Thing you do not see in the USA.

 The power of Korea...

Sold in the toy section at a amusement park.

Public safety robot and yes he moved his arms up and down.

Toilet paper roll by the bathroom entrance.

Self pour beer.

You go out to cook your dinner.

Creepy little dolls with man parts.

Stay sexy my friends.

Korean Dumplings With Soy Dipping Sauce

I know I have been posting a lot of Korean food. Well there is a reason for that as a family we are moving to Seoul South Korea in July. My wife(and sometimes editor) has taken a teaching job, we are so looking forward to this move and traveling around the world. This will not be my last Korean dish I still have to work on some Kimchi.

Ingredients-
1/3lb Ground Beef
1/3lb Ground Pork
1/2 Cup Diced Cabbage(domesticated somewhere in Europe before 1000 BC)
2 Green Onions
2 tsp Minced Garlic
2 tsp Ginger Paste
1 Tbl Oyster Sauce
1 Tbl Sesame Oil
1 Tbl Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Salt
1 Pack Wonton Wrappers

Soy Dipping Sauce-
1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Rice or Cider Vinegar
1/3 Cup Sugar

Directions-
Soy Dipping Sauce-
1. Add ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk.

Dumplings-
1. Put all ingredients into large mixing bowl and mix by hand(or gloves).
2. Fill a small bowl with water. Place a wrapper in one hand and wet your finger and rub over one half of the wrapper.
3. Scoop a good sized portion of meat mixture with a spoon and place in the middle of wrapper. Fold in half and seal.
4. In a medium pot fill half way with water and add some salt. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat. Place 5-6 dumplings in to water. When they float to the top, cook for an extra 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve hot… enjoy.

Sweet Korean Potatoes with Sesame Seeds

This side dish plays well with the Korean BBQ. If I ever own a food truck these two are so on the menu.

Ingredients-
1 1/4lb Small red or white new potatoes
1/3 Cup Korean BBQ marinade(see Korean BBQ post)
2 Tbl Oil(I used grape seed oil use what you have)
2 Tbl Water
2 Tbl Corn syrup
1 Tbl Sesame seeds(Sesame seed is one of the oldest oilseed crops known, domesticated well over 3000 years ago.)

Directions-
1. Rinse potatoes, in a med. sauce pot fill half way with water and bring to a boil.
2. Add potatoes to boiling water for 4-5 min., insert knife into potato to test firmness. Potato should be firm yet easily pierced with knife.
3. Strain potatoes and set out to dry.
4. In a wok or large saute pan heat oil over medium high heat, once hot add potatoes and saute for 2-3 min.
5. Add water and marinade, cook until sauce starts to thicken.
6. Add Corn syrup, increase heat to high. Mix until all potatoes are coated with sauce and have a nice caramel color.
7. Sprinkle on sesame seeds… enjoy

Korean BBQ Beef

Ingredients-
3LB Beef Short Ribs cut off bone and butterflied

Marinade-
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Low Sodium Soy  Sauce
1/4 Cup White or Red Wine( my wife only had white)
2 TBL Sesame Oil
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Minced Green Onion (Scallions)
6 Cloves Garlic Sliced Thin
2 tsp Ginger 1/4in. or smaller Dice
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Grated Pineapple (you can also use 1 small apple grated with skin, 1/2 pear grated with skin or 1/2 kiwi skined and grated, pineapples were on sale!)

Directions-
1. Add all ingedients for the marinade into a medium pot.
2. Over med.-high heat bring to a boil and let reduce 7-10 min.
3. Cut the meat off the bones and butterfly the beef *Link to how to butterfly a short rib*. For more surface area for the marinade.
4. Let marinade cool. Then add beef, marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
5. Fire up the grill baby! On low-med. heat grill beef 5-6 min. per side.
6. While beef is on the grill put marinde into med. sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce for 5 min.
7. Strain marinde for extra sauce.
8. Once beef is cooked to your liking (I go medium rare) plate and add as little or as much sauce as you like(I added a ton) and enjoy.