Chewy Shiitake Mushroom Tteokgalbi: A Delicious Transformation for Leftover Meat
Shiitake Mushroom Tteokgalbi Recipe
Do you have leftover meat in the fridge, or meat that’s tough or not very flavorful that your family doesn’t enjoy? Don’t worry! You can transform these leftover meats into a wonderful dish with this delicious Shiitake Mushroom Tteokgalbi recipe. Experience the fantastic harmony of fragrant shiitake mushrooms and tender meat!
Main Ingredients
- 1kg Beef (fat removed)
- Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, appropriate amount
- Pine Nuts, a little
Tteokgalbi Seasoning
- 6 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 Tbsp Honey (or corn syrup)
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- 6 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 Tbsp Honey (or corn syrup)
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, carefully remove any excess fat from the beef. Then, mince the meat as finely as possible using a knife. While using a food processor or grinder is an option, tteokgalbi is best with a bit of chewy texture, so we recommend mincing it diligently by hand with a knife. The more you chew tteokgalbi, the richer the flavor becomes.
Step 2
Add all the seasoning ingredients for tteokgalbi (soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, sesame oil, black pepper powder) to the finely minced beef. Now, knead the mixture vigorously with your hands until it becomes sticky and well-combined. Kneading the meat thoroughly will make the texture even more tender and allow the seasonings to meld beautifully, resulting in delicious tteokgalbi.
Step 3
Clean and prepare the dried shiitake mushrooms by removing the tough stems. Soak them in lukewarm water until they are fully rehydrated. Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms become tender and provide a wonderful texture when eaten with the tteokgalbi. Make sure to wring out any excess water from the soaked mushrooms before use.
Step 4
Once the tteokgalbi dough is ready, it’s time to shape it into desired portions. Take a portion of the dough and, while forming the tteokgalbi shape, it’s crucial to remove any air pockets within the mixture. You can do this by lightly pounding the dough with your fist or by repeatedly tossing it against your palm. This step ensures that the tteokgalbi doesn’t fall apart while cooking and maintains a beautiful shape.
Step 5
You might be wondering how the shiitake mushrooms are attached. After shaping the meat into a round or flat patty, firmly press the rehydrated shiitake mushroom onto the meat. When storing, place the tteokgalbi with the mushroom side down; this will help the mushrooms adhere naturally when cooking. Feel free to shape them as you like. Thinly shaped tteokgalbi will have a crispier texture, while thicker ones will be more succulent and juicy.
Step 6
Now, let’s grill the delicious tteokgalbi! A direct grilling pan is ideal, but you can also achieve excellent results with a regular frying pan. Preheat your frying pan over high heat, add just a tiny bit of oil, and place the shaped tteokgalbi in the pan. Sear one side briefly until lightly browned, then flip and sear the other side for a moment. Afterward, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook gently until the inside is fully cooked. This method yields tteokgalbi that is golden brown on the outside and moist on the inside.
Step 7
Finally, let’s prepare the garnish for the tteokgalbi. Pine nuts will make your finished tteokgalbi even more elegant and delicious. Place the pine nuts inside a paper towel and flatten them by rolling over them firmly with a rolling pin or similar object. Then, unfold the towel and finely chop the pine nuts with a knife for a quick and easy way to mince them. You can also use other nuts like sesame seeds if preferred.
Step 8
Sprinkle the finely chopped pine nuts and thinly sliced green onion leaves attractively over the perfectly grilled tteokgalbi. The meat that was once tough and difficult to chew has now transformed into this mouthwatering tteokgalbi! For an extra glossy and appealing finish, lightly brush the surface of the tteokgalbi with sesame oil, or a mixture of honey and sesame oil. Enjoy this wonderful tteokgalbi that excels in taste, aroma, and appearance!
