Yulmoo Gat Kimchi Tteokbokki

Korean radish top kimchi with rice cake sticks! 

     Kimchi it not difficult to make.  We made a big batch of cabbage kimchi at school the other day.  Making kimchi like a Korean chef who has years of experience is another story!  

     Las Vegas has a few large Korean markets that offer many specialties of Korean cuisine.  The Greenland Market in Korea Town has a very nice deli section that is devoted to kimchi.  The last time that I was shopping there, more than ten different kinds of kimchi were on display in the deli case.  One of the most interesting looking kimchi was yulmoo gat kimchi, so I purchased some to try.  

     Radishes can have a little bit of a zesty bite to them.  Radish sprouts are the same way.  There is something about the kimchi making process that mellows the zesty flavor of radishes.  I was expecting a strong flavor when I first tried the radish top kimchi, but I was surprised to find the flavor to be very mellow.  

     The texture of the radish top kimchi was crisp and fresh.  Radish top kimchi is not overly firm or tough, but is does take some pleasant chewing, before swallowing.  It is kind of like chewing on blanched kale stalks.  There is something satisfying about chewing on roughage and looking off in the distance with a blank stare while thinking.  There is some kind of a primal pleasure involved! 

     Kimchi is added to many Korean hot cooked recipes.  Cabbage kimchi is added to many soups and stews.  I decided to add radish top kimchi to this tteokbokki recipe.  The radish tops became very tender after cooking and they were a pleasure to eat.

     Tteokbokki has become a popular Korean street vendor style food.  There are old traditional Korean recipes for tteokbokki, but street vendor style creations are fun to make.  This yulmoo gat kimchi tteokbokki turned out kind of nice!

     Yulmoo Gat Kimchi Tteokbokki Recipe:

     Be sure to have the ingredients ready before the cooking starts.  The recipe cooks quickly!

     Boil a pot of water over medium high heat, for the rice cake sticks.

     Add 1 portion of rice cake sticks to the water.  (Pre-made rice cake sticks are available in asian markets.)

     Heat a saute pan or wok over medium/medium high heat.

     Add 1 tiny splash of vegetable oil.

     Add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil.

     Add 2 cloves of minced garlic.

     Saute for about 10 to 15 seconds, till the garlic becomes fragrant.

     Add 1 tiny handful of thin julienne sliced onion.

     Add 1 teaspoon of ground sesame seed.

     Add 1 large handful of radish top kimchi.

     Saute for a few seconds.

     Add 1 tablespoon of thin soy sauce.

     Add 1 teaspoon of sugar.

     Add 1 cup of beef broth.

     Add sea salt and white pepper.

     Add 1 teaspoon of Korean red chile powder.

     Add 1/2 tablespoon of red miso paste.

     Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of Korean red serrano chile pepper sauce.

     Saute and toss the ingredients together, till the radish top kimchi and onions start to become tender.

     The rice cake sticks should be ready by this time.  (Tteokbokki only take a few minutes to cook.)

     Drain the water off of the rice cake sticks and add them to the kimchi and sauce.

     Toss the ingredients together.  The sauce should be reduced enough to just coat the ingredients.

     Remove the pan from the heat.

     Place a few perilla leaves around the border of a plate.

     Mound the yulmoo gat kimchi tteokbokki on the center of the plate.

     Sprinkle a generous amount of lightly toasted sesame seeds over the entree.

     Yumoo gat kimchi tteokbokki is delicious and healthy.  The flavor of this recipe is mildly spicy.  You can adjust the level of spicy heat to your own taste.  Yum!  ...  Shawna