
   Place marinated meat into a hot pan and lightly stir fry until just browned.
   Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Shitake Mushroom
   Mix marinade for Shitakes by whipping ingredients together with a whisk. Let stand while slicing mushrooms.
   Thinly slice the Shitakes from top to bottom, then place into marinade. Let stand for fifteen minutes.
   Place marinated Shitake slices into a hot pan with a small amount of sesame oil and briefly stir fry (two to three minutes).
   Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Cucumber
   Cut cucumber in half lengthwise, then use a small spoon and remove the seed/pulp down to within 1/4 of the peel.
   Slice each half into long thin strips about 1/8 inch wide by 1/8 inch thick.
   Cut the strips into 1 1/2 inch lengths.
   Place cucumber strips into a hot pan with a small amount of sesame oil, sprinkle very lightly with salt, and stir fry for one to two minutes.
   Set aside and let cool.
4. Carrot
   Cut carrot into 1 1/2 inch sections, then slice each section lengthwise into 1/8 inch thick slices.
   Cut each slice into thin strips about 1/8 inch thick.
   Place carrot strips into a hot pan with a small amount of sesame oil and stir fry for two to three minutes, until tender-crisp.
   Set aside and let cool.
5. Enoki mushrooms
   Separate enoki mushrooms then place in a hot pan with a small amount of sesame oil and stir fry for one minute.
   Set aside and let cool.
6. Korean Chives
   Place Korean chives in a hot pan with a small amount of sesame oil and stir fry for one minute.
   Set aside and let cool.
7. Eggs
   Separate yolks from whites.
   Combine yolks and whip together.
   Pour into a hot oiled pan in a thin layer (tilt pan back and forth to cover bottom of pan).
   Cook over medium heat until top is just firm, but bottom is not browned, flip and cook 15 to twenty seconds.
   Remove from heat and let cool.
   Cut into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch long.
   Repeat with egg whites.
8. Wraps
   Combine flour, salt, milk/water and mix into a very thin batter.
   Lightly oil a small pan and heat over medium high heat.
   Spoon in just enough batter to make a very thin crepe like wrapper about two inches in diameter.
   Cook until top just begins to firm and bottom is very lightly browned, then flip and cook until very lightly browned (about 20 seconds).
   Repeat until batter is used up.
9. Mix each sauce separately, and place in dipping containers.
10. Place wraps in the center of a large serving plate and arrange the eight filling ingredients around the wrappers. Place Sauce containers to either side of the serving plate.
11. How to eat
    Place a wrap on a small plate and place a small amount of each filling just off center in the wrap. Fold the “short side” over the filing then continue to roll. Dip in either of the dipping sauces and eat.
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    While on the trip we also got a chance to try one of the most famous foods in Korea Jeonju Bibimbap which was extremely delicious and a burst of flavor in my mouth. 
    
    
    
    
    
    After getting to take a tour of the surrounding area, the next day we moved to another facility where we were instructed how to make one of the most important ingredients in Korean food, red pepper paste. Keeping in theme with the trip we had an excellent lunch with many different side dishes, which is usual with a traditional Korean meal.  
    
    
    
    
    
    With a diverse team of Koreans and foreigners I was able to enjoy the unique and dynamic flavors of Korea and have fun doing it!