Bulgogi is “ONE” of my favorite Korean dishes. It is really hard for me to pick a favorite among many tasty dishes to pick one. However, my love for grilled food is well known.

Even when I am fullest I will still eat it, or at least taste it! 
I get quite a few requests not only for bulgogi but for other Korean dishes too.

Since the last request was just a few days ago, I thought to actually make one of a popular fusion kind of sandwiches that includes bulgogi. 

Bulgogi is available in all Korean restaurants, however, it is also very simple to make at home, too. Bulgogi in literal translation means “bul” fire and “gogi” meat, so it refers to “cooking the meat on fire” or “over open flames”. It is, of course, a cooking technique or better-said barbecue.

It has a very long history. Originally, bulgogi was known as “maek-jeok”, meaning that the beef being grilled on a skewer. “Neo-biani”, meaning “thinly spread” meat and was traditionally prepared especially for the wealthy and the nobility class.

One of the things that I love is learning about history and food from many different countries.

Now, I know history can be rewritten, but when it comes to food, usually it is carried from generation to generation.

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Many of you know that bulgogi is eaten with leafy veggies, rice, and/or other side dishes (banchan), but it also depends on how you prefer to eat it. This was…

How to put this into words? This sandwich you would not believe how good it is. I am still drooling!

Beef is marinated for a couple of hours, but you got to marinate for at least an hour to get that nice flavor. It actually crosses between sweet and savory.

Bulgogi is one of those non-spicy Korean traditional recipes. Once you start to pan fry it or grill it all the flavors that beef was soaking comes out, and the taste is spectacular.

Beef becomes tender and so delicious. 

My family goes nuts over it, and it is a “must make” when we grill. We have a pretty big man-made fire pit, so I use my trusty old saute pan to make bulgogi in it.

Yes, you can make this on your stovetop in the house, but man when the smoke from the charcoal fire surrounded that pan and beef started to sizzle.

It sure was amazingly delicious, I think I can still smell it.

If you try my Bulgogi Ciabatta Sandwich, please share it with me on Instagram @sandraseasycooking. I would love to see it and with your permission share it!

Yield: 4

Bulgogi Ciabatta Sandwich

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Tasty Recipe for Bulgogi Ciabatta Sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Ciabatta Rolls/Bread
• 1 Lb. Beef Tenderloin rib-eye steak or top sirloin

Marinade:

• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp. Ginger minced
• 5 garlic cloves 5 smaller ones or 3 bigger cloves
• 1/2 Carrot
• 1/2 cup 7 up or 1/2 Asian Pear peeled
• 1 Tbs. Sugar
• 3 Tbs. Soy Sauce Or to taste
• 2 Green Onions/scallions
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Sesame Oil
• Handful julienned Carrots*optional

Topping options:

• Sauteed/grilled Onion/scallions
• Grilled garlic
• Mushrooms
• Sesame Seeds
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Peppers

Instructions

1. In a food processor place onion, ginger, garlic cloves, carrot, and 7 up or 1/2 Asian Pear (it is acting as a meat tenderizer), process until pureed.
2. Take a beef tenderloin that is slightly frozen and cut into thin bite-size slices or you can use already pre-cut meat that is thinly sliced. (read note)
3. In a large bowl or container place meat, then add puree, sugar, soy sauce, sliced scallions, ground black pepper, sesame oil and a handful of julienned carrots (optional). Mix everything together so marinade could code each slice of beef; cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour or more. You can use less soy sauce and add salt to taste, instead.
4. Preheat the grill or lightly oiled/greased saute pan or skillet and add beef slices. Cook until meat is no longer pink and it starts to sizzle and juices are almost gone.
5. 5 minutes before beef is done I like to add more garlic, scallions and onion slices, sometimes mushrooms too.
6. You can serve it with rice and vegetables (side dishes) or place it in the toasted Ciabatta bread like I did today, add other sauteed/grilled vegetables, lettuce together with the beef and top it with cheese and other condiments if you desire.

Notes

You can place beef to marinade in the fridge overnight. I like to do it at least an hour in advance, but the more is marinating, meat becomes more tender. I have done overnight before!

I used Beef Tenderloin today, but The best beef for this is rib-eye steak or top sirloin. Of course, you may use any cut but you will know the difference if you make it with ribeye steak because fat is where a lot of the distinctive flavor of beef comes from, making ribeye one of the richest, beefiest cut available.

You may also find it already precut beef in the Korean or Asian market “for bulgogi”. If you do not want to use 7 Up or Asian Pear then add 1-2 Tbs. (more) of Sugar. Both 7 up and Asian pear not only make beef tender but also gives sweetness, if you omit you have to add sugar or even honey if you desire.

Did you make this recipe?

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Today’s recipe is as simple as you can see in the title, Grilled Marinated Tofu.

The key is in the marinade and after it’s grilled the taste and aroma are just perfect balance of very satisfying, delicious and I must say easy side dish.

Well, I really loved the spiciness of the marinad. However, it is always optional to use and how much you add to satisfy your taste buds. I love spicy, but I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea so you can always adjust.

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Yesterday, I found out that school here starts on August 1st, due to the expansion of Spring break. As much as I am happy that kids are getting one extra week over Spring break, I am that much sad because the summer break is shortened.

They are just starting to have fun when they will be soon waking up early in the morning carrying heavy backpacks.

I don’t even know how my oldest one can carry that heavy backpack. Seriously, that weighed tone last school year, plus his saxophone. I always feel sorry for his shoulders and back.

This year I will have 7th, 4th and 1st graders. Also, I cannot believe that my girl will be done with Elementary this school year. It feels like yesterday when she started Kindergarten.

If you have a child just now starting with Elementary, please cherish every single moment while they are there. Join them for lunch, help them with homework and lock those memories forever because they do grow up so fast.

Ok! I am a bit on the emotional side. I have always been that way, but I know that every parent that have kids out of Elementary school feels the same way, and yes those are precious moments even when I shed the crocodile tears while watching them enter every school year.

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Grilled Marinated Tofu

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Easy Recipe for a delicious side dish or appetizer, Grilled Marinated Tofu

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes

Total Time 24 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Pack of Firm Organic Tofu, cut into thick slices
• Marinade:
• 1 Tablespoon Gochujang (or 1/2 tablespoon red hot chili pepper)(reduce for less spicy)
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce, low sodium {lite}
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• Garnish:
• Scallions
• Sesame seeds
• and optional drizzle bit of marinade over it

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and place it in the wide long container.
2. Cut the tofu into thicker but equal slices and place in the marinade for 20 minutes; you can keep it covered in the fridge. 
3. Preheat your grill, either in the house or outside grill. 
4. Take out tofu carefully out of the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper towel each tofu slice and put it on the preheated grill.
5. Grill for a minute or two on each side. 
6. You can reserve the marinade for the dip of few drizzles over the tofu when you serve. 
7. You can serve it with a simple salad. 

Did you make this recipe?

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Early chaotic mornings are not my thing just because I work late, and then waking up after only a few hours of sleep puts me in a cranky mood… and that is strange considering that most of the time I have a huge smile on my face, meaning that I am a pretty happy person.

I have to make a new schedule and go to sleep early because school is staring tomorrow…this summer break sure passed by quickly!

My youngest son will start Kindergarten, and I don’t think that I will be able to hold back and not cry. I started to be emotional a month ago, and he would sit next to me and say things like: ” mom, it’s ok, we gonna have our special breakfasts on weekends.

I will be fine going to school, so you just have to work and be happy”. I mean how to hold back the tears, and not let your heart melt when he says something like that… he is only 5 1/2.

After they start to school everything changes. Of course, mother’s love never will, but you know year after year they are getting older as well as we are.

You start to remember things when they were little such as when they walked for the first time, say mommy and daddy, or even when they started to eat solid food.

I know each year will bring something, something new for them, but it’s just hard to let it go…When I start thinking about my oldest son, he was just like Daniel.

He would say cute things to me, but now when he is hitting early puberty sarcasm wakes up, school crushes, girlfriends, long talks with friends, and not much time for me anymore…so I was holding to my babies as long as I could to let them know that I am here for them.

I was blessed enough to stay at home mom and be with my kids for those first 5-6 years before they started a new chapter of their life, and I’m really thankful to my husband who was always supporting me to be home.

Of course, I will be by their side always, but those first years I will treasure forever.

I have for you today an incredible meal or you can even call it a salad…

The balance of flavors, and a fantastic combination. It is sweet, sour and a bit spicy… It puts this meal on my top 5 best dishes that I’ve tried in the last few months.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Fries with Steak

Inspired by “the complete book of the main course”

Course Main Course, Salad

Keyword salad, beef, dinner

Servings 2 Servings

Author Sandra | Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 Sweet potatoes sliced into fries
• 2 Steaks
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Oil

Dressing:

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
• 2 tbs. Cilantro coriander, chopped
• 1/2 Fresh Chili Pepper seeded and chopped
• 2 tbs. Yellow Mustard  or Dijon Mustard
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 3 Tbs. Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven on 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Wash the Potatoes, peel and cut into long strips for the Fries. Soak in the cold water for about 10 minutes then dry with kitchen towel, preferably cotton. Season Sweet potato fries with salt, pepper, and oil. Toss them with your hands to code each of the fries. Roast potatoes for 20 minutes or until they are tender and look done.
3. Season the steaks with Salt and Pepper. Put on the grill or on the stove pan with oil. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or more depending on how thick steak is and/or how you prefer it. I like mine medium rare, so 3-4 minutes on each side on high temp was just enough. Once it’s done place it in the aluminum foil and closes so the air would not come in. Keep it there until it’s ready to be served.

Dressing Prep:

1. You can use a food processor and place everything in there or chop/mince it by yourself.
2. I used a food processor. It was convenient and this thick dressing was done in a few minutes.

Assembly:

1. Cut the steaks into thin strips, place sweet potato fries next to it or on top, and spoon the dressing over. You can eat it hot or cold.