A simple yet delicious Korean Kalbi Beef rice bowl!

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: tofu

Chicken is leaner and tofu is a plant-based protein option.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is healthier, while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

gochujang

🥗Healthier: sriracha

💰Cheaper: red pepper flakes

Sriracha offers a similar heat, while red pepper flakes are often less expensive.

egg

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: egg substitute

Tofu is a vegan alternative, while egg substitutes can be cheaper.

Marinate the beef by scoring 4 skirt steaks with a crosshatch pattern.

Peel, remove the core, and roughly chop 1 red apple and 1 Asian pear (or ordinary pear).

Roughly chop 1 white onion, 5 green onions, and 5 garlic cloves.

Grate around 5 grams of ginger.

Add all fruits and vegetables to a large mixing bowl and top with 75 mL of cold water.

Add 200 mL of light soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of gochugaru, 2 tablespoons of medium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup (or honey), and 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce to the mixing bowl.

Pulse the mixture with a stick blender or food processor until smooth, or grate the vegetables and fruits before adding the liquid.

Season the marinade with black pepper and a pinch of salt, then add the skirt steak to the marinade and cover tightly.

Marinate the beef for at least 1 hour (overnight is better, but not past 12 hours) in the fridge.

Prepare spicy pickled cucumbers by slicing a cucumber into thick slices and adding to a large mixing bowl with 0.5 tablespoon of salt.

Massage the cucumbers with salt and let sit for 30 minutes to make them crispy.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of gochugaru, 1-2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar, and a pinch of salt to make the pickle marinade.

After 30 minutes, drain the cucumbers through a fine sieve and wash thoroughly in cold running water.

Add finely sliced green onion and the spicy marinade to the cucumbers and mix well.

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Korean soybean paste, 1 tablespoon of gochujang, 1.5 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil, 1-2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup (or honey), 2 finely sliced spring onions, and 2 finely minced garlic cloves to make the samjang paste.

Prepare and wash rice in a rice cooker.

Remove the beef from the marinade and let it reach room temperature before cooking.

Heat a large heavy pan or skillet over high heat and add cooking oil until smoking hot.

Add the beef to the hot pan, cooking two pieces at a time to maintain temperature, flipping every 30-45 seconds.

Cook the beef for 2.5 minutes on each side for rare, or around 7 minutes total for well done, adding a few tablespoons of marinade at the 4-minute mark to glaze the beef.

Once cooked, remove the beef from the heat and place on a sheet of tin foil, drizzling with excess marinade and covering to rest for at least 15 minutes.

After resting, slice the beef thinly and optionally use a blowtorch to mimic barbecue flavor.

Fluff the cooked rice and prepare sunny-side up eggs until crispy.

Assemble the rice bowl by adding a layer of rice, sliced steak, spicy cucumbers, a drizzle of resting juices, a sunny-side up egg, a spoonful of samjang paste, and garnish with toasted sesame and sliced green onion.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens