Palbochae Eight Treasures Dish

팔보채
This dish is probably a Korean rendering of a Han Chinese royal dish. Throughout Korea’s history there was much interaction between Kingdoms in China and the different Kingdoms in Korea. Some Mongolian influence also took place when the Khan ruled most of China and the northern territories of Korea.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1/2

pound

lean beef

1/2

pound

lean pork

1

each

small squid (about 4 to 6 ounces),cleaned

12

each

fresh shrimp

6

each

fresh mussels

4

each

sea cucumbers

12

each

dried Shiitake mushrooms

1

each

carrot

1

each

medium onion

2

each

spring onions

8

each

cobs baby corn

water

Fish Balls

4

ounces

cod fillet (or other mild “white meat” fish)

3

tablespoons

flour

1

each

egg

salt

pepper

Sauce

3

tablespoons

sesame oil

5

each

cloves garlic

1

cup

broth (from beef prep)

1

tablespoon

cornstarch

1 1/2

tablespoon

oyster sauce

1/2

tablespoon

minced ginger

1

tablespoon

minced garlic

1/2

teaspoon

rice wine

1/2

teaspoon

black pepper

Procedure

Preparation

Mussels

Place mussels into a pot of boiling water and cook until shells open.

Remove meat from shell and set aside. Discard shells.

Sea Cucumbers

Soak in water until soft and gelatinous, slice into three or four slices lengthwise, then cut each slice into roughly 1 inch by 2 inch pieces.

Shiitake mushrooms

Soak in water until softened.

Cut each mushroom in half.

Carrot

Cut carrot in quarters from top to bottom.

Cut each quarter into thirds from top to bottom, resulting in twelve carrot “sticks”.

Onion

Slice onion into roughly 1/4 inch wide “disks”.

Spring onions

Cut each onion on a diagonal into roughly 2 inch long pieces.

Baby corn

Place corn in a pot of boiling water and par boil (about two minutes).

Cut each in half from top to bottom.

Beef & Pork

Bring a pot with 2 cups water to a full boil over high heat.

Add beef and cook for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for and additional 13 to 15 minutes (until tender).

Remove beef from broth and slice into 10 or more thin slices, each roughly 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches.

Return broth to a boil and reduce to about 1 cup (1/2 original liquid amount).

Pour the beef stock into a bowl or other container and keep for later use.

Repeat with pork but discard pork broth.

Fish Balls

Bring a pot of water to a full boil and add cod.

Cook for three to five minutes until done.

Remove cod from pot and discard cooking water.

When cooled, mince the cod and mix with egg, flour, and a dash each of salt and pepper.

Divide mix into 10 pieces and form into balls.

Fry fish balls in a well oiled pan over high heat until lightly browned.

Squid

Cut the tentacles and ring from the tube, then cut ring from tentacles.

Discard ring and cut tentacles into 2 inch lengths.

Carefully slit the tube from top to bottom and lay it out flat with inner surface up.

With a knife at a 45-degree angle to the squid surface, lightly score the tube at an angle from left to right.

Turn the squid tube so that the opposite end is near, and repeat the scoring, forming a diamond pattern.

Bring a pot of water to a full boil, add the squid, and cook about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove squid from pot and rinse in cold water.

Cut the tube into 1 inch x 2 inch pieces.

Discard cooking water.

Sauce

Add cornstarch to the broth reserved from cooking the beef and mix well.

Slice each garlic clove into thirds from top to bottom.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons sesame oil.

Add sliced garlic and stir fry until lightly browned.

Add the broth/cornstarch mix and remaining sauce ingredients and heat until the sauce begins to thicken.

Final

In a separate large pan add the beef, pork, squid, shrimp, mussels, sea cucumber, and Shiitake mushrooms.

Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the pan and stir gently until well coated with sauce.

Cover and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes (until well heated).

Add the remaining vegetables, scatter the fish balls over the top, and cook uncovered for 1 more minute.

Finish by drizzling 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the dish.

Serve as one dish of a Royal Meal, or as a main dish with sticky rice and ban chan.