As a Korean American who grew up in California, let me tell you I have some experience with fusion food. I grew a keen interest in mixing two of my personal favorite cuisines together to create something delicious. Today's recipe; Korean Tacos!
Now, what works with Korean Tacos? It might sound a bit strange to those who aren't accustomed with Korean food.
Korean Tacos integrate the sweetness of the marinade in the meats and the spiciness of the sauce, something both prevalent in Mexican cuisine. It is incredibly versatile, enabling you to make the choices on what you want in your tacos. Let's get started.
1. Meats
Now you can choose anytype of meat you want. The marinade we will be using is called a Bulgogi marinade, a solution both sweet and salty. Bulgogi is often made with beef, especially the ribeye but for this recipe, I chose flank steak. The flank is a cut with high muscle fibers but incredibly delicious. It is often used to make fajitas, which will be perfect in our tacos.
2. Marinade
The marinade itself is quite simple. In a large bowl, mix in sugar, soy sauce, crushed garlic, sesame oil, grated onions, and grated pears. No time for measurements, adjust as you go. These are the most important components to the marinade in my opinion. You can go without the grated pears but it adds a dash of fresh sweetness that you can't taste with just sugar. Also the enzymes in the pears help tenderize the steak. You can add other ingredients such as pepper or Korean chili paste, but don't forget the essentials. The steps are similar to the GIF above, just stop at the marinading part. Cut your steaks into bite sized pieces, making sure to cut against the grain for tender pieces. Using a Ziploc bag or a large bowl, marinade the meat for at least two hours. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT. The meat has to be in the marinade for at least this amount of time otherwise the flavor of the marinade will not be as present in your meat. Grill it, pan fry it, cook your meat! This can be done however you want.
3. Tortilla
I know you might be accustomed to flour tortilla for your tacos or crunchy corn tortillas. Personally, however, it is blasphemous to use any other type except soft corn tortillas. They add an element of authenticity and boost the flavor of the tacos.
4. Toppings
Keep the toppings simple. For the Korean Tacos, the toppings will only consist of a slaw with finely sliced cabbages, cilantro, and lime juice. The cabbages add a nice crunch while the cilantro amplifies the flavor. You can add green onions or scallions based on personal preferences.
5. Sauce
The sauce for Korean tacos is going to be sriracha mayo. You can buy the pre-made ones or you can make it yourself. Just add equal parts of mayo to sriracha. It's so easy, anyone can do it.
6. Assemble
Now with all the ingredients finally prepared, you can assemble your gorgeous tacos. Lightly toast up the tortillas in a pan with some oil so they are malleable. Add on your cabbage slaw, marinated meat, and the sauce with some lime on the side for an extra kick. Now, enjoy!
