The Ultimate Rice Thief: Shaved Spicy Pork Bulgogi
This is a recipe for spicy pork bulgogi, a combination known only to those in the know as the 'ultimate rice thief.' It's even more delicious when served with myeongi-namul jangajji (pickled wild garlic leaves).
📝 Editor's Notes
'The Ultimate Rice Thief: Shaved Spicy Pork Bulgogi' is an appealing Korean dish with a spicy and sweet sauce combined with thinly sliced pork, making you easily finish a bowl of rice.
The cooking time is very short, just 7-8 minutes, so it's easy to prepare for busy weeknights or unexpected guests.
It pairs wonderfully with myeongi-namul jangajji (pickled wild garlic leaves), which elevates the flavor of the meat.
Thanks to the quick stir-frying method over high heat, you can enjoy both the savory taste of thinly sliced pork belly or shoulder and the crisp texture of vegetables.
It's a dish that everyone, young and old, will love.
We recommend it as a simple yet sure source of happiness in everyday home cooking rather than for special occasions.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
The star of this recipe is the pork.
We use thinly sliced pork shoulder or belly; it's crucial to choose fresh, thinly sliced meat.
If the meat is too thick, the seasoning won't penetrate well, and cooking time will increase.
For cabbage, choose fresh, firm heads with green outer leaves to add a crisp texture and sweet taste.
Young garlic scapes (put-maneul (풋마늘)) are the secret ingredient in this dish; their unique fragrance elevates the pork's flavor to the next level.
If young garlic scapes are hard to find, fresh green onions are a good substitute, but if you can get them, I highly recommend using them.
🔄 Substitution Guide
Besides thinly sliced pork shoulder or belly, you can also substitute with thinly sliced pork front leg (boston butt) or hind leg.
However, these cuts have less fat and are leaner, so it's even more important to stir-fry them quickly over high heat to avoid dryness.
For sweetness, you can use allulose or honey instead of sugar.
Allulose helps reduce calorie intake, while honey adds its unique aroma and flavor.
If you don't have cheongju (청주) or soju (소주), you can use mirin or cooking wine.
If those are unavailable, adding a small amount of water can help reduce any gamey odors.
You can use green onions instead of young garlic scapes, but remember that the unique fragrance of young garlic scapes (put-maneul (풋마늘)) is difficult to substitute.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most crucial cooking points are 'high heat' and 'short cooking time.' Since the thinly sliced pork is thin, it must be stir-fried quickly over high heat to prevent juices from escaping and maintain a tender texture.
Stir-fry the meat in the pan over high heat for about 5 minutes.
It's important to keep stirring to prevent the meat from burning.
Don't miss the step of adding cabbage and young garlic scapes, covering the pan, and cooking for 2-3 minutes.
This process allows the sweet flavors of the vegetables to emerge, and the aromas of the meat and vegetables to meld together for a deeper taste.
Finally, adding corn syrup, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds adds a glossy finish and a savory aroma, making it even more appetizing.
👨🍳 Directions
Prepare 600g of thinly sliced pork shoulder or belly.
Combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar (or allulose), 3 tbsp cheongju (청주) (or soju (소주)), 1 tbsp gochujang (고추장), 3 tbsp gochugaru (고춧가루), black pepper to taste, 100 ml water, 2 tbsp minced garlic (about 5 cloves), and minced white part of a green onion to make the seasoning.
Add the pork to the prepared seasoning and massage it in thoroughly to ensure the meat is well coated.
Slice one handful of cabbage into long strips. Cut young garlic scapes (put-maneul (풋마늘)) (or green onions) into finger-length pieces.
Heat a pan over high heat until very hot. If using pork shoulder, add 3 tbsp cooking oil (omit if using pork belly, as it releases its own fat).
Add the seasoned pork to the hot pan and stir-fry quickly over high heat for about 5 minutes until the pork is cooked and some liquid forms.
Add the cabbage and young garlic scapes (or green onions), cover the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Once the vegetables are softened and the pork is fully cooked, stir-fry while mixing again. If you want a bolder flavor, you can add more gochugaru (고춧가루).
Finish by adding 1 drizzle of corn syrup, a dash of sesame oil (chamgireum (참기름)) (or perilla oil (deulgireum (들기름))), and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
💡 Tips
Minced white part of green onion enhances the flavor of the seasoning significantly.
If possible, definitely use young garlic scapes (put-maneul (풋마늘)); their aroma is on a different level.
Thinly sliced pork cooks completely in about 5 minutes when stir-fried quickly over high heat.
Cooking the vegetables with the lid on for 2-3 minutes helps the juices and aromas develop properly.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Store leftover shaved spicy pork bulgogi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
While freezing is possible, stir-fried dishes with vegetables can become soft upon thawing, so it's best to consume them quickly.
To reheat, stir-fry in a pan with a little cooking oil over medium-low heat, or microwave it.
Adding a little water or broth when reheating can help maintain moisture.
Leftover bulgogi can be used as a rice topping or stir-fried with kimchi to make a delicious bulgogi kimchi fried rice.
🥢 Who This Is For
We highly recommend this shaved spicy pork bulgogi to those who love spicy and sweet flavors.
It's perfect when you need a hearty meal or are looking for a dish that satisfies the whole family.
The short cooking time also makes it excellent as a camping or glamping meal.
The best accompaniments are warm white rice and the myeongi-namul jangajji (pickled wild garlic leaves) mentioned in the recipe.
Serving it with fresh ssam (쌈) vegetables (lettuce, perilla leaves) and a refreshing bean sprout soup will make for an even richer meal.
It also pairs wonderfully with makgeolli (막걸리) or a cold beer, making it a great option for a casual drink after work.
🔥 Nutrition Info
Based on approximately 4 servings, one serving of this shaved spicy pork bulgogi is estimated to be around 300-400 kcal.
The main ingredient, pork, provides about 25-30g of high-quality protein per serving, and is rich in B vitamins and iron, which can help with fatigue recovery and anemia prevention.
Carbohydrates and sodium are present in the gochujang (고추장), soy sauce, and corn syrup used in the seasoning, while cooking oil and the pork's own fat contribute about 15-20g of fat.
Vegetables like cabbage and young garlic scapes provide dietary fiber and vitamin C, balancing the nutrition.
If you wish to reduce sodium intake, adjust the amounts of soy sauce and gochujang, or use low-calorie sweeteners like allulose.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!