I bet I am one of the rare Korean who sucked on “Math” at school.
I don’t do well with numbers. Seeing unorganized numbers used to give me headaches and I am still mad at why cell phone numbers has to be 10 digits.
However, when my 7th grade daughter asked a math homework question (the algebra!) I was sure I wasn’t that dumb. ‘I am smarter than 7th graders for sure’.
Yes, I got the answer right, …very quickly in fact. I began to think that I might LOVE algebra…
The beauty of arrays of numbers getting simplified and reaching to the correct answer on a white piece of paper! — It is the black and white beauty of Algebra. The moment of triumph and celebration of human intelligence!
But then, the triumphant joy ended soon when she demanded to explain ‘why?’. That makes a different story. There is no why. More precisely, I couldn’t explain the ‘why?’. Sometimes you just get the answers in life without knowing why. I wish I can give all the answers of ‘why?’.
I think I hate ‘Why?’
One of the fearful moment as a parent is that you have explained things in the simplest possible way to your children but still couldn’t get them to understand.
So when life throws you with complicated ‘why?’s, treat yourself with uncomplicated food.
Here is a simple pork dish everyone can make that does not require any brain work. I will call it easy Korean pork for dummies.
To clarify, I am NOT saying you are dummies. I am just saying, because it is super easy, that even dummies to any cooking can make this.
The glorious Korean name for this dish is “Jeyook Bokkeum (제육볶음)”. This pork does not ask you why and it is, Oh!, so delicious!
Basic Korean ingredients; soy sauce, corn syrup, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, onion, Korean chili flakes and chili paste, pork, minced garlic.
Here is the Korean chili paste in case you are wondering. The mother of all Korean goodness, and a must have for Korean cuisine.
Combine all the sauce ingredients.
Corn syrup is an optional. It gives the “Bling-Bling” look to the dish but won’t change the flavor much.
A sudden feeling came upon to my heart. ‘Something is missing…’
“Ginger!” Please, add my friend, Ginger, to the list.
Mix the sauce! That’s it!
Pork, the other white meat! My piggy love…
You can use any cut but in paper thin slice form. I used pork neck meat which is the only cut that has marbling in the meat. You can get this paper thin cut in Korean grocery stores.
Dump the sauce over the meat.
Mix, rub, knead, massage, squeeze, or use whatever tricks to mingle your pork with the sauce.
Drizzle a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and throw some sliced onion.
When you hear the loud sizzling sound, start tossing to cook everything evenly, about 3-5 minutes.
Please, watch for your own drool. Because I had to…
“Something smells really good in here!”.
My little boy came into the kitchen to investigate what his mother is cooking.
“A pork dish for dummies, my dear!”. I responded with a *questioning* smile on my face.
“What? Only for my sister? Anything else for me?”
…
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) very thinly sliced pork, any cut
- 1/2 large onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoon Korean chili paste
- 2 tablespoon Korean chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup, optional
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Directions
- In a small mixing bowl combine chili paste, chili flakes, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and corn syrup, mix well.
- In a large mixing bowl combine pork with the sauce, and mix well to coat all the pork slices with the sauce evenly.
- Drizzle 1 Tbsp oil to the skillet and bring it over medium-high heat. Place pork over the skillet and add the sliced onion on top. When they sizzle, start tossing everything to cook evenly all the way or until the pork is fully cooked and onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve hot with a bowl of rice
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