Now, these are cool. And different. We would say that if you are a really picky eater, you might not love these because of the kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage, fabulously unique in flavor). We love kimchi at our house – the 10 year old enjoys in straight from the jar with her fingers, while Mom prefers it stir-fried in rice, but still enjoyed it uncooked in these tacos.
There are a few cool flavors and textures that go on here: hearty steak, sweet pear and scallions, acidic and tangy kimchi and hot Sriracha. The greens add a cool freshness, and it’s all wrapped up in a vessel everybody loves: a slightly crunchy corn tortilla, hot off the grill. These tacos are a super fun way to change dinner up a bit.
Tip (unsponsored): At least where we live, skirt steak can be sort of hard to find. It shows up here and there, but nowhere really consistently. When we can’t find a cut that is specifically labeled “skirt steak,” we buy the “flap meat” from Costco. Skirt steak is a little more tender than flap meat, but it totally works in this dish. We suggest cutting it nice and thin and into bite-size pieces after it’s coked to avoid excessive chewiness. We find our kimchi at our local Asian market.
Have your kids help you whisk the marinade ingredients together and fill their own tacos. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:
- Kimchi has healthy bacteria that helps prevent diarrhea.
- Pears contain pectin, which helps to keep the bad fat in your blood low.
- Mixed greens give you folate, which helps keep you from having heart problems.
A few facts about Korea and it’s people:
- Most restaurants, including McDonald’s, will deliver food right to your apartment door. The ones who bring your food in actual dishes will come back later to get the dirty ones.
- In Korea, there is a festival where people bathe and play in the mud for 10 days.
- Many Koreans believe that your blood type will tell them a lot about your personality.
Adapted from: Korean Beef Tacos
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1 -pound skirt steak, cut crosswise into thirds
- Vegetable oil, for the grill pan
- 1 bunch scallions
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons gochujang (Korean chile paste) or Sriracha,
- plus more to taste
- 1 cup kimchi, cut into strips
- 1 firm pear, finely chopped
- 12 6 -inch corn tortillas
- 2 cups mixed Asian greens (2 ounces) or other lettuce
- Whisk the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the brown sugar and garlic in a shallow dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature, 20 minutes.
- Brush a large grill pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade (do not pat dry) and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the scallions with 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Grill, turning, until charred, about 4 minutes; transfer to the cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces. Slice the steak against the grain; toss with any collected juices.
- Whisk the mayonnaise and hot sauce in a small bowl. Toss the kimchi, pear and the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in another bowl. Lightly char the tortillas over a gas burner, about 20 seconds per side. Serve the steak and scallions in the tortillas with the greens, spicy mayonnaise and kimchi-pear mixture.
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