April 7, 2010
In which I revisit Korean-Mexican fusion. The paper assigned me to do a food review the same week that one of my friends from Gwangju was having a layover at my house before heading to Incheon airport the next morning. He’s from California, and whenever he comes to Seoul, he craves some Mexican food. I read a little about Tomatillo (reviewed in the above link) and we went, and it was okay. But the grub I whip up in my own kitchen is - if not better, per se - more satisfying. The ante has been upped on the humble kimchi quesadilla. The future is here, and it is the bulgogi bokkumbap burrito, as seen above. This little donkey turns Korean the meat and the rice, combining it with some homemade salsa, black beans, lettuce, cheddar and Monterrey Jack. And how could I forget cilantro, which can be found surprisingly fresh for a mere 2,000 won (less than $2) at the Itaewon Foreign Food mart. The prep is a little involved but it’s really worth it. As you may know, Korean flavors and Mexican flavors complement each other tremendously well. And freshly-marinated bulgogi from home is a lot better than anything I’ve had at a restaurant. Do it yourself to yield one: Mix about 1/4 pound of thinly sliced boneless rib steak with a teaspoon of sugar. Add to that just enough soy sauce (an 1/8 cup) to soak the meat, plus a minced garlic clove, a chopped up scallion, a pinch of pepper and a 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Marinate it overnight, if you can. When it’s time to eat, prepare a cup of cooked rice. I suggest doing it Chipotle style. When that’s ready, throw a minced garlic clove in a heated skillet with oil, followed by some drained and chopped kimchi. When it’s very slightly golden-brown, toss in the cooked rice along with a good tablespoon or three of kimchi juices from the bottom of the container - depends how spicy you want it - and stir-fry it for a moment.  When that’s done, put it aside and toss the marinated beef on the skillet until it’s browned, probably not longer than a minute or two. Add everything else you might like in the burrito to taste. I like my salsa simple - just chopped up tomato, onion, and cilantro. And don’t forget to employ a proper burrito wrapping technique. It will taste slightly less triumphant with a fork from your plate.

In which I revisit Korean-Mexican fusion.

The paper assigned me to do a food review the same week that one of my friends from Gwangju was having a layover at my house before heading to Incheon airport the next morning. He’s from California, and whenever he comes to Seoul, he craves some Mexican food. I read a little about Tomatillo (reviewed in the above link) and we went, and it was okay. But the grub I whip up in my own kitchen is - if not better, per se - more satisfying.

The ante has been upped on the humble kimchi quesadilla. The future is here, and it is the bulgogi bokkumbap burrito, as seen above. This little donkey turns Korean the meat and the rice, combining it with some homemade salsa, black beans, lettuce, cheddar and Monterrey Jack. And how could I forget cilantro, which can be found surprisingly fresh for a mere 2,000 won (less than $2) at the Itaewon Foreign Food mart.

The prep is a little involved but it’s really worth it. As you may know, Korean flavors and Mexican flavors complement each other tremendously well. And freshly-marinated bulgogi from home is a lot better than anything I’ve had at a restaurant. Do it yourself to yield one:

Mix about 1/4 pound of thinly sliced boneless rib steak with a teaspoon of sugar. Add to that just enough soy sauce (an 1/8 cup) to soak the meat, plus a minced garlic clove, a chopped up scallion, a pinch of pepper and a 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Marinate it overnight, if you can.

When it’s time to eat, prepare a cup of cooked rice. I suggest doing it Chipotle style. When that’s ready, throw a minced garlic clove in a heated skillet with oil, followed by some drained and chopped kimchi. When it’s very slightly golden-brown, toss in the cooked rice along with a good tablespoon or three of kimchi juices from the bottom of the container - depends how spicy you want it - and stir-fry it for a moment. 

When that’s done, put it aside and toss the marinated beef on the skillet until it’s browned, probably not longer than a minute or two. Add everything else you might like in the burrito to taste. I like my salsa simple - just chopped up tomato, onion, and cilantro. And don’t forget to employ a proper burrito wrapping technique. It will taste slightly less triumphant with a fork from your plate.

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