Kalbi Mother Sauce + Spicy Verde
After watching Roy Choi’s Master Class, I rushed to the kitchen and made his “mother” sauces. The Kalbi marinade is so delicious, and you may even enjoy a sip! He does in the class and recommends adding Tequila! I may try that tonight…
Kalbi marinade usually has some combination of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a sweetener, but every restaurant (and Korean mom) has a different variation. Following Roy Choi’s recipe, I used kiwi and sugar to add sweetness, but you’ll find recipes that call for grated apple, honey, brown sugar, and even lemon-lime soda, a sneaky pantry substitute for fruit. Feel free to make substitutions in your own marinade—use apple cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar, and so on.
Use this Kalbi marinade for Korean beef bbq, grilled vegetables, chicken, or whatever you want. It’s amazing. Make it now and thank me after 15 minutes, because that’s all the time you need.
For an even spicier Salsa Verde, add 1-2 Serrano peppers. For an instant burst of flavor, use it as a topping for tacos, bbq, refried beans, or chicken or as a dip for your tortilla chips.
Kalbi Marinade
1/2 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves
1/2 bunch scallions (about 4 scallions), roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup sugar
1 Kiwi
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin (you can sub apple juice, or water)
1 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Store in air tight jar/container up to one week.
Spicy Roasted Salsa Verde
2-3 jalapeños (I used 1 fresh + 1 pickled)
2 tomatillos
3 garlic cloves (peeled)
3 scallions
1 bunch of cilantro
1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 rice wine vinegar
1/8 cup mirin
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup oil (I used EVOO+MCT)
Using a cast iron pan or grill pan, char the tomatillos, scallions (whole), and garlic cloves. Next, puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Store in air tight jar/container up to one month.
