Bulgogi (불고기)

After I heard a funny story about Bulgogi from a housemate, I decided that I would cook it for my housemates (who eat beef anyway) to give them a taste of Korean home cooking. Of course I couldn't serve just beef and rice--it's just not the Korean way. Other side dishes included Ddukbokki (떡북기), fried tofu with a soy sauce-sesame oil sauce, and a salad with Kraft's Asian Sesame dressing. The recipes for the first two will come later, but let's focus on the main star of the dinner, shall we?

Asian markets sell meat that has been specifically cut to make Bulgogi, but I doubted a Wal-Mart in the South would have the same cuts, so I just looked for a chunk of ribeye so that I could cut thin slices myself, but I was surprised to find that Wal-Mart did sell them! But when I went back to buy the meat yesterday to make this, they didn't have it anymore. Instead, they had thin slices of sirloin, so I just bought that. It tasted great anyway. Usually, my mom adds a slice of Asian pear or a tiny piece of a kiwi or a pineapple to soften the meat, but I just pounded the slices with the back of a knife and that helped a lot. My friends really enjoyed this dish. Just one step closer to my mom's level of cooking.



Bulgogi (불고기)
From my mom

- 1 2/3 lb sirloin or ribeye, sliced thinly
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp water
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 2 green onions, chopped

1. If you can't find pre-sliced sirloin or ribeye, buy a chunk of either and slice into 1/8" thick pieces. My local Wal-Mart sells thinly sliced sirloin steak, so I'm sure yours does too. Pound the beef with back of knife to soften it.
2. In a bowl, mix together sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, onions, and green onions. Add the beef slices and knead the beef about 4 times until covered in marinade. Leave in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Even longer is better.)
2. Heat skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.