Korean Feast (Part 2)

OK, so hubby often thinks that I can get quite obsessive. (I never agreed! =) However, I do have to admit that today even before he tells me so. I wasn't quite ready to accept defeat yesterday. So today, I continued to cook to complete my "Korean feast". =) My banchan included sprouts, spinach, sweet potato stems, and my token radish leaf "kimchi" (blanched radish leaf marinated/fermented in Korean hot sauce). It still looks like a small offering. But along with Bulgogi, Japchae, Green Onion Pancakes, and Bibimbap, it was quite a feast for us.

Sweet Potato Stems

1 oz dried sweet potato stems
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped green onion
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
drops of sesame oil

Soak the potato stems in water for an hour. Add potato stems and enough water to cover in the pot, bring to boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

In a pan, heat the oil. Add garlic, stir for a minute. Add potato stem, stir for 5 minutes. Add green onion, stir for another 5 minute. Add salt and sesame oil, mix and stir for a minute. Remove and set aside.

Zucchini

1 medium green zucchini, julienned
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
drops of sesame oil

In a pan, heat the oil. Add garlic, stir for a minute. Add zucchini, stir for couple of minute. Add salt and sesame oil, mix and stir for a minute. Remove and set aside.

Bibimbap

Make sweet potato stems, zucchini, spinach, sprouts, mushroom, carrots, and beef.

Arrange the vegetables in a circle on top of steamed rice (avoid putting veggies of similar colors next to each other), add beef to the center. You can also add shreds of egg omelet or a fried egg. Mix together with chili paste according to personal preference.

This dish is very easy, but quite time consuming (at least for me) to make.

I think traditional Bibimbap uses fern bracken, but I opted to use sweet potato stems. This was a huge hit with the kids (sans the chili paste). It didn't do as well with hubby though since he's the type of person who doesn't like to mix his food together. (He wouldn't even mix spaghetti with paste sauce. =P)

Green Onion Pancake (Pa Jun)

3/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup rice flour
2/3 cup cold water
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
black pepper
3 tbsp oil

Mix the flours and salt. Stir to mix while adding the cold water, a little at a time, until the mixture is a thin batter. Add the green onion and a dash of pepper.

Heat the oil in a 8" nonstick pan on medium low. Pour 1/2 the batter into the pan. Twirl the pan to spread the batter in an even circle. Cook till that side is gold brown. Flip and cook the other side. Remove and drain the oil. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

This is probably more Chinese than Korean. I believe Korean ones use more green onions, and cut them into 1-2 inch long sections. But my family don't care for strong green onion taste, so this is sufficient.