Savory Loofah Vegetable Stir-fry & Spicy Zucchini Pork Stir-fry & Sweet Soy Braised Burdock Root with Beef
Three Homemade Side Dishes for a Daughter Missing Home Cooking
We visit our daughter living away from home because we miss her. Since she loves home-cooked meals, we brought her seasoned loofah, kimchi stew, boiled sweet potatoes, and melon.
Savory Loofah Vegetable Stir-fry Ingredients
- 200g Loofah (seasoned)
- 100g Sausage
- 3 Korean green chilies (Cheongyang pepper)
- 1 Red chili pepper
- 4 Tbsp Anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- 2 Tbsp Minced garlic
- Broth (anchovy-kelp broth or rice water)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Sesame oil
- A little cooking oil
Spicy Zucchini Pork Stir-fry Ingredients
- 1/2 Round zucchini
- 100g Pork (ground or thinly sliced)
- 1 Red chili pepper
- 2 Korean green chilies (Cheongyang pepper)
- 2 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp Anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- A pinch of black pepper
Sweet Soy Braised Burdock Root with Beef Ingredients
- 2 Burdock roots (approx. 200g)
- 100g Beef (ground or thinly sliced)
- 5 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Rice syrup or corn syrup
- 4 Tbsp Mirin (rice wine)
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar (for preparing burdock)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 Round zucchini
- 100g Pork (ground or thinly sliced)
- 1 Red chili pepper
- 2 Korean green chilies (Cheongyang pepper)
- 2 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp Anchovy sauce (fish sauce)
- A pinch of black pepper
Sweet Soy Braised Burdock Root with Beef Ingredients
- 2 Burdock roots (approx. 200g)
- 100g Beef (ground or thinly sliced)
- 5 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Rice syrup or corn syrup
- 4 Tbsp Mirin (rice wine)
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar (for preparing burdock)
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Prepare the loofah by cleaning it thoroughly and cutting it into bite-sized pieces (about 5cm long). Slice the sausage similarly. Thinly slice the green and red chili peppers diagonally.
2. Lightly grease a pan with cooking oil. Sauté the minced garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
3. Add the prepared loofah, broth (or rice water), and anchovy sauce to the pan with the sautéed garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook until the loofah is tender.
4. Once the loofah is partially cooked, add the sliced sausage and chili peppers. Continue to stir-fry until everything is well combined.
5. Finish by drizzling in sesame oil and sprinkling sesame seeds for a nutty aroma. Your savory loofah side dish is ready!
Step 2
1. Marinate the pork (ground or thinly sliced) with minced garlic, soy sauce, black pepper, and mirin. Mix well and let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 3
1. Slice the round zucchini into half-moon shapes. Finely slice the red and green chili peppers diagonally to add a spicy kick.
2. In a pan, stir-fry the marinated pork over medium heat, breaking it apart so it doesn’t clump.
Step 4
1. Once the pork is mostly cooked, add the sliced zucchini and anchovy sauce, along with the chili peppers. Stir-fry everything together.
2. For a crispier zucchini texture, cook over high heat, stirring quickly until the zucchini becomes tender and slightly translucent.
3. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish.
Step 5
1. When preparing the burdock root, you can use a peeler to gently scrape off the skin. This helps to make it tender and easier to eat. Leaving the skin on can also add more nutrients.
Step 6
1. After preparing the burdock root, you can either use it raw or blanch it. To blanch, bring water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and add the burdock root for 1-2 minutes. This step helps reduce any bitterness and maintains a crisp texture. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.
Step 7
1. Marinate the beef (ground or thinly sliced) with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, minced garlic, and black pepper. In a lightly oiled pan, stir-fry the marinated beef, breaking it apart to prevent clumping.
Step 8
1. Add the prepared burdock root to the stir-fried beef. Pour in 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of rice syrup (or corn syrup), and 4 tablespoons of mirin. Mix well to coat the ingredients evenly.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer gently, allowing the sauce to thicken and the flavors to penetrate the burdock root and beef. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 9
1. Once the sauce has reduced to a desirable consistency, turn off the heat and drizzle with sesame oil for added aroma.
2. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish. This sweet and savory braised burdock root with beef is a delicious side dish perfect for rice!
