← Nouns Cooking · Korean

Ingredients

• 300 g garaetteok (long rice cake sticks)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 250 g sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 1 x 7 cm strips
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp Mirin
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ¼ Asian pear, grated (optional)
• Black pepper
• 4 king oyster mushrooms, cut into 7 cm strips
• 2 Carrot, cut into 7 cm strips
• 6 Spring onion, white parts, cut into 7 cm lengths
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds or chopped pine nuts

Method

1. Cut the rice cakes into 7 cm lengths and halve them lengthways if thick. If they are hard, blanch them for 1–2 min until soft. Toss with the soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.
2. Mix the beef with its marinade and leave for 15 min. Blanch the carrot strips for 1 minute and drain.
3. Thread the rice cake, beef, mushroom, carrot and spring onion tightly onto short skewers, alternating the colours.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the skewers for 3–4 min per side, brushing with any leftover marinade, until the beef is cooked and the rice cake is golden.
5. Trim the ends neatly, sprinkle with sesame seeds or pine nuts and serve warm.

Tips

• Use fresh, soft rice cakes; day-old ones crack on the skewer unless blanched first.
• Cutting everything to the same length is what makes sanjeok look so pretty on a holiday table.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Korean Bapsang Beyond Kimchee