Korean food and Bobby Flay

[Soup]

This afternoon I turn on the food network and there he is Bobby Flay. He is in a Korean Grocery store with some woman (Korean???) buying stuff for a korean BBQ (e.g., red leaf lettuce). Then it cuts to his kitchen where is a jar of cabbage and ingrediants for kimchi and he starts shaking it. Ok, never seen that before but I guess it could work.

He then starts making the merinade (I think). This is the part where he indicated that korean use a lot of mint and through in a bunch of mint. He then made a dipping sauce and indicated that korean use fish sauce in the dip and pulled out the three crabs fish sauce. This is where I got turned off and stopped watching. It was a whole five minutes.

I don't think I have ever seen mint used in korean food. Is mint common? As for the dip, we usually serve a paste (made out of soy bean paste) not a dip. Could Bobby Flay have thought me aspects of korean food that I wasn't aware of? Was I wrong for dismissing his research so quickly and turning the tube off?

Soup.

[glossyp]

I made it a few minutes more but only because we were laughing so hard and it was the funniest and most bizarre thing we've seen since Emeril did Japanese food.

[touaregsand]

Korean mint

Photo of Korean mint

Is Flay an herbalist now? Was he making Korean tea?

I'm not a stickler for 'authenticity' all the time and I'm glad that Korean food is becoming more widely known. Flay or any other chef, should say something more like "Korean inspired" rather than making statements about cuisines (cultures) that are clearly out of their realms of expertise.

[sun]

Neat, I would have liked to have caught this show.

Did those of you who watched get a good look at his "mint?" Did it look like your usual garden variety Western mint? Or did it possibly look like Korean kaennip aka green perilla? I've heard that perilla is part of the mint family. --But it sounds like he put this "mint" into the marinade? Hmm...

Here's a picture of kaennip. Er, first time posting a link, so it may not work:

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreensee...rperlarlea.html

My mom uses a Korean brand of fish sauce sometimes when she makes kimchi. That's the only time she ever uses fish sauce, though.

Edited July 11, 2005 by sun (log)

[touaregsand]

Didn't watch the show. If Flay used kaenip, Soup probably would have recognized it.

As for traditional Korean fish sauce it's used in more than kimchi.

[jrufusj]

Isn't kKaennip actually sesame leaf? I think Korea shiso leaf (Perilla frutescens var. japonica) is called ilbon kaennip isn't it?

In any case, I've certainly not seen ordinary mint in Korean food.

As to fish sauce, I've often seen Korean fish sauce (jotgal) used both in yangnyeom for kimchi and also as a dip for bossam and similar preparations of pork, among other things. But I've never seen it as part of a dip for Korean barbecue.

I guess I need to watch more Food Network (not!).

Jim

[ellencho]

Soup, I did a bit of research for you and I pulled up Food Network schedule for yesterday. It looks like he used the mint and fish sauce for a non-bulgogi dish - a shrimp/lettuce wrap dish - this one..

Either way, all of the misinformation given about Korean food these days makes my head hurt.

[ellencho]

Ggennip looks very different from mint leaves. The mint leaves are smaller and ovoid in shape, and the ggennip leaves are more spade shaped and can be roughly the size of a small woman's hand.

Apparently, both perilla and sesame are in the same family, lamiaceae (the mint family incidentally) so I can understand how maybe they might be confused for one another.

Edited July 11, 2005 by ellencho (log)

[Soup]

It did not look like Gaenip. I grow the stuff (l like gaenip and it grows like a weed in my garden). It looked like regular mint.

I like to expand what Touaregsand said. If the context was "korean inspired" go nuts and do what you want. But if the show is to educate what korean food is like, well that is another thing all together.

On the food network I've seen 3 people touch the subject of korean food. Emeril, Bobby F, and Al Roecker. Emeril did a little thing on korean BBQ on Emeril live (it wasn't very long) and Al did a 5 to 10 minute piece on a korean resturant in NY.

I don't think korean food is still widely known as compared to thai, japanese, indian, etc. But I think the korean food and the korean table is very distict from these other food cultures. There has to be a better person than the above mentioned three to talk about the korean food on TV and give it some justice. Any thoughts as to who could be the korean food's version of Martin Yan?

I will not get off my soap box and go back to eating.

Soup

[touaregsand]

Tyler Florence, Ming Tsai, Morimoto, David Rosengarten, and a Chinese America female chef who's name escapes me did a few things about Korean food or Korean ingredients.

Rosengarten did a well informed piece on kimchi and galbi jim (I think that was the dish). I remember being impressed with his level of knowledge. It was a good show.

Tyler Florence, hmm, better than Flay, but I would have preferred he said "Kimchi like"

The Asian chefs did 'fusiony' dishes that were quite nice.

[ellencho]

This will probably clue you into how petty I can be, but I once saw a Tyler Florence Korean food episode and what broke my heart the most was that the Korean woman he cooked with said Kar-bi instead of kalbi. I think she had a Korean mom, but I'm not sure about her dad, so I'll just say she was probably hapa, but still, you have a Korean mommy and you can't say kalbi?

In that same episode, he made mu banchan and he used turmeric. I don't think my family has ever used turmeric in Korean cooking, does anyone else's family use turmeric in their Korean food? Here's the link to that recipe.

[touaregsand]

We don't use turmeric in our cooking.

Flay's dish looks more Korean/Southeast Asian from the recipe Ellen linked to.

Alot of this stuff doesn't really bother me much. Of course I'd prefer a more informed voice. But at least some notion of Korean, Koreanized American, Americanized Korean is reaching a larger audience. Maybe I won't be asked about kimchi that's been buried in the ground anymore.

Has anyone else noticed that Korean BBQ and packaged Korean BBQ sauces are the new Teriyaki? I think some companies have simply re-labeled teriyaki sauces to tap into a growing interest in Korean foods.

In LA alot non-Korean Asian restaurants served Korean BBQ or other Korean Beef dish. The Thai place down the street from me has Korean braised short ribs listed a house specialty. There's a Japanese BBQ chain that basically serves Korean BBQ and customers cook the food at the table Korean style. Some of the names of the dishes are Japanicised pronunciations of Korean. Apparently they have several hundred locations in Japan and they've open at least one in LA. I can't remember the name right now. But it reminds me of some of the places in Seoul that serve Korean and Japanese.

[bilrus]

The thing to understand about Flay's cooking is that he isn't interested in authenticity of any of his cusines. This is probably partly attributable to the fact that the Southwestern US food he made his reputation on pulls from so many different cultures.

Purists may not like it, and I didn't really like my only meal at Mesa Grill, but his recipes from the Boy Meets Grill show are pretty good and he's not claiming to be something he isn't.

[Soup]

Here is the thought. A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food. I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

[chefzadi]

Here is the thought.  A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food.  I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

←

I nominate my wife. She's sexier than Nigella (much thinner, but still curvy), can tae kwon do chop Martha, speaks more clearly than Julia Childs, can out smoke and drink Bourdain, she's a total smart ass but is passionate about food, only thing is she's shy.

[Soup]

Here is the thought.  A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food.  I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

←

I nominate my wife. She's sexier than Nigella (much thinner, but still curvy), can tae kwon do chop Martha, speaks more clearly than Julia Childs, can out smoke and drink Bourdain, she's a total smart ass but is passionate about food, only thing is she's shy.

←

But how is her knowledge of korean cusine and culture?

[chefzadi]

She knows alot.

[Soup]

She knows alot.

←

I'd would love to see that show.

[Jason Perlow]

Here is the thought.  A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food.  I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

←

My pick would be Mike Colameco, and he already has a cooking/food education show on PBS. His wife is Korean and he's prepared authentic Korean dishes before on his program.

http://www.colameco.com

He's also a really nice guy and very down to earth.

However, I don't think America is ready for a dedicated show about Korean cooking. Perhaps a miniseries on it of 3 or 4 episodes. I've already made my points about this on another thread (click).

Be it as it may, that doesn't mean the eG Society isn't ready for it. We've been wanting to do a eGCI course on Korean food for a while, but nobody so far has stepped up to the plate to do it.

I nominate my wife. She's sexier than Nigella (much thinner, but still curvy), can tae kwon do chop Martha, speaks more clearly than Julia Childs, can out smoke and drink Bourdain, she's a total smart ass but is passionate about food, only thing is she's shy

So Farid, if your wife would be perfect for such a thing, perhaps she can be convinced to do this for us? The last time I asked her, she said YOU were the best candidate for the job. The two of you should put your money where your mouths are and propose a course outline to Janet Zimmerman (JAZ), Dean of the eGCI.

[AmyDaniel]

Here is the thought.  A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food.  I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

←

I nominate my wife. She's sexier than Nigella (much thinner, but still curvy), can tae kwon do chop Martha, speaks more clearly than Julia Childs, can out smoke and drink Bourdain, she's a total smart ass but is passionate about food, only thing is she's shy.

←

All riiiight! Come on, JY!

[chefzadi]

Here is the thought.  A korean food show either on PBS or Food network with a chef who knows about korean food.  I'm thinking series not a single segment.

Who would you pick to do the show?

←

My pick would be Mike Colameco, and he already has a cooking/food education show on PBS. His wife is Korean and he's prepared authentic Korean dishes before on his program.

http://www.colameco.com

He's also a really nice guy and very down to earth.

However, I don't think America is ready for a dedicated show about Korean cooking. Perhaps a miniseries on it of 3 or 4 episodes. I've already made my points about this on another thread (click).

Be it as it may, that doesn't mean the eG Society isn't ready for it. We've been wanting to do a eGCI course on Korean food for a while, but nobody so far has stepped up to the plate to do it.

I nominate my wife. She's sexier than Nigella (much thinner, but still curvy), can tae kwon do chop Martha, speaks more clearly than Julia Childs, can out smoke and drink Bourdain, she's a total smart ass but is passionate about food, only thing is she's shy

So Farid, if your wife would be perfect for such a thing, perhaps she can be convinced to do this for us? The last time I asked her, she said YOU were the best candidate for the job. The two of you should put your money where your mouths are and propose a course outline to Janet Zimmerman (JAZ), Dean of the eGCI.

←

Pursue your first pick.

We did step up to plate, it's been delayed till Fall. We might be dead by then.

[melonpan]

I think she had a Korean mom, but I'm not sure about her dad, so I'll just say she was probably hapa, but still, you have a Korean mommy and you can't say kalbi? 

i have friends who were born in korea and raised here since a young age. they say karbi.

my younger sister, born here, also has a hard time pronouncing things. she says karbi. cant say 'ddeok' either.

nothing unusual.

yes, their mommies are korean. so are their daddies.

is there something so sad about it? wouldnt break my heart.

hey, im just glad to know that someone is out there promoting korean food.

as for the tumeric...

you know that sickly bright yellow second rate takuan that gets served up with your $5 bowl of jjajangmyeon? that is usually colored yellow with tumeric.

i prefer different kind of takuan (takuan that has spent months in a nukadoko, MMM BABY), but yeah, all that cheap yellow stuff often has tumeric in it. and, if it isnt yellow enough, they will also add dye.

[melonpan]

Be it as it may, that doesn't mean the eG Society isn't ready for it. We've been wanting to do a eGCI course on Korean food for a while, but nobody so far has stepped up to the plate to do it.

i always kind of assumed chef zadi was working on this, actually... !

[melonpan]

We did step up to plate, it's been delayed till Fall. We might be dead by then.

the problem with replying as you go along, you miss stuff like this.

anyway, see? i thought right! hehe...

i look forward to what will be some really great stuff!!!

[chefzadi]

as for the tumeric...

you know that sickly bright yellow second rate takuan that gets served up with your $5 bowl of jjajangmyeon? that is usually colored yellow with tumeric.

Yes, but that's Japanese though. And it's a commercial product. Turmeric isn't used in Korean homecooking.

Not to nitpick or anything.