Satay and Bulgogi - Abroad Inspired

In between Christmas and New Year’s, we continued the festivities celebrating our parents' 40th anniversary. With some close family and friends, we prepared an array of appetizers inspired by their honeymoon trip. In 1975, our parents traveled the world for the entire year, bopping from country to country. Their itinerary evolved as they traveled across the globe, and included the following destinations: London, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Hawaii. We are always amazed by this list.

We arranged a diverse mix of dishes including assorted mezze, fresh summer rolls, edamame, Persian rice, and Hawaiian coconut cream cake for a sweet ending. Two standout dishes were our interpretations of Southeast Asian Chicken Satay and Korean Beef Bulgogi. In Southeast Asia, satay is a dish of seasoned, skewered, grilled meat, served with dipping sauces. Bulgogi is a Korean marinated beef dish, traditionally served with rice and kimchi. Each appetizer was enjoyed at room temperature, allowing ample time to toast and reminisce about the trip!

Chicken Satay with Dipping Sauces

1/2 c Greek yogurt
2 T palm sugar or light brown sugar
juice from 1 lime
1 T soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t minced fresh ginger
1 T ground turmeric
1 T curry powder
salt and pepper
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 20 (1/2-inch) strips
20 wooden skewers, soaked in water
Dipping sauces: peanut sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce

Combine the yogurt, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, turmeric and curry, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Thread each chicken strip into each skewer, weaving the skewer in and out of the meat, down the middle of the piece. Place the chicken strips in the marinade and toss to ensure all pieces are submerged. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Place the chicken skewers on the greased grill and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until the chicken is seared slightly and cooked through. Serve the grilled chicken on a platter with a medley of dipping sauces: peanut sauce, hoisin sauce and soy sauce.

Korean Beef Bulgogi

3 T soy sauce
2 T hoisin sauce
2 T mirin or white wine
2 T sesame oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t minced fresh ginger
4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus 2 more for garnish
1 Asian pear, peeled and grated (feel free to substitute with any apple or pear if you can’t find an Asian one)
1 1/2 lb sirloin grilling steak, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
salt and pepper
1 T vegetable oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, mirin/white wine, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, 4 green onions, grated Asian pear, salt and pepper.

Add the sliced beef to a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top. Move around the meat with your hands to make sure the marinade is fully distributed. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, heat the vegetable oil over high heat in a large skillet or wok. Remove the beef from the marinade, making sure to scrape off all the juices, and add to the hot pan. Stir-fry until the beef is browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a platter, garnish with remaining green onions and serve.

Susa, Iran

The traveling bug must be in our genes!