golden bulgogi parcels

note | i submitted this recipe in the 'discover korea's delicious secret'. i think this was recipe #5 >.< i am thrilled when i found a competition that combined both my loves together :: food and super junior :)

there are a few reasons why i love making extra bulgogi. i could whip up a quick delicious dinner or i could be adventurous and creative to create different dishes with it. i spent few hours of thinking and another few hours of researching to find inspirations for different recipes but still keeping to the classic flavors.

these golden bulgogi parcels are delicious savory and sweet bite-size snack where bulgogi is stuffed into puff pastry - my take on east meets west cuisine. they are perfect little appetizer, one i think everyone would really enjoy.

when i came across the idea of stuffing bulgogi into a dough, i was torn between filling it in puff pastry or those flaky biscuit dough. i finally decided on puff pastry since it was milder in flavor that would allow the flavors of bulgogi to shine. plus the flaky, airy, buttery and crispy textures of puff pastry would compliment the filling.

i was kinda nervous when using puff pastry cos i've never used it before and it seems so delicate. umm...i kinda cheated by buying frozen puff pastry sheets for two reasons - well, it is readily available in the grocery store and more importantly, making puff pastry dough from scratch intimidates me.

the other concern i had was that the filling would be dry and overcooked since it has to be precooked before i bake it in the oven. i think i found a quick fix to the problem which you will figure out when you refer to the recipe.

instagram-ed :: pre-cooking the filling

i used the bulgogi recipe that i wrote in a past entry with just a minor change. i thickened the sauce with some cornstarch when it was almost done so the filling isn't watery when placed onto the dough to be baked. i also refrigerated the filling to keep it cold so that when it would only heat the filling and hopefully not overcook the meat which can make it dry.

instagram-ed :: prepping of puff pastry dough

follow the instructions on the back of the box on how to thaw the puff pastry before use. definitely make sure that it's thawed and defrosted before use or not it would fall apart. i made them into bite size pieces so i divided the dough into 12 rectangles. (you can also choose to cut it into 9 pieces persheet)

instagram-ed :: the making of the bulgogi parcels

there were more than a couple which the parcel burst open to reveal its bulgogi filling after it was baked to golden brown perfection. in fact, i personally think that it  gives character to each lil golden parcel hehe :)

verdict | these were a huge hit. i made some and brought it with me to louisiana and ryan's family finished all of it rather quickly - it is pretty addictive with the buttery goodness with the flakiness and almost doughy puff pastry with the sweet bulgogi it hides inside. :) yeah, they requested that i make more next time lol. definitely a great way to introduce newbies to korean cuisine.

if you are interested to give this recipe a shot, here it goes::

golden bulgogi parcel
self inspired recipe (i've also included the bulgogi recipe here, just in case)

ingredients |

• 1 pack of puff pastry, sheets (there should be 2 sheets of puff pastry)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch
• hard boiled egg, sliced (optional)
• 0.5 lb sirloin, thinly sliced
• 6 button mushroom, sliced
• 1/4 medium onion, sliced
• 1 stalk of green onion, cut 1" lengthwise

marinade

• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs water
• 2/3 tbs sugar
• 2/3 tbs honey
• 2/3 tbs rice wine
• 2/3 tbs garlic, minced
• 2/3 tbs sesame oil
• 2/3 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbs grated fuji apple (which can be substituted with korean pear or apple juice)
• a dash of pepper

special equipment : pastry brush

instructions |

• firstly, marinade the thinly sliced sirloin. mix the ingredients for the marinade together in a bowl. bring together the sirloin, onion, green onions, mushroom and marinade; mix thoroughly and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour to tenderize the meat and bring the flavors together (i prefer to marinade overnight)
• add the marinated meat onto a preheated skillet on high heat (which a spoonfuls of the marinade) and fry on medium high for about 5 minutes. since it will be a bit watery, add the cornstarch to thicken the sauce so it'll not make the pastry soggy when we bake it later
• once the meat is cooked, remove from pan and let cool for a few minutes. 
• transfer to a cutting board to mince the bulgogi into smaller pieces. move it to a bowl and let cool in the refrigerator as we start working on the puff pastry. (you could pre-cook the bulgogi the day before which works out fine too)
• thaw the frozen puff pastry according to instructions on the back of the box. ensure that the puff pastry is fully thawed and defrosted before working with it
• preheat the oven to 375 F
• sprinkle some flour on your work space and your hands so that the puff pastry will not stick to the surface
• gently unfold the puff pastry sheet. divide and cut the sheet into 9 squares or 12 rectangles with a sharp knife.
• add about almost 1-2 teaspoonful of the chilled minced bulgogi into the middle of the square/rectangle. you can also add a slice of hard boiled egg if you'd like but that is optional. remember to NOT overfill your pastry
• take the two opposite points of the pastry square and bring them together in the middle. 
• then repeat it with the the other to points and then press down in the middle gently
• squeeze the open edges together to seal the filling in the pastry
• place the parcel on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. continue until you finish making all the mini parcels
• take the beaten egg and pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the top of the pastry parcels
• bake them in the preheated 375 F oven for about 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown on top
• remove from oven and serve

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.