Isn’t bulgogi grilled? Traditionally, yes. For homecooking, however, bulgogi can be cooked in a regular frying pan.
The key to cooking pork bulgogi to perfection is to choose a good cut of pork and to cut it into slices thin enough to make sure that it cooks in a very short time.
The marinating time is short. Because the meat is as thin as bacon, marinating time is ten minutes — just enough time to prep and blanch your broccoli florets.
Boil water in a pot, and stir in salt and sesame seed oil. If using the broccoli stem (yes, it is edible but be sure to cut off and remove the thick skin), give them a headstart as they need to cook a little longer than the florets. So, drop in the sliced stem, boil for two minutes then add the broccoli florets and continue boiling for another three minutes. Drain and set aside.
Cooking the pork is fast and easy. Coat the bottom of a non-stick pan with sesame seed oil, spread the pork slices in a thin layer, and leave to brown. Stir and cook, stirring occasionally, until the marinade has been absorbed by the meat. Optionally, continue cooking in the mixture of sesame seed oil and rendered pork fat until the marinade starts to caramelize.
The prep time specified below presumes your meat has already been sliced. If you can’t get pre-sliced pork from your grocery, you may buy a slab of pork shoulder, and stick it in the freezer for an hour or so before slicing. It is much easier to slice semi-frozen meat. You’ll be able to cut it into slices of uniform thickness. And, by the time you’re done slicing, the meat would have thawed to make it ready for the marinade.
Pork bulgogi rice bowl
Ingredients
- 500 grams thinly sliced pork - about ⅛-inch is ideal
Marinade
- 1 one-inch knob ginger - peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 shallot - peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
Broccoli
- 1 head broccoli - cut into florets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
To complete the dish
- 2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
- cooked rice - enough for three people
Instructions
Marinate the pork
- Cut the pork slices into strips about two-inches wide and place in a mixing bowl.
- Put all the ingredients for the marinade is a small food processor (or a blender) and process into a paste.
- Pour the marinade over the pork and mix well until the meat has soaked it up.
- Leave to marinate.
Blanch the broccoli
- Boil water in a pot, add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Drop in the broccoli florets, cook for five minutes then immediately scoop out and transfer to a strainer.
Cook the pork
- In a wide frying pan, pour in the sesame seed oil, then swirl to coat the entire bottom and heat.
- Keeping the heat on high, spread the marinated pork on the pan and cook without touching for two to three minutes.
- Stir to separate the pieces and continue cooking with occasional stirring until the marinade has been soaked up.
Serve your pork bulgogi rice bowl
- Ladle rice into three bowls.
- Top with the pork bulgogi on one side.
- Add broccoli florets.
- Serve immediately.
