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A South Korean Luncheon & Giveaway

Sep 13, 2018 · 27 Comments

Thank you Bibigo for sponsoring this post. Visit your local market to enjoy the flavors of Bibigo any day of the week!

Today we’re hosting a special luncheon showcasing some of our favorite South Korean dishes like classic Kimchi and Korean Plum Team served alongside Bibigo’s Mandu and Steamed Dumplings!

There’s a pleasant stereotype regarding the autumn season in New York. It’s a nostalgic yet thoroughly modern scene of city blocks lined with browning memorial trees blanketed in fog-laden air, while the pedestrian crowds fade into their long coats and scarves to ward off the first of the year’s chills. Each year, this metropolitan scene plays out as masterfully as if Stevenson himself had composed the plot and set the scene.

It’s the subject of countless songs, poems, and musings, by New Yorkers and would-be New Yorkers alike – many of such masterful talent that I needn’t try to forge my own prose on the subject here to make my point.

Being out on the Island, autumn in New York is a tiny window of opportunity for, what I believe, is the best of the year’s outdoor entertaining. The air is pleasantly chilled, being neither prohibitively cold nor witheringly hot, and since autumn in New York does make for some nice vistas, it’s simply a nice way to end off the outdoor season.

All I will say is that I wanted to use this Sunday afternoon as an opportunity to take advantage of the inspiration behind those aforementioned musings. To that point, I had decided on hosting the brunch seaside on my porch – think strung lights, a ‘casually elegant’ table setting, and salty air perforated with just a hint of boat fuel from off the river. The brunch would start inside with tea, and then move outside for our Korean-themed light brunch. I would be serving kimchi and dumplings, paired with a homemade plum tea.

For precisely that purpose, I had prepared a kimchi several days ahead – to allow it to ferment properly. To prepare the kimchi, we simply chop a large Napa Cabbage in two-inch strips, and combine that in a bowl with a chopped black radish, and then add in enough water to fully cover them, add in about two ounces of sea salt, and then let that sit covered. Meanwhile, we’re going to need to prepare the ‘kimchi paste,’ which is a mix of freshly grated garlic, shaved ginger root, chopped scallions, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and chili paste.

Once that’s done, drain the cabbage, and combine that with the paste and then toss until it is all thoroughly mixed together, and then set that in the fridge to ferment. Curious to note as a fun fact, while virtually every modern kimchi recipe features garlic and chili pepper, historically kimchi wasn’t originally a spicy dish. While recipes and mentions of the dish go back to beginning of the Korean Three Kingdoms period, chili peppers weren’t widely used as a kimchi ingredient until about the 18th or 19th century.

Now, for the plum tea, we’re going to need the juice of about four plums, and then whisk that together with our simple syrup, the recipe for which is Here. Then divide that evenly between three glasses, and then top each glass off with cooled green tea, and garnish with berries or thinly sliced fruit – and just like that it’s ready to serve.

However, I wanted to keep things simple and easy, as I wanted to spend my time with my guests rather than in the kitchen. I also wanted to minimize my cleanup. Yet, I didn’t want to sacrifice on flavor or authenticity. So, what was my solution to achieve both maximal flavor along with maximal convenience?

Bibigo Mandu dumplings, which couldn’t be easier to prepare, and making discovering the flavor and excitement of Korean food super simple. To prepare them, I simply pan fried them as shown below, and then plated them as pictured, and they were ready to serve. Pan fried, these become slightly crunchy, which enhanced their inherent flavor, and makes either for a perfect appetizer or tapas-style meal – which was my goal for the brunch. As you can see in the pictures, for added authenticity and atmosphere, we’re serving and setting the plates with chopsticks.

Sunday came, and everything was precisely as I had planned, but just as we were heading outside…cue grey skis, rain, and unseasonably chilly air – all without warning, and all very much ‘all of a sudden.’

Needless to say, that forced our brunch back inside, or rather, forced our brunch to ‘remain’ inside – as you can see from the pictures of our final setting.

Living the Gourmet

Serves 4

Classic Kimchi and Korean Plum Tea

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

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5 based on 16 review(s)

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Ingredients

    For Kimchi:
  • 1 Napa Cabbage, chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 black radish, daikon radish or Korean radish, sliced very thin
  • 4 bulbs grated garlic
  • 1/4 cup shaved ginger root
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh chili paste
  • Water
  • 1/4 cup sea salt
  • Korean Plum Tea:
  • 4 plums, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons simple syrup
  • Fresh brewed green tea, cooled
  • Fruit for garnish

Instructions

    For Kimchi:
  1. In a large bowl, brine the chopped cabbage and sliced radish. Add enough water until the cabbage and radish are covered. Add salt, stir and cover. Leave to brine for about 2 hours.
  2. In the meantime, prepare your kimchi paste. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, ginger, scallions, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and chili paste. Set aside.
  3. Drain and rinse the brined cabbage and radish. Toss in a large bowl with the prepared kimchi paste until well combined.
  4. Serve and enjoy. Store any leftover kimchi in an airtight container. The longer it sits, the better it gets.
  5. Korean Plum Tea:
  6. Whisk the plum juice with the simple syrup and divide evenly between 3 glasses. You should have enough to fill each glass half way.
  7. Top off each with the cooled green tea and garnish with berries or thin slices of fruit if desired.
  8. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Prep Time does not include Inactive Prep Time

7.8.1.2
781
https://livingthegourmet.com/2018/09/a-south-korean-luncheon.html

However, eating beside the bay window, with the grey skies and rain in the background created a bit of unintended atmosphere for our brunch, the sort of ‘pleasantly sullen’ atmosphere that gave rise to the trope of ‘Autumn in New York.’

If you’d like to explore the flavor of Korea from the comfort of your home, be sure to check out Bibigo Here for more details or to find a store near you. Also, while you’re here, why not enter our Bibigo giveaway for a chance to win some free dumplings? Simply enter below by following Bibigo and leaving a comment below! Giveaway runs September 10 – September 20, 2018. For more details and to learn more about Bibigo, check out theirwebsite today.

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Enjoy with Love!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Lifestyle, Pork beverage, dumplings, kimchi, lunch, main dish, plums, refreshment, salad, side dish, soko, south korean, tea

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gabrielle says

    14/09/2018 at 9:45 pm

    I love the kimchi recipe. I definitely have to give that a try! And these dumplings sound absolutely delicious! I hope they carry them at a store near me.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  2. Karen D says

    14/09/2018 at 9:49 pm

    These look so good! I am in the Northeast, but very rural, so I don't have access to much ethnic cuisine. I am especially interested in their vegetarian options!
    Reply
  3. Evelyn Hernandez says

    15/09/2018 at 1:02 am

    I love kimchi, I have tried the store bought and it doesn't taste the same.
    Reply
  4. Preet says

    15/09/2018 at 10:55 am

    This looks so delightful and tasty. I just love everything about this!. This would disappear in no time at our house!.
    Reply
  5. Alexandra says

    15/09/2018 at 12:11 pm

    I absolutely love this post! I adore Korean food, and I am so hungry now having read this post.. thank you for sharing, and inspiring me to enjoy some of this delicious food again soon.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  6. Jasmine Hewitt says

    15/09/2018 at 2:46 pm

    i've never tried Kimchi. But I wouldn't mind trying this recipe although I hope I can do it justice.
    Reply
  7. Gloria says

    15/09/2018 at 5:10 pm

    This sounds like a FUN luncheon. The flavours sound delicious. I LOVE dumplings...and these look so good. I have not tried making kimchi at home yet, but I do buy it!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  8. Jyothi (Jo) says

    15/09/2018 at 5:16 pm

    I'm a huge fan of dumplings. It looks so so good.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  9. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    15/09/2018 at 5:16 pm

    Oh, wow! This looks amazing! I'm so glad the fall is upon us, too! I will try your kimchi recipe - I've never made it myself, and I love it!
    Reply
  10. Dennis Littley says

    15/09/2018 at 5:46 pm

    Can't go wrong with free dumplings! These look delicious. Thanks for sharing your Kimchi and Plum Tea recipe.
    Reply
  11. Claudia Lamascolo says

    15/09/2018 at 5:47 pm

    I have never had anything like these and they sure look delicious, I love the photos too and those flavors in these sound amazing!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  12. Kesha says

    15/09/2018 at 5:56 pm

    My family love dumplings. I am sure they would love the beef and vegetable. The Korean plum tea sound delicious!
    Reply
  13. Yeah Lifestyle says

    15/09/2018 at 8:49 pm

    What a super fun luncheon! All that food looks absolutely delicious and has my mouth watering!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  14. Veena Azmanov says

    15/09/2018 at 9:25 pm

    This looks like some fun luncheon. I have eaten something similar and I really love it. Well, I love Korean food especially the BBQs - Looks amazing and so easy to make too.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  15. Jenni LeBaron says

    15/09/2018 at 10:23 pm

    I am an absolute sucker for dumplings and always order a batch when we do takeout. These look absolutely scrumptious!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  16. Kimberly Caines says

    15/09/2018 at 11:21 pm

    I really love Kimchi recipe ever since. It seems your recipe is good to try too, thanks for sharing this kind of dish.
    Reply
  17. Marisa Franca says

    16/09/2018 at 9:18 am

    What a great brunch! Totally inspirational! Unfortunately the weather didn't think so and was obstinate. I'm not familiar with Korean dishes but some that you've mentioned I've heard of before. I'd love to give all of the dishes a try. They look delicious. I'll be writing the names down and pinning your recipes.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  18. Elizabeth says

    16/09/2018 at 10:29 am

    Those dumplings look extraordinary - it's hard to believe they came out of a packet! Yum!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  19. Mahy Elamin says

    16/09/2018 at 1:36 pm

    Oh how delicious this recipe looks. I am very LIKE!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  20. Laura says

    16/09/2018 at 1:58 pm

    I have never eaten anything like this, but it looks very good x Laura https://pinkfrenzymissl.blogspot.com/
    Reply
  21. Valerie says

    16/09/2018 at 7:20 pm

    When we used to get Chinese takeout we'd frequently get dumplings and/or wontons. These look like a great option to have on hand at home to save money instead of ordering takeout.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  22. Shaily says

    16/09/2018 at 8:16 pm

    Wow! Kimchi looks absolutely delicious and so does the Korean plum tea. I've never tasted these dishes but I'm definitely going to try my hands on the recipe.
    Reply
  23. swathi says

    17/09/2018 at 3:30 am

    I love bibigo products especially chicken and vegetable pot stickers, Your lunchon with great recipes love the menu. I would love to try Korean plum tea.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  24. 2pots2cook says

    17/09/2018 at 6:59 am

    Love your composition ! Thank you very much !
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  25. Natalie says

    17/09/2018 at 12:17 pm

    What a great post. I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you for this experience. I always wanted to know more about korean cuisine. I've tried kimchi but plum tea is still unknown to me.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  26. Jamie Wilmer says

    18/09/2018 at 7:18 am

    This looks absolutely yummy!!!!!! I would love to try these!!!!! Love trying any type of new foods!!!!!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  27. Jalisa says

    18/09/2018 at 5:47 pm

    That sounds like a lovely luncheon/ Glad you had a great time.
    Reply

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