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Korean BBQ Tacos

Writer's picture: Tanya HopeTanya Hope

Lots of Korean BBQ and it's flavours date back centuries and have evolved over time as people began to travel and bring new ideas and industrial innovations back to their towns. Most Korean BBQ focuses on three things; thinly sliced meats, sauces (typically fermented sauces), and banchan (side dishes). I will be keeping they recipe plant-based but you are more than welcome to switch out the Gardein veggie ground for any other type of protein you wish to use.


Grocery List

Ground or Sliced Protein - I used Gardein Veggie Ground

Onion

Garlic

Limes

Carrots

Radishes

Cucumber

Tortilla Wraps or any vessel for your tacos

BBQ Sauce

Soy Sauce

Fresh Ginger

Fresh Garlic

Sesame oil

BBQ sauce

Rice vinegar

Brown Sugar

Sriracha (optional)

Gochujang (optional)

Pickling Mixture

Rice Vinegar

Mirin

Coriander Seed

Fennel Seed

Mustard Seed

Sea Salt

Toppings or Banchan Fresh toppings are EVERYTHING! Just having a few fresh herbs and veggies available to elevate any dish is a must. Sometimes my kids only eat the toppings and that's totally cool,

Parsley

Cilantro

Chives

Fresh Jalapeño (if you are worried about heat, remove the seeds)

Pickled Jalapeño - my kids love the tamed ones by Mezzetta

Sriracha mayo

Hoisin mayo


I will do my best to walk you through how I prepare these dishes start to finish. I tend to go off script and add a like flare here and there. Although I research origin and spices, these recipes are 100% my interpretation of these dishes. Feel free to get creative and go off script whenever you feel (that's when the learning happens).

Here we go....


Pickled Veg

In a pot bring the following ingredients to a boil:

1 cup rice vinegar

1 splash of Mirin - if you don't have this or can't find it, it's not a big deal to skip

1/2 cup water

1tbsp mustard seed

1tbsp coriander seed

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp salt


While the mixture is boiling, slice some carrots, cucumber, and radishes (I have about 1 1/2 cups of veggies here) and toss in a pinch of salt. Once it comes to a boil, pour the pickling mixture onto the cold veggies.



Add a few ice cubes to the bow and mix around. Place in the fridge until the rest of the meal is ready.



Taco Filling

In a large pot or pan add:

1 small yellow onion

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1 lime - juice and the drop into the hot oil

1 bag of Gardein Veggie Ground - or replace which any protein

After it simmers for about 20 mins on medium/low, take out the limes and add your protein to the pot and continue to simmer for 30 mins and get a nice crispiness to your protein.




BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 cloves of fresh garlic

1 chunk of fresh ginger the size of your thumb

2 tbsp brown sugar

Optional:

1 tbsp Sriracha

2 tbsp Gochujang sauce

*These two things will kick up the heat without killing the flavour. If you are cooking for kids or wimps (cough; my husband) then take some weaker sauce out before adding theses amazing flavours.*


Add the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Hold off the the hot stuff if you're planning on making two separate fillings.

Add the sauce to your protein mixture and let simmer on low for 10-15 mins.

I like to warm up the tortillas on the grill (it makes the edge crunchy and very flavourful). You can also warm them in the oven or microwave.

Toppings (Banchan)

Koreans typically have a variety of flavours that they serve alongside BBQ. I love this idea because you can make so many flavour combinations. Kids love this because they can make a few different versions of the taco based on what they like. Or....they can just enjoy the Banchan which is a score as well.

Jalapeños - fresh and pickled (two very different flavours)

Parsley

Cilantro

Chives

Lime

Cheese - if you like

Sriracha mayo - you can use store bought or make your own with equal parts mayo and sriracha

Hoisin Mayo

2 tbsp Vegan mayo

1 tbsp hoisin




You can put this together in a variety of ways. I had one in a tortilla and then just built a salad with the pickled veg and garnishes. The beautiful thing about Korean food is that there is no wrong way to eat it. The flavours are amazing and you can mix and match and get adventurous with these dishes.


If you decide to try this recipe, we would love to hear what you think! Tag us on Instagram @swagekids_ or send us your photos at info@swagekids.com


Eat. Relax. Period.


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