“Pretty legit” bulgogi
This is the sequel to "close enough" bulgogi, which is the recipe I wrote for you guys as the first baby step into Korean cooking and Korean flavors. No marinating, no special ingredients, as easy as can be.
Dairy-free, egg-free, sesame-free, tree nut-free.
Today, we're graduating into something that pretty much resembles the spirit of bulgogi you'll get in a Korean home, but - as we do here at The Asian Allergy Mom - streamlined, so that there are absolutely no extraneous ingredients or steps.
Check out The Asian Allergy Mom on Instagram for the video of this recipe and more allergy-friendly products, recipes and tips!
I did something a little gimmicky here and got all of my ingredients from Trader Joe’s. I know this is not an option for everyone, but these ingredients are easy to find at almost every grocery store across the United States.
Notice the return of the trifecta: soy sauce, garlic and brown sugar/honey. This is the absolute backbone of bulgogi.
*Note about the beef: Trader Joe’s has beef that’s been very thinly shaved. This is kind of hard to find at most regular grocery stores. If you can’t find this, the best steak to get is rib-eye, with sirloin coming in at a close second. Take your rib-eye or sirloin, freeze it for about half an hour and then slice it as thin as you can. Freezing will help the meat retain its shape and allow you to slice it more thinly than you would without freezing.
*Note about the garlic: I’m using frozen cubes of minced garlic by Dorot. It’s a pretty awesome shortcut, but of course you can mince your own garlic cloves!
“Pretty legit” bulgogi
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup water
3 cloves minced garlic *see note
2 TBS brown sugar or honey
1 lb. thinly shaved beef *see note
Optional garnishes:
Chopped scallions
A sprinkle of sesame seeds
Directions:
Combine soy sauce, water, garlic and honey/brown sugar. Stir to combine.
Combine soy sauce mixture with thinly shaved beef. Make sure all meat is submerged in liquid. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, up to a few hours.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add beef and sautee until all pink is gone.
Serve with rice.
Allergens: soy, wheat
For wheat-free, use tamari soy sauce
For soy-free, use coconut aminos
Last note:
To take it one step closer to restaurant bulgogi, add sliced onions and scallions (cut into 3”-long, thin strips) in Step 2 with the you marinade.
