FIRST OFF - HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!
This is a time we come together with friends and family. This is a time we are thankful for the people in our lives. Now Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be very different from what the holiday normally looks like. We will probably be MORE thankful for what we have in our lives and know what we cherish the most in our lives.
A tradition I do for myself with my family's Thanksgiving is I try new recipes and bring something that might not be traditional for the meal. That way I know no one else will bring my dish BUT also it allows me to introduce my family to new foods.
So, I thought WHY NOT start a new series on my blog BY STARTING IT FOR THANKSGIVING! This is my series for recipes - where I try them AND review them and give them to you! So, you can have them and try them out as well. HEY, maybe you will surprise your family members with this GREAT NEW DISH!
I turned to one of my FAVORITE cookbooks ever and that is Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking for my recipe. I own both of her cookbooks and use them all the time. I am also a follower of her YouTube channel. If you want to learn Korean recipes and cooking techniques - CHECK HER OUT!
One of my comfort recipes of hers that I do all the time and that is SUPER EASY is her Soybean Paste Stew with Beef.
Now Maangchi has many variations of this recipe on her YouTube channel and in her cookbooks - such as this video with shrimp:
I make the recipe from her cookbook using beef. I think the beef gives it a depth of flavor which then adds to the flavor of the broth.
INGREDIENTS
4 ounces beef brisket, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang)
1 teaspoon Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)
8 ounces medium-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 green chili pepper or jalapeno, sliced
1 scallion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
STEP 1
Place a heavy 11/2 to 2-quart pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the beef and garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until beef is no longer pink. (you can substitute mushrooms for the beef)
STEP 2
Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. If it boils over, crack the lid.
STEP 3
Add potato, onion, zucchini, fermented soybean paste and hot pepper paste to pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes. If it boils over, crack the lid.
STEP 4
Stir soup to make sure the soybean paste is well incorporated. Add Tofu, green chili pepper and scallion.
STEP 5
Cook for another 3 minutes uncovered, until the tofu softens up and the stew is bubbling.
STEP 6
SERVE You can refrigerate the stew for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stove
(recipe taken straight from Maangchi's cookbook)
REVIEW
This recipe is SUPER easy to make once you have all the ingredients ready. It is tasty and has lots of flavor from bubbling on the stove. I usually eat it with a side of rice or dumplings. I liked the flavor that browning the beef gave to soup. As I said it added a lot of flavor and depth. It wasn't overly spicy and was well balanced. This recipe has become a comfort food for me that I make all the time. It is the perfect soup to have on a cold winter night and it fills you up.
NOW YOU HAVE A KOREAN DISH TO BRING TO YOUR FAMILY AT THE NEXT THANKSGIVING!
Let me know if you have cooked this recipe or dish before. If you cook this recipe, using this post LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT! What do you want me to test and review next?
WE NOW ALSO HAVE A DISCORD SO TALK TO US ON THERE AS WELL!