Super Easy Baek Jong-won’s Kongnamul Bulgogi (Spicy Pork and Bean Sprout Stir-fry)
Super Easy Baek Jong-won’s Kongnamul Bulgogi (Spicy Pork and Bean Sprout Stir-fry)
The Ultimate Rice-Thief Dish: Baek Jong-won’s Easy Kongnamul Bulgogi Recipe
Craving something delicious that will make you devour a bowl of rice? Introducing Kongnamul Bulgogi, the ultimate ‘rice-thief’ side dish! Using Baek Jong-won’s versatile all-purpose sauce recipe, anyone can make this quickly and easily. The perfect harmony of spicy-sweet sauce, crunchy bean sprouts, and chewy thinly sliced pork belly will capture everyone’s taste buds.
Main Ingredients- 200g thinly sliced pork belly (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 150g bean sprouts (rinsed and drained well)
- 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 king oyster mushroom (sliced)
- 10 perilla leaves (rinsed, drained, rolled, and thinly sliced)
Baek Jong-won’s All-Purpose Sauce- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the star of this dish: Baek Jong-won’s all-purpose sauce. In a bowl, combine 1 Tbsp gochujang, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 Tbsp gochugaru. Mix them well. (We’ll add the minced garlic later!) This 1:1:1:1:1 ratio creates a fantastic all-purpose sauce that’s incredibly versatile.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables. Peel and thinly slice the onion into about 0.5cm thick strips. Trim the ends of the king oyster mushroom and slice it thinly, or into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the perilla leaves, pat them dry, then roll them up tightly and slice them thinly (about 0.5cm thick). Finally, rinse the bean sprouts under running water until clean and drain them thoroughly.
Step 3
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the prepared onion and king oyster mushroom and stir-fry them briefly to release their aroma. You’ll notice a subtle sweetness and fragrance starting to emerge from the vegetables, which means they’re ready for the next step.
Step 4
Once the vegetables are slightly softened, add the thinly sliced pork belly and stir-fry everything together. Do NOT add any water! The pork belly will render its own delicious fat, cooking the vegetables beautifully. If the pan seems too dry, you can add a little more pork belly or a few more vegetables.
Step 5
Now, add the all-purpose sauce you made earlier and 1 tsp of minced garlic. Stir-fry everything well until the sauce coats the pork and vegetables evenly. Cooking over high heat will help evaporate excess moisture and make the sauce cling perfectly to the ingredients, resulting in a more flavorful dish. Continue stir-frying until the bean sprouts are wilted and everything is cooked through.
Step 6
Finally, top the dish with the thinly sliced perilla leaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Your delicious Kongnamul Bulgogi is ready! It’s fantastic served over warm rice, or wrapped in lettuce leaves. You can even stir-fry some rice in the leftover sauce for an extra treat!
