When Koreans drink, we always need a hearty anju, or drinking food, to pair with our alcohol. Enter this one-pot stunner known as kong-bul. The dish’s portmanteau of a name reflects Koreans’ propensity for shortening phrases—in this case, kongnamul (soybean sprouts) and bulgogi (here referencing thinly sliced beef, as opposed to the popular barbecue). And it’s a favorite dish of mine, both when drinking and not. You layer the beef, soybean sprouts, and thinly sliced perilla leaves. It comes together super quickly, which makes it great for pairing with copious amounts of soju and beer or simply with rice for an easy weeknight dinner.
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What you’ll need
14-Cup Food Processor
$250 $225 At Amazon
Large Straight-Sided Skillet
$200 At Amazon
Tongs
$21 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
¼
8
1
¼
2
1
1
½
½
4
1
8
12
2
20
Preparation
Step 1
Purée ¼ pear or apple, 8 garlic cloves, peeled, one ½" piece ginger, peeled, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a food processor until mostly smooth. Transfer sauce to a large bowl and add ½ medium onion, thinly sliced, 4 scallions, cut into 1½" pieces, 1 carrot, peeled, cut into 1½"-long matchsticks, and 8 oz. thinly sliced boneless rib eye and toss with tongs to combine.
Step 2
Arrange mixture in a large high-sided skillet, braising pan, or wide, shallow pot. Scatter 12 oz. soybean or mung bean sprouts, rinsed, on top, then spoon 2 Tbsp. gochujang (if using) over. Cover skillet, set over high heat, and cook until meat is cooked through and sprouts are tender, 7–9 minutes.
Step 3
Uncover skillet and reduce heat to low. Toss meat mixture and sprouts together. Scatter 20 perilla, stems trimmed, leaves rolled, thinly sliced, on top and cook, uncovered, 2 minutes. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve with steamed rice if desired.