Kimchi Fries

A trip last year to Seoul, South Korea took led me to Vatos Urban Tacos, a restaurant started and run by two Korean-Americans and that specialized in fusing Mexican and Korean food. One of their most delicious creations was kimchi fries, an amazing dish that combined the best of several worlds: the salty Asian flavors of Korean BBQ beef (bulgogi), the sour taste of kimchi, and the best of all comfort foods, French fries.

I've had a craving for it since I returned and finally had the motivation to look into it. I found this particular recipe on Food and Wine, and it's a good one. The more difficult part will be finding kimchi and the Korean chile paste -- luckily I live in southern California, where Asian markets abound; if you don't have that luxury look online. I've modified this recipe to make half the sauce, as the original amount made way too much.

Ingredients

Bulgogi

• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 pound boneless rib eye steak, cut into very thin, 3-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Toppings

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tb distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoons Korean chile paste (gochujang)
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup kimchi
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha, plus more for serving

 Fries

• 1 pound hot french fries

Instructions

1. Make the bulgogi. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil. Add the rib eye and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight.
2. Drain the meat, pick off the solids and pat dry. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until smoking. Add the meat and cook over high heat, turning once, until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and keep warm. Rinse out the skillet and wipe dry.
3. Prepare the toppings. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, chile paste, and soy sauce. Add the kimchi and toss to coat. Heat the skillet until very hot. Add the kimchi and cook over high heat until the liquid is thickened and glossy and the kimchi is browned in spots, about 5 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the 3 tablespoons of Sriracha.
5. Scatter the french fries on a platter and top with the bulgogi and kimchi. Drizzle with some of the Sriracha mayonnaise and sprinkle with cheddar, onion, sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with additional Sriracha.

Serves 2-4.