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Homecooking: Korea's Rice n Beans and Grilled Chicken

© winddancer

Korea, once called Land of the Morning Calm is a beautiful and tranquil country. Caught between two ancient and powerful cultures called China and Japan, it has still managed to retain its individuality in its culture and its cooking.

Korean dishes may look simple hiding the preparation work that goes into them. They are flavorful and usually cooked sans sauces and adornments to allow the ingredients to retain their original flavor.

Pah Jook is is similar to Louisiana's dirty rice. Rice n Beans is everyday cooking, something that country people subsists on and will be serving frequently.

Korea considers the fox as its God of Rice. Legend has it that it was this animal that carried the first rice seed in his tongue into Korea from Japan. Most native dishes are based on white rice and fish.

The chicken recipe is broiled in oil but since it is barbecue season, one can throw them on top of the grill and cook it in that manner.

These recipes are copied straight from handwritten notes by a friend of mine who is married to a Korean. She learned these from her mother-in-law who happens to be a good cook. Now my friend, though she claims she is far from being an expert,can cook dishes like a native and even gives background stories to those dishes she serves whenever we visit.

Pah Jook or Rice and Beans

1 cup kidney type beans

1 cup rice

salt to taste

water to cover

1 onion

1 clove garlic

2 T. peanut oil

Serves 6.

The beans are soaked overnight and the next day they are simmered with onion, garlic and salt in the same water until soft enough to mash through a colander.

This puree is then fried in peanut oil.

The rice is washed and cooked in 2 cups boiling , salted water, then simmered with cover on for about 20 minutes , or until rice is tender and dry.

The bean puree and rice are mixed together with a little beef stock (or canned consomme).

Serve hot.

. Grilled Korean Chicken

chicken breasts

soy sauce

white wine

chopped green pepper

mustard

mashed ginger

garlic

cooked rice

Chicken breasts are marinated in soy sauce, white wine, chopped green pepper, mustard, mashed ginger, and garlic.

They are broiled with oil and served on the ever-present-dry white rice with the heated marinade.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cook's Notes:

Red kidney beans are most often used for pah jook, Trendy restaurants now serve it with small dumplings made from packaged biscuit mix. You know that brand.