Korean Beef Bowl

It's been two weeks since I last posted, but it feels like forever! Work has been incredibly busy with all of the new student orientations, and by the time I get home, all I want to do is SLEEP--the kitchen can wait! I'm loving my job, though, so I'm thrilled! :)

It felt so good to be back in there today, though, and cooking with some savory, delicious flavors! This Korean beef bowl is actually a "cheater" recipe; a twist on a Korean dish called bulgogi. Bulgogi is traditionally made with marinated seared steak.  This ground beef version is much faster, extremely delicious, and very inexpensive to make!

The best part is: it is quick (probably 30 minutes) and SO EASY. I made it for my family for lunch today, and received great feedback. I used some of my favorite Asian flavors in this dish today, like sesame and ginger...overall, an absolutely delicious meal.

I cooked for six people today, so I tripled the recipe; however, the following recipe, adapted from Damn Delicious, yields 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (you can substitute honey)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef (you can use lean beef or substitute ground turkey)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Cilantro, chopped
• Cooked rice, for serving (brown rice is fine)

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice; garnish with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.