Kimchi Jigae and Japchae!

I have always been a big fan of Korean cuisine, they are always packed with punches of flavours!! Spicy, sweet, sour, saltiness, they are always a nice balance of flavours. My family always looks forward to dinner when I cook korean dishes, and seeing their satisfied faces leaving the dinner table, I know I have done a good job ; ) 

These two dishes below are my favourite korean dishes and I always order them when dining out in a Korean restaurants. My recipes are as follows:

JAPCHAE

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 packet of Korean sweet potato noodles (350g)

1 medium onion, slice into 8-10 wedges

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 carrot, chopped into 5mm match sticks

4 green/spring onions, cut into 5cm peices

10 shitake mushrooms, soaked for 2 hours in warm water and then slice thinly

150g thinly slice beef fillet

100g of spinach, soak in boiling water for 1 minute, drain and season with 1 tsp of soysauce and sesame oil

Sesame oil, sugar, soysauce for seasoning

Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Boil the noodles in boiling water in a big pot for about 5 minutes. When the noodles are soft, drain them and put in a large bowl.
2. Use scissors to cut the noodles (as they are quite long) and add 2 tbs of soy sauce and 2 tbs of sesame oil. Mix it up and set aside. 
3. Heat a small frying pan, add a few drops of olive oil and your carrot strips and saute for a few minutes. Remove from pan and add to the bowl of noodles.
4. Repeat the same with onion and spring onions.
5. Add a few drops of olive oil to the pan and add your beef strips and your sliced shitake mushrooms and garlic. Stir it until it’s cooked well, then add 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1-2 tbsp sugar. Stir for another 30 seconds and then add to your bowl.
6. Add 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp of sugar, 2 tbsp of sesame oil to the bowl and mix all ingredients together. Taste and add more soy sauce or sugar according to your taste. 
7. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the top to finish.

  

KIMCHI JIGAE

Ingredients:

500g kimchi

200g of soft or silken tofu, cut into smaller peices

1 small can of spam 200g, cut into smaller peices

5 green/spring onion, cut into 5cm peices

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Sesame oil

2 tbsp of hot pepper paste (see picture)

1tsp of chilli flakes/powder

3 cups of boiling water

Method:

1. Heat a medium size pot, add 1tbsp of sesame oil. Add the garlic, kimchi and spam and saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add water, hot pepper paste and chilli flakes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes for the flavour to develop. You can leave to simmer for longer for a more intense flavour!
3. Then add tofu and spring onions and simmer for another 5 minutes. Before serving, garnish with more spring onions and 1tsp of sesame oil.
4. Serve with rice

Hope you guys enjoy the recipes!!! Let me know how yours turned out :)

Happy eating!

Fat Pom Pom