This is one of those perfect recipes that you can make ahead of time, even a day ahead of time, and cook in less time then it takes to make a pot of rice. It’s versatile, as the marinade works on any protein you are craving. Serve it family-style as I did, or in a rice bowl with colorful veggies or greens sautéed in the same pan as the beef cooks in. I love rice bowls for both lunch and dinner, and my kids love getting them in a thermos the next day at school.

Tips: 

• This dish can be made with any protein, just make sure it’s lean and sliced thin.  If you freeze the protein for about 30-60 minutes beforehand you can cut it very thin.

• A grated pear sounds fussy, but it adds a sweetness to the dish.  If you don’t have one, don’t worry about it.

• The microplane works great here for the ginger, garlic and pear.

• The marinade is very thick due to the small amount of oil and the fibrous fruit and roots added, so make sure you really mix it well while it marinates the protein.

• If you’d like to prep this dish a month in advance you can add the steak to the marinade in a resealable, freezer-safe bag and place in the freezer for a few months.  The morning or night before you need the dish, just place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.  

• Try the Blistered Green Bean recipe to go alongside this.

BULGOGI

Serves 2 in my house

Inspired from Bon Appetit

PREP 15 minutes

COOK 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

¼ pear, grated

1 garlic clove, grated

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how you tolerate heat)

1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 pound boneless flank steak, sliced as thin as you can get

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Kosher salt

Sliced scallions (for serving)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a glass bowl combine the grated pear, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil.  

2. Add the meat to marinade and toss around to completely cover with marinade.  This can be done an hour beforehand or the night before.

3. In a skillet over medium-high heat add the oil.  Using tongs, remove enough of the beef from marinade to place in a single layer in the skillet.  It’s important to not overcrowd the pan so the meat gets crispy on the edges, instead of steams.  Cook the beef for about 3  minutes on one side, then flip and continue for another minute on the other.  Remove the beef to a platter and repeat the process with more oil and the remaining beef.

4. Serve topped with scallions, alongside rice and a green vegetable.