Welcome to this week's 'Eat Like a K-pop Star.' It's the weekly series where we showcase a delicious Korean specialty or something we've seen a K-pop star chowing down on lately and show you how to get or create some food of your own.
It's winter, which means it's time for warm meals full of flavor, the kind that fill the belly and make you feel all toasty. Your favorite idols would agree that now is the time to indulge a little to keep the heart and soul snug during the blistery months.
A great way to get those hearty meals are with a slow cooker, also known as a crock pot. There are all kinds of benefits to cooking with a slow cooker. For one, it's generally super easy - just throw all the ingredients in there and let it stew. You could start it before work and have a meal ready to go when you get home. A slow cook is also great for deepening flavor and keeping meat tender and juicy.
When you're cooking with Korean ingredients, which are already full of rich, complex flavors, the combination of the long cook time and intense tastes make for an astonishingly flavor-packed meal. Here are some slow cooker recipes for Korean staples - the kind of foods that idols grew up eating with their Korean families:
Slow Cooker Kimchi Stew With Beef
This recipe from My Korean Kitchen is super flavorful and comforting. The slow cook allows even a normally not-so-nice cut of beef to be tender and tasty. Plus, it's a great way to get a lot of use out of kimchi that's starting to get a little sour.
Dak Dori Tang, or Spicy Korean Chicken Stew
Here's a typical Korean stew from Not Eating Out in New York. The spicy broth and different textures in this create a stew that's anything but boring.
Thanks to Damn Delicious, we've got this shockingly easy way to get tender, flavorful meat. Then eat it in any way you want, like in a taco or in homemade ravioli for a fusion twist.
Slow Cooker Galbijam, or Braised Short Ribs
Korean Bapsang has a juicy recipe for braised short ribs that melt in the mouth. The flavors are a mix of tangy, spicy, and sweet, and combined with some veggies, this is an easy one-bowl meal.
Korean Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Asian Slaw
Bobby Flay knows what's up when it comes to Korean pulled pork. These sandwiches are killer. There are so many flavors melding together in the irresistibly juicy meat, and yet the sandwiches still feel like and fresh thanks to the crisp Asian slaw topping. This one requires a little more work and prep time than other slow cooker recipes, but the result is totally worth it.
