Soul Food: Exploring Korean Street Food - EP.05

[Special Online Korean Cuisine Cooking Series]
Soul Food: Exploring Korean Street Food

- Episode 5. “Kimchi Arancini & Kimchi Grilled Cheese” with Chef Youngsun Lee -

The Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY) is excited to present an online Korean Cuisine Cooking Series “Soul Food: Exploring Korean Street Food” introducing various Korean street foods currently popular around the world. Chef Youngsun Lee, Chef Hansong Kim, and Director Jong Won Lee based in New York will demonstrate how everyone can cook simply at home using local ingredients with techniques that everyone can try! 

As part of the Korean food culture education program, KCCNY is launching 6 episodes that feature easy-to-follow recipes that recreate some of the most beloved street foods of Korea from savory favorites to sweet desserts. From the “classic” dishes like Korean fried chicken and Tteobokki to Korean hot dogs and more, you’ll be able to learn how to make each menu step by step.You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make Korean street food right at home.

In episode 5, we present simple recipes for fusion dishes using Korean kimchi. Though most traditional Korean street food is traditional Korean food, more and more, a variety of fusion foods are also gaining popularity. 

The first dish of this episode is Kimchi Arancini, which is made by grafting kimchi into rice balls, one of the traditional Italian dishes. Kimchi and rice are the basic ingredients, as they are mixed  into the process of boiling and cooking the rice to complete the risotto. Breadcrumbs are added to form bite-sized round balls, then coated with breadcrumbs again before deep-fried in oil. It is served with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.

The second dish is based off of a popular menu in the United States -- grilled cheese. Kimchi is stir-fried and added to the sandwich for a unique kick! 

Chef Lee, who has also cooked Tteokbokki (sautéed spicy rice cake) and Tteok-kochi (rice cake skewers) in Episode 4, will lead this  cooking demonstration and introduce each recipes in detail so that you can easily make it at home.

Let’s try making Korean street food at home!

This special cooking series is the second online cooking lecture program following KCCNY's “New Korean Cuisine Made Simple”.

Tonight’s Menu!

Kimchi Arancini (Kimchi Rice Balls)

[RECIPE]

Yields: about 24 balls

INGREDIENTS

Risotto
2 TBSP Butter
½ cup Onion, small dice
1 cup Arborio Rice (any short grain)
½ cup White Wine (Sake)
4-5 cups Dashi (Stock)
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Kimchi Pureé
1-1 ½ cups Napa Cabbage Kimchi
24 dices Fontina Cheese, medium dice
½ cup Panko

Assemble and Frying
1-2 cups AP Flour
6 each Eggs
4-6 cups Panko
Oil for frying

Spicy Tomato Sauce
4 cups Tomato Sauce
1-2 TBSP Chili Flakes (for pizza)

COOKING

Risotto (simple risotto base)

  1. Melt butter in a sauté pan on medium high heat.

  2. Add chopped onions and sweat them. 

  3. Add rice and toast lightly.

  4. Add wine when there are no puddles of fat and rice is nicely coated with butter.

  5. Stir gently until rice absorbs all wine. About 2 minutes.

  6. Add a ladle of dashi (stock) at a time. About ¼ - ½ cup each time.

  7. Control the heat. (medium heat works well)

  8. Stir gently each time when dashi is added.

  9. Cook until rice is cooked to “al dente.”

  10. Turn off heat and add parmesan cheese.

  11. Set aside.

Kimchi Pureé

  1. Heat the sauté pan and add oil or butter.

  2. Add kimchi. Sauté until a bit dry.

  3. Transfer to the food processor. Process until finely chopped.

Assemble and Frying

  1. In a mixing ball, add risotto, kimchi pureé and ¼ cup of panko. Mix well with your hands.

  2. Take about 2 TBSP of risotto mixture, stuff with fontina cheese dice and roll to make a ball. A bit smaller than a golf ball size. Make more balls.

  3. Set a “standard breading” station:(AP Flour)—(Egg Wash)—(Panko)

  4. Bread stuffed risotto balls by dredging with flour, dipping in egg wash and finally covering with panko.

  5. Set the fryer to 360 degrees F. Fry the balls until golden brown. Make sure to check the cheese is melted.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

  1. Add tomato sauce and chili flakes in a pot.

  2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

[RECIPE]

Yields: 2 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS 

Scallion Spread
4 slices Bread (brioche)
6-8 stalks Scallion
1-1½ cups Cream Cheese
Butter for toasting

2-3 cups Napa Cabbage Kimchi
4 slices Yellow Cheddar Cheese

Pickled Onion
1 cup Onion, julienne       
Salt to taste
Yondu to taste

COOKING

Scallion Spread

  1. Cut cream cheese into dices and place them in a mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature to soften.

  2. Blanch scallion in salted boiling water and shock in ice water. Drain and set aside.

  3. Char blanched scallion in a hot sauté pan with some oil.

  4. Transfer charred scallion to a blender. Blend until smooth. (if needed add some water)

  5. Add scallion puree to soften cream cheese. Mix well.


Sautéd Kimchi (*if you like fresh taste of kimchi, you can skip this part)

  1. Heat the sauté pan hot, add some oil and cut kimchi.

  2. Sauté until soft with a little of color. 


Sandwich

  1. Heat the oven to 400 F or toaster oven to “toast” setting.

  2. Spread butter on slices of bread.

  3. Buttered side down, set two slices of bread in an ovenproof pan or tray.

  4. Add scallion spread on one side of the bread.

  5. Place some kimchi on the other piece of bread.

  6. Add cheddar cheese on both pieces of bread.

  7. Place in the oven until the cheddar becomes soft. About 2 minutes.

  8. Take it out of the oven, fold (put the cheese sides together) to make a sandwich.

  9. Place it in a sauté pan to finish.

  10.  Serve by itself or with your favorite soup.

Pickled Onion

  1. Season the onion with a pinch of salt and Yondu.

BIOS

Chef Youngsun Lee

Chef Youngsun Lee studied Graphic Design and Fine Art at SVA before he went to Institute of Culinary Education (ICE).  Chef Lee also learned his cooking techniques from grandmother, aunts and mother. Chef Lee worked in many different kitchens in New York  including Craft, BR Guest, Momofuku, Jean-Georges, and more, and has taught at the Culinary Tech Center, ICE, Kingsborough Community College. He also studied Korean Royal Cuisine and Korean Temple Cuisine.  

He is a pioneer of modernizing Korean cuisine. His cooking is based on the concept of “food humanities” and believes that food comes from many different cultures. Therefore, in order to understand food, we need to understand the culture itself.  Now he focuses more on fine dining and healthy cooking as he continuously prepares to open a cooking school in Korean in the future.

Chef Hansong Kim

Chef Hansong Kim, a talented and experienced Korean chef, is Chef / Partner at Seoul Fried Chicken Co, and Handsome Rice. Chef Kim holds a Master’s degree at Johnson & Wales University Providence, RI and received CEC (Certified Executive Chef) and ACE (Approved Certified Evaluator) from American Culinary Federation, and also has extensive experience working at major hotels as well as private dining. Before he came to the United States, he had won a number of culinary competitions in Korea and appeared on many TV programs as a chef. He also has published several cookbooks, and one of his books received 'Best Celebrity Chef Book from Korea in 2012' from Paris CookBook Competition.

Chef Jong Won Lee

Jong-won Lee is the Director of Oh K-Dog's headquarters and CEO of the New York branch. Oh K-dog is a Korean hot dog chain restaurant that is gaining popularity in the United States.

Special support by Yondu Culinary Studio. Sempio

 
 
 
Bora Yoon