By Kim Yong-ja
This dish needs tender loving attention to make it well. The meat should have a darker color and be very tender but should stay as chunks.
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
3 lbs/1.4 kg BEEF SHORT RIBS with bones, cut 2"/5 cm
8 oz/225 g RADISH, peeled and cut into chunks
1 CARROT, cut into chunks
4 dried SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, soaked in water until soft and cut in half
6 CHESTNUTS, peeled
12 GINKGO NUTS, shelled and inner skin removed
2 SCALLIONS (green part only), cut
BLACK PEPPER
"JIDAN" (Yellow and White Egg Pancakes) for garnish: optional
MARINADE:
⅔ cup SOY SAUCE
2 tablespoons SUGAR,
2 GARLIC CLOVES, crushed
2 tablespoons SESAME OIL
⅓ ASIAN PEAR, grated
1. Cover the ribs with cold water for 30-40 minutes. Then bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the stove and discard the water. Clean the pot and cover the meat with fresh water (approximately 9 cups water) and bring to a boil again. Simmer half covered for 1 hour. Let cool.
2. Drain the liquid into a separate container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. It makes it easy to skim the fat off the top. In the meantime, combine the meat with marinade and set aside.
3. Add radish, carrot, mushrooms, chestnuts and ⅓ of the liquid from cooking the meat and bring to a boil. Simmer with the cover on. When the liquid is almost all gone, open the lid and add more liquid and continue to cook basting frequently.
4. Repeat until you add all the rest of the liquid. Add ginkgo nuts near the end of the cooking. Ginkgo nuts are delicious when they are chewy, do not overcook.
5. Add the green part of scallions at the last minute with black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with Jidan (Yellow and White Egg Pancakes).
This is an excerpt from “Korean Cuisine: Healthy Food, Full of Flavor,” (Yekyong Publishing, 224 pp., 28,000 won). The book is on sale at major bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore, Youngpoong Bookstore and Bandi & Luni’s. ― ED.