Christmas Eve PulKogi

A tradition in our home is having PulKogi (a traditional Korean dish) on Christmas Eve.  I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Korea and we enjoy having this dish each year.  I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 lb. beef, sliced very thin

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet.  If they get too hot, they will begin to pop, so keep a lid handy.  After toasting, grind or mash the seeds.  Or you can put them in a food processor and process them to a powder.  Combine all the ingredients except the meat.  Add the mixture to the meat and use your hands to thorougly mix together.  Put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a zip-lock bag and let set for at least two hours.  I like to do it for 5-6 hours.  Cook in a frypan and serve with rice.  I like to eat it with leaf lettuce leaves, like lettuce wraps.

In addition to PulKogi, our traditional Christmas Eve dinner includes fresh broccoli and cheese sauce, rolls, raspberry jello with cream cheese balls, and Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider.