Spinach
20-24 oz. fresh spinach (2 cello bags) or 2 bunches Korean.
Wash thoroughly, remove touch stems, discolored leaves. Divide into 3 parts, then immerse one part into large pot of salty boiling water. Cook for 30 seconds only. Remove quickly with strainer, allow water to boil again, then repeat with remaining leaves.
Rinse spinach in cold water, until completely cool. Use hands to squeeze out all excess water. Properly squeezed spinach looks like 3 green snowballs..
In a large bowl, separate leaves gently with fingers.
Add: 1/2 tsp. salt, mix with fingers till grains disappear.
Add: 1/4 tsp. dashida )beef-flavor soup base powder)
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp. crushed garlic
Mix with fingers, and add:
3 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. roasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Mix thoroughly, taste. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
If too salty, add 1/4 tsp. sugar, mixing well.
Serve at room temperature, or chilled.
Fried Tofu Stew
Serves 4-6
4 bricks soft tofu, drained thoroughly
Slice each brick into 5 slices, pat dry with paper towel.
In large skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to fry all slices on both sides, until golden brown.
Prepare mixture:
3 tsp. soy sauce
3 tsp. water
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. beef-flavor dashida
2 tsp. roasted sesame seeds
black pepper to taste
3 green onions, thin sliced
1 tsp Ko Ju Jang*
I/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Mix well.
Arrange all tofu slices in skillet, flat. Spoon mixture onto each slice, allowing juice to run to bottom of pan. Use all mixture, Cook about 10 minutes, over low fire. Continuously spoon bubbling liquid onto each slice. Sauce will redden tofu, and flavors will blend as sauce thickens. Lift slices gently onto serving platter, arranging artfully. Add all sauce to the platter, spooning onto slices as before. Garnish with green onion or parsley.
This dish is good served hot, room-temperature, or cold. Serve with hot steamy rice.
* Ko Ju Jang is Korean-style hot pepper paste.
Crunchy Bean Sprouts
1 bag yellow bean sprouts (about 2 pounds)*
Remove all small roots, discolored or mushy sprouts, and bean skins. Wash thoroughly.
In a large pot of salty boiling water, immerse and cook 5 minutes, boiling rapidly.
Do not overcook. Sprouts should remain crunchy.
Remove with mesh strainer, plunge into cold water. Cool and drain thoroughly.
In a large bowl, sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt, mix with fingers until grains disappear.
Add: 1-2 tsp. crushed garlic
Black pepper to taste
3 thin-sliced green onions
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp roast sesame seeds
Use fingers to combine all ingredients. Taste. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
This recipe is for white (non-spicy) bean sprouts. For red (spicy), add 1 to 3 tsp. crushed red pepper. Serve both white and red to satisfy everyone's taste.
*Yellow bean sprouts are from soy beans. They are larger, have distinctive flavor. Most American grocery stores sell only mung bean sprouts, with milder taste, used in Chinese dishes. In oriental food stores, look for sprouts with bright yellow heads.