Bulgogi and Spicy Slaw Sandwich

I made Bulgogi and Spicy Slaw Sandwich last week. It’s the same sandwich I was talking about in my last post. It’s just a simple sandwich of bulgogi and spicy Korean-Style slaw. You can add condiments or slices of cheese. But it’s totally unnecessary.

It was soooo good in its simplicity. The soft bun, juicy bulgogi, and the spicy – but creamy – slaw were so perfect together. My husband literally (and I really mean literally) could not talk while he was eating it. He was just emitting these weird sounds. I guess that’s what people call a foodgasm. 🙂

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Korean-Style Grilled Skirt Steak

My beef cut of choice is the tenderloin. If it were up to me, I would only get the tenderloin – not a lot of fat AND tender. But as a benevolent wife and partner, I let my husband pick the cut sometimes. 🙂 I love the buttery texture of tenderloin. But My husband goes more for flavor than texture. And he thinks cuts other than the tenderloin are more flavorful. One of his favorite cuts of meat is the skirt steak. He loves the “fatty” flavor of it. So I get it once in a while.

As you may have guessed or already know, skirt steak is not the most tender of cuts. But it’s not a lost cause. You can do a few things to make the meat more tender to the bite.

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Bulgogi Kimchi Taco à la Korilla BBQ

I don’t know one Korean who doesn’t like Mexican food. (OK, I’m sure there is at least one; I just personally don’t know one.) Even my mom who isn’t crazy about non-Asian cuisines loves Mexican food. There is just something about the cuisine that suits the Korean palate. I guess pico de gallo, salsa, and pickled jalapenos are akin to the Korean kimchi; and they balance out the richness that may be overwhelming for some.

But have you tried Korean-infused Mexican food? It’s truly delectable! Top your burrito or taco with some gochujang sour cream or guacamole; add some kimchi and bulgogi to burritos, tacos, or quesadillas; stir in some sautéed kimchi in some Mexican rice; and so on. Exceptionally delicious!

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Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)

I grew up eating bulgogi (a.k.a. Korean BBQ or Korean Barbecue) on a regular basis. It was a mainstay at family dinners, picnics, community gatherings, and so on. Sometimes we would barbecue bulgogi using charcoal. Sometimes we would cook it on a stove top using a pan. And other times, we would eat it as a stew with a little bit of broth. No matter the situation or the method of preparation, it was always so delicious and satisfying.

Admittedly, I don’t eat bulgogi nearly as much I used to. But I still enjoy it whenever I have it. I am also a little more health conscious than I used to be. So I no longer go on the carnivorous binges I used to. And I try to make healthier versions of my childhood dishes without sacrificing the taste.

Bulgogi is usually made with very thinly-sliced rib eye steak. But I decided to make a healthier(not to mention much more economical) version of the dish by using grass-fed eye round steak. Eye round is a much leaner cut than rib eye. Rib eye comes from the underbelly, the site of the fattiest cuts. And the eye round comes from the back leg area, the site of the leanest cuts; however, eye round can be very tough because it has virtually no fat. But it works for this dish because the eye round is cut into very thin slices and also marinated. Just as insurance, I am also adding a kiwi to tenderize the meat. Raw kiwi is rich in actinidin, a protein-dissolving enzyme. Useful as it is, kiwis can make meat mushy. So you need to be careful when using it in a marinade. A little goes a long way (very quickly).

I’ve been laid out by a cold for over a week. And I’ve been subsisting on soups to nurse my sore throat. When I was finally ready to reintroduce some solids into my diet, bulgogi seemed like the perfect choice. I figured lean protein and the iron should do me some good while the flavor satisfies my taste buds. And it really hit the spot. I was so pleasantly surprised by the texture and the taste of this dish. It was healthy and tasted so very decadent.

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