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Curry Rice/Kare Rice (카레라이스)

Curry rice is now one of my favorite foods. I used to dislike it but when I started cooking it myself, I've acquired a certain fondness for the dish. I like to use chicken instead of beef. Chicken has a subtle flavor that doesn't overpower the or complicate the curry's taste. I like to cook it on low-medium so the potatoes turn out chewy.

Curry rice goes really well with kimchi. I like eating pogi kimchi or chongak kimchi with it.


Curry Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced chicken
• 2 tbs oil
• 1 small pack ottogi curry powder
• 4 cups water

Instructions:

1. Put oil in a hot pot.
2. Add the chicken and saute untill the color's changed.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes on high.
4. Add 4 cups water. Cover with a the lid and bring to boil.
5. Dissolve 1 pack of ottogi curry powder in 3/4 cup  hot water. You can take this water from the boiling stock.
6. Add the dissolved powder to the pot.
7. Cook for 20min. Check and stir occasionally to prevent burning the bottom of the pot.

It should have a thick consistency.

Kimchi Fried Rice/Kimchi Bokkeumbap (김치볶음밥)

 

Kimchi Bokkeumbap or kimchi fried rice is a simple and common korean food which is great for busy people. It takes very little time to prepare but it's still considered healthy.

This is my favorite kind of fried rice because of the sour hotness of kimchi that makes the rice appetizing. I like to eat it with a sunny side up.

The key to a delicious kimchi fried rice is a well fermented kimchi. One that's sour and wilted will do well. If you bought a fresh kimchi, leave it at room temp for 24 hours, then refrigerate the next day. By day three, it will be sour enough for your fried rice.



Kimchi Bokkuem Bap

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kimchi with juice
• 4 cups rice
• 2 tbs oil

Instructions:

1. Put oil in a hot skillet.
2. Put the kimchi and stir fry for about 5 min on high.
3. Add the rice. Mix well and stir fry for another 5 min.
4. Serve with fried egg.

Steamed Egg/Gyeran Jjim (계란찜)

Gyeran Jjim is simply steamed egg. Although the process is a little different from actually steaming it. The egg mixture is cooked in an earthenware pot called ddukbaegi. Ddukbaegi is made of ceramic which retains heat for a long time so dishes serve in this pot stays hot.

There are two ways in which you can do this dish. The conventional way is to boil the soup base in the ddukbaegi and pour the egg mixture later. This one is the fluffy kind, without the soup. Some of the egg will stick to the pot and burn but if you do it right, it won't affect the taste.

This egg dish is also a popular banchan. It's usually given for free when you order grilled meat in a korean restaurant.



Gyeran Jjim

Ingredients:
4 med eggs
2/3 - 1cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbs minced carrots
1 tbs green onions chopped


Instructions:
1. Heat the earthenware pot on medium high.
2. Crack 4 medium eggs. Add the vegetables, salt, and water to the egg. Whisk the mixture.
3. After 5 - 7 min add the egg mixture in the pot. Put the lid on.
4. Check the egg after 5 min. stick a fork in it to see if its cooked all the way through.
5. If the egg is still a little runny inside, just turn off the heat and leave the cover on. It will cook on its own after a min. or two.

Tofu and Kimchi/Dubu Kimchi (두부김치)

Dubu Kimchi is the combination of boiled tofu and stir fried kimchi. It's almost considered a main dish. Why almost? Because dubu kimchi is actually served in soju bang or places that mainly serve liquors. It is a something we call "pulutan".

The key to many kimchi based food is the old kimchi flavor. It should be sour and not fresh. Otherwise, it's not going to taste like it should. You can also stir fry kimchi with pork belly or beef.


Dubu Kimchi

Ingredients:
2 cups old kimchi with some of juice
1/2 small onion chopped
2 tsp sugar
2 tbs oil for frying
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2 block tofu



Instructions:
1. Boil the tofu in water for 5 minutes. Drain the tofu and set aside for a while before slicing.
2. Put cooking oil in a hot skillet.
3. Add the garlic and onion. Saute until aromatic.
4. Add the kimchi. Stir fry until wilted. About 15 min for old kimchi.
5. Turn off the heat and add sesame oil and roasted sesame seeds.
6. Transfer to a plate and serve with the boiled tofu slices.