Kim Chee Burgers

When its baseball season, teams/leagues often have fundraisers, selling everything from cookies to laulau.  One league is known for their kim chee burger fundraisers.  For years, The Help was on the "call list", receiving calls from excited mothers about the upcoming fundraising event.  The Help was infamous for buying a half-dozen of the burgers and polishing them off in a single sitting.  Most normal people can't eat a half-dozen burgers at one time, and most normal people likely don't want to limit consumption of these fantastic gems to baseball season, especially when grilling weather is year-round.

Kim chee burgers are unique in that kim chee, Korean pickled vegetables (nappa cabbage, in this case), represents the vegetable component of a typical burger.  The burger mix is a teriyaki-based conglomeration with sesame oil and ground sesame seeds giving it a Korean twist.   The burger mix is smeared very thinly onto the cut surface of a hamburger bun.  Because smearing the meat can be time-consuming, this is definitely something that can and should be made a few days before they are to be eaten.  The process begins by smearing the  buns with a thin layer of the burger mix.  Contrary to what some may think, the purpose of the thin layer is not to stretch pennies.  But I'm getting there.  The bun halves are frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

When frozen (at least 2 hours), the buns are re-stacked into sets with a piece of parchment paper between meat layers and placed back into the bun bag.  These burgers cook quickly so they can be kept frozen up until 10 minutes before chow time.  When ready to serve, the burgers are cooked by grilling only the meat-side of the bun (hence the thin layer of burger mix).  A generous mound of kim chee is sandwiched between both bun halves before being devoured by hungry monsters.

click on recipe title for printable recipe 
Kim Chee Burgers

     1 lb lean ground beef

     2 tsp sugar

     2 tbsp shoyu

     1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted and ground

     2 tbsp sesame oil

     1 clove garlic, minced

     1" piece ginger, grated

     2 tbsp green onions, minced

     16 hamburger buns

Combine all ingredients except hamburger buns.  Spread about 2 teaspoons of beef mix onto each bun half, spreading all the way to the edges in a very thin, even layer.  Freeze in a single layer.  When frozen, stack with parchment paper between meat layers.  Cook each bun half meat-side down only on a hot grill. Meat should be cooked when bun is no longer cold.  Serve with slices of kim chee between halves.  

    

Chap Chae in December

 The month of December here in Hilo has been rather cold.  Its not unusual to have nights dipping into the lower 60s.  Although I enjoy having soup, its not something that I'd want every night.  Enter Chap Chae.  Chap Chae is a Korean noodle dish that can be eaten at room temperature.  The December chill is great for cooling down Chap Chae.

Chap Chae can be practically anything you want it to be . . . all depends on what you have in your vegetable bin and what kind of protein you'd like to add.  It can be made in under an hour, but the flavor of the beef (my protein of choice) improves the longer it sits in the marinade, so I would start soaking the meat the night before or earlier in the day.  

Most people think Chap Chae is made with long rice (cellophane noodles, glass noodles, bean threads, etc.), but its actually made with a sweet potato starch noodle, dang myun.  Dang myun can be found at Asian stores.  I don't think all supermarkets have it.  KTA didn't so I got my pkg. from Kilauea Market.  Don't be thrown off by the gray color.  It will become clear after it is cooked.

To begin making Chap Chae, marinate beef in sauce for at least 30 minutes. 

Marinate softened dried shiitake mushrooms in sauce for about 30 minutes.  When done, squeeze mushrooms dry and slice in 1/4" pieces.

While mushrooms are marinating, prepare vegetable ingredients.  Carrots and onion can be julienned.  

If using spinach or other leafy greens (I used bok choy), blanch first, drain well, then cut into 2" pieces.

Cook and drain dang myun.  See, I told you it gets clear when cooked!  For ease in serving, take a kitchen shears and make several cuts through the tangle of dang myun.

This part comes together really quick.  In a wok or large pan, saute beef until cooked.  Remove from wok.

Saute vegetables for a few minutes and remove from wok.  Add noodles and oil to wok and toss lightly.  Add sauce, cooked beef, and cooked vegetables.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Chap chae is normally served at room temperature, although I have trouble waiting long enough for it to cool.  It makes a great potluck dish, especially in December, where the natural air temperature makes it cool faster.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Chap Chae

Beef & Marinade:    1 tbsp shoyu

                               1 tbsp sugar

                               1 tsp sesame oil

                               1 tsp minced garlic

                               1/4 tsp pepper

                               1/2 tsp sesame seeds

                               1/2-3/4 lb flank steak or other beef, sliced very thin

Combine all ingredients and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Shiitake & Marinade:  7 shiitake mushrooms, soaked and squeezed dry

                                   1/2 c shoyu

                                   1 tsp sugar

                                   1 tsp sesame oil

Combine all ingredients and marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Squeeze shiitake again and cut into 1/4" slices.

Assorted vegetables:  carrot, julienned

                                   bok choy, blanched, drained & cut into 2" lengths

                                   bell pepper, julienned

                                   anything!

Noodles & Sauce:  1 pkg. dang myun

                              2 tbsp oil, divided

                              2 tbsp shoyu

                              1/4 c sugar

                              1 tbsp sesame seeds

Cook noodles as directed on package (about 7 minutes).  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Cut into shorter lengths.  Combine shoyu and sugar.  Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok.  Saute beef until cooked.  Remove.  Saute shiitake and other vegetables.  Remove.  Add 1 tbsp oil and noodles to wok.  Toss together.  Add sauce (shoyu & sugar) and return beef and vegetables.  Toss until heated through and sauce has soaked into noodles.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.