Thanksgiving and Korean short rib stew

Matt and I didn't go anywhere for Thanksgiving. We're saving up to go home for Christmas. Matt's one rule for Turkey Day? Cook something so we could eat by noon. He didn't want me to cook all day. Since I've got a cold and I've been coughing for the past few days, I just wanted soup. I made Kalbi jjim, Korean short rib stew, which is usually made for special occasions. I improved the recipe I already had to give the stew more flavor.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kalbi jjim
Serves 4

2-3 lbs. short ribs, bone-in
5/8 cup or 150 ml soy sauce
1/4 cup or 60 ml mirin
3/4 cup or 100 g sugar
9 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
cold water to cover

Vegetable garnish
1 daikon radish, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

Garnish:
1 cup chestnuts, roasted, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup dried jujubes, pitted
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
sea salt

2 cups rice
3 cups water

For the rice:
Rinse rice three times. Make rice in a rice cooker. Or, combine rice and water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Simmer for about 18 minutes. Take off heat. Let sit for about five minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

For chestnuts:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make an incision in each chestnut by cutting across the shell and piercing the inner skin. Roast chestnuts on a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes. Peel, cut into quarters and set aside.

For the stew:
Cover short ribs with cold water in a pot. Bring to a boil and then discard the liquid.

Mix soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic and ginger. Pour the mixture over short ribs in a clean pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil on the stove top. Lower heat to a simmer. Partially cover pot with a lid, leaving space for steam to escape. (I like to cut parchment paper to fit the diameter of the pot and I lay it over the stew. I cut a hole in the middle of the parchment paper lid. Less liquid seems to evaporate.)

Simmer stew for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.  Skim off any oil that rises to the top. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, daikon radish and potatoes.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the carrots, radish and potatoes to the stew. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add chestnuts, mushrooms and pitted jujubes.

Ladle the stew in each bowl. Sprinkle sea salt over the short ribs. Serve with rice.

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