Kalbijjim
I had this dish for the first time at Daeho in SF Japantown and I was blown away. Sweet, salty, spicy, and rich -- this dish really hits all the notes and the combination is just so good. It takes a long time but it's surprisingly straightforward to make. Serve it with a bowl of rice and a side of fresh, vibrant vegetables like kimchi or scallion salad, and you have an incredibly comforting and delicious meal.
Active Time: 40 min
Total Time: 4 hr
Ingredients
Braising liquid:
> water (2 cups)
> soy sauce (1/3 cup)
> mirin (1/2 cup)
> sugar (1/4 cup)
> (optional) gochugaru (3 tbsp, adjust to taste)
> black pepper (1/2 tsp)
> garlic (8 cloves, minced)
> ginger (1 tsp, minced)
Putting it all together:
> beef short ribs (2 lb)
> Yukon gold potato (1 large)
> carrot (1)
> onion (1/4, roughly chopped)
> (optional) Korean radish (1 cup, roughly chopped)
> honey (1 tbsp)
> flat rice cakes (~3/4 cup)
> green onion (2 stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces)
> (optional) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Rinse and soak the short ribs in cold water for at least 30 minutes, occasionally changing the water. Then blanch the ribs for ~5 minutes in boiling water, rinse and drain. This helps remove impurities from the beef.
2. Prepare the braising liquid by mixing everything together: water, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, gochugaru, black pepper, garlic, ginger.
3. Return the beef to a clean pot, add the braising liquid, cover, and simmer for ~2 or 2.5 hours, or until nearly fork tender. If it starts to get dry, add more water as needed
4. Cut the potatoes and carrots into ~1 inch cubes. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Continue to let simmer for ~20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked.
5. Stir in honey. Then add the rice cakes and cook for ~5 minutes, or until rice cakes are soft.
6. Add green onions, cover and cook for ~1 minute.
7. If necessary, bring the heat up to high and reduce the braising liquid until it reaches the desired level of thickness and starts to form a nice glaze.
8. Remove from the heat. Optionally, top with shredded cheese. Using either the broiler or a blowtorch, heat up the cheese until melted and slightly browned.
9. Serve with rice and vegetables (pickled vegetables in particular are great!). Enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> Use large, meaty, bone-in beef short ribs. Thinner cuts of short ribs also work, but aren't quite as satisfying to bite into as a large piece of meat. Aim for around ~8 pieces for every 2 lb.
> Adjust the gochugaru to your personal preference. I like it relatively spicy, but feel free to adjust it down if you prefer it to be more mild.
> Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables / side ingredients as you desire. Daikon / Korean radish is a common ingredient. Maangchi's recipe also features chestnuts, jujubes, pine nuts, and gingko nuts. Glass noodles are also a common addition, alongside the rice cakes.