Korean Beef Stew

Many years ago, way too many to recall, I  studied Korean for a year and as part of of our course we did some cooking. I have always enjoyed experimenting with Asian cuisines. The local Asian grocer is a constant source of new and sometimes unrecognisable ingredients and often I have to enlist the support of the staff to help me find things that I need or explain what various products are.

With Winter upon us I turn to slow cooked soups, braises and stews. I have my standbys but sometimes like to jazz them up with some new ingredients. This Korean style stew is a good example of taking a basic dish and swapping out some ingredients. 

Korean Rice Cake. These come in a sliced form or a thick tubular form. Either are fine but I used the sliced.

Korean Hot Pepper / Chilli paste

Miso Paste

I use a cast iron Dutch oven. You can brown the meat, put it in the oven and return to the stove top.

Leftovers freeze well, make double.

Korean Beef Stew

1 kg stewing beef *, cut into large pieces 3 onions, sliced 6 cloves garlic, crushed 3 carrots, cut into 1 cm slices Small amount of oil for browning 1 large knob green ginger, grated 1 tablespoon Korean Chilli paste** 1 tablespoon Miso paste *I use sliced blade bone or oyster blade ** Or more if you like it really hot

Optional 1 packet Korean Rice cakes, sliced Garnish Thinly sliced spring onions to garnish

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, add beef and brown all over. Then add onions and continue to brown.

Add garlic, ginger, chilli paste and miso, mix through the beef and onions.

Add enough water to cover the beef mixture. Cover and place in 150 deg C oven for 40 minutes. Alternatively it can be cooked on the stovetop on a very low heat.

Add carrots and return to oven and cook for a further hour.

Optional

Remove from oven add the rice cakes and simmer for a few minutes or until cooked. Add a little more water if necessary as the sliced rice cakes absorb the liquid.

Garnish with the thinly sliced spring onions