12.063
9 (Tue) March 2021
Kåldolmar
2.5
by me
at home
-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-
with the Family
Korean-Swedish Culinary Exchange (13) (see also KSCX)
For our latest exchange, Number One Swedish Fan GK and I remade dishes that we had cooked previously: kåldolmar by me, bibimbap by him (see 3.330 Kåldolmar).
I followed my own recipe, which worked okay, although the filling this time seemed underseasoned. I was again frustrated in finding the wrapping very difficult, perhaps even more than I recalled from before. I overcooked the rolls a bit, leaving the cabbage kinda mushy.
BY GK
GK: This was gamja jeon (감자전) and dipping sauce for it. The jeon was made out of potatoes and onion.
GK:
- Zucchini. Sautéed with garlic + soy sauce + sesame oil.
- Spinach. Parboiled with garlic + soy sauce + sesame oil.
- Radish. Pickled with gochugaru + garlic + vinegar + salt + sugar.
- Cucumber. Pickled with gochugaru + sesame oil + soy sauce + sugar.
- Carrot. Sautéed with garlic + soy sauce + sesame oil.
GK: The whole thing was all right. Might have been a little more fun if it would have been served in a dolsot.
GK: Anyways, the more I think about it, the less excited I am for bibimbab. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid dish, just not that exciting. I get the impression that bibimbab is more or less a dish that you make out of whatever you have in the fridge…
GK: It is actually kinda similar to how I feel about the Swedish dish “pytt i panna” (https://en.wikipedia.org/
CONCLUSIONS
On my end, it was fun making the dish again.
Beyond the specific dish itself, it got me to thinking that many/most of the good dishes that I’ve made in my life, including those documented on GMTD, deserved to be made again, improved upon, mastered, but never were.
A few observations on GK’s dish:
That is quite a thick gamja jeon. Looks much nicer than the Swedish potato pancake that I once attempted (see 4.007 Raggmunk with Köttbullar). I like the idea of onions of gamja jeon, which would add volume and sweetness to what is typically made only with ground potato and thus kinda flat, both literally (in shape) and figuratively (in taste).
The vegetables look awesome: diverse and well-balanced in varieties, cooking techniques, and flavors. With enhanced knife skills, the finely/evenly sliced cucumbers, carrots, and radish appear seamlessly integrated into the mix.
You might consider adding a raw element, like chopped lettuce or shredded white cabbage, to give it a bit more freshness.
The rice appears to be long-grained, like Indian basmati. Whereas long-grained rice tends to be fluffier and less stickier than the short-grained rice used in Korea, I’d be curious about the textural difference in the final dish.
I love the crispy edges of the egg, compared to the egg from last time.
Ah, the dolsot! It’s not something that people usually have at home, thus sold only at restaurant supply stores, and I keep forgetting to make time to find one. The package is already done, fully packed, no room for anything more, so the dolsot will have to wait until the next package.
As for the next exchange, it will have to be pytt i panna for me, now that GK has dropped that bomb.
Separately, I will also make gamja jeon, which I’ve been meaning to do for my Newbery project.
(See also FOODS.)
(See also PLACES.)
I have to agree I’m glad I re-made the dish.
I also made sure to practice on my knife skills this time, since it’s been a recurring feature (the lack thereof, that is). Lot’s of Youtube tutorials and practice, amongst others this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMA2SqaDgG8&list=FLMhUNnLYEemAqpTdiz_ee5g&index=18&t=783s&ab_channel=Food52
(Is that guy famous in the US btw?)
Some other comments:
1. I liked the gamja jeon. The recipe is from this (Swedish-language) cookbook:
https://www.bokus.com/bok/9789174249958/zeinas-green-kitchen-grona-recept-fran-olika-delar-av-varlden/
It feature “green recipes” from all over the world, including two from Korea. One being the gamja jeon, the other being kalguksu.
The recipe for gamja jeon calls for the potatoes and onion to be cut into smaller bits, and then put in a food processor/blender. The dipping sauce features amongst other things cilantro. Is cilantro actually used in Korean cuisine??
I actually tried the recipe again today, but without the onion. It was both really bland and boring, and also had a much flatter and less appealing texture.
2. Thanks for the tip about fresh ingredients. I tried chopping up some white cabbage today and adding it to the mix. It brought another level to the dish.
3. The rice is jasmine rice from Thailand, the most popular type in Sweden. I’ve heard that the rice that is sold under the name “porridge rice” in Sweden (since it’s mostly used to make rice porridge, a traditional Swedish Christmas dish) is more similar to the rice in Korea (it’s of the Japonica rice variety). I will try to cook that in the future to compare.
4. You’re right about the egg, it looks kindy “slimy” in the picture from last time.
5. I think I will try to make kalguksu (according to the recipe from the books mentioned above). I will make it a “project” to try all the recipes in the book, so I will have to do that sooner or later anyways.
Jacques Pepin is known in the US to anyone who knows food, but not a household name.
1. cilantro is called “gosu (고수)” in korea. it’s always been around, but not really used in mainstream korean cuisine, not very popular. even in vietnamese restaurants, customers have to ask for cilantro.
3. yes, Japonica is the rice used in Korea. the rice in your bibimbab looks much longer than Thai jasmine (i think you’re being scammed).
5. kalguksu can be made with 4 types of broth: anchovy, chicken, clam, beef – each is equally popular, just depending on personal preference. are you going to buy dry noodles, or make them knowing you, you’ll make them. it’s super easy, and infinitely better than dry. if you send photos, i’ll pair it with pytt i panna. good luck!!
3. That comment made me go check the writing on the bag, and it’s actually basmati rice, not jasmine rice. And it’s from India/Pakistan according to the text on the bag, not Thailand (I don’t know why I was sure it was jasmine rice…)
5. I will make the noodles from scratch, and follow the recipe from the book I mentioned. Since that book is a collection of vegetarian/vegan recipes, the broth used is made out of vegetables.
To get it more genuine, I might also try to make one of the other types of broth as well.
3. aha! exactly as i had suspected, as written in my initial comments!
5. while many korean dishes as inherently vegan, kalguksu is not one of them. i’d find a proper recipe. or just free-style it! (water + clams + salt + soy sauce + pepper + garlic + onions. garnish with sliced scallions.)
5. I’ll have a lot around the world wide web 🙂