Beef Bulgogi, Steamed Rice, Cucumbers + Pineapple Slaw

Combine the rice, water and 1 teaspoon of salt (per cup of rice) in a pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir well, then turn to low heat and cover. Steam, untouched, for about 35-45 minutes (check the instructions of your rice variety, it can vary).

Start with the pineapple. Trim the top off, then slice the skin off the sides. Slice straight down on all 4 sides of the core. (If you have a pineapple lover in your house, you can set aside ¼ of the fruit, just sliced up for snacking. Or freeze it in chunks for smoothies).

Place ¼ of the pineapple in a blender or food processor. Dice and add the core too. Add the garlic, soy sauce, ½ of the gochujang, sugar, sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

Blend until smooth. If it’s too thick to blend you can add a few teaspoons of water.

Finely dice the remainder of the pineapple and add it to a bowl, then set aside.

Thinly slice the beef, against the grain. Place in the marinade and turn to coat. Set aside for as long as you can and up to 48 hours. If leaving for more than 2 hours, use an airtight container and place in the fridge, otherwise leave on the counter.

Shred or finely dice the carrot and add to the bowl with the diced pineapple. Add the vinegar, a pinch of salt and chopped cilantro. Drizzle a ½ teaspoon or so of oil in the mixture and toss to combine. Set aside.

Thinly slice the cucumber into rounds or half moons.

Heat ½ of the remaining oil in a large heavy skillet over high until oil is shimmering. Remove half of meat from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag and place in the pan, in a single layer. Don’t move it once it touches the heat or it will tear. After about 2 minutes, it should be browned and you can toss the meat and continue to cook. Stir again, cooking for about 3-4 minutes total or until golden brown and crispy at the edges. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and meat.

Add all of the meat back to the pan and add the remaining marinade. Bring to a boil, then stir often for 1 minute so it thickens and glazes the meat.

Turn off heat.

Serve mounds of rice topped with beef, cucumbers, and pineapple slaw. If you have some on hand, you can add some crunchy lettuce underneath or even serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping.