“I’m learning a lot these days in a home-style Korean restaurant (though I’m a bit tired from standing on my feet all day in sandals!). Jen the journalist was given an assignment to write an article about Korean food in Seoul. She got on really well with Jungtae Lee and his wife, and put us in contact.
“Their restaurant is called Dalhangari, and my first visit lasted six hours without even entering the kitchen! Lunch was great, and the conversation even better! Jungtae’s wife Hyun Ok is the head chef, and she’s taking me under her wing for a few days. She’s taught me to make a wide variety of side dishes (mostly vegetarian), a couple of tasty squid and octopus recipes, plus her super tender beef rib stew; serious comfort food.” (p.63)
I had a really great time exploring Korean food in Seoul and Busan, and my time at Dalhangari was definitely one of the highlights. The original recipe I learned works great for large quantities of meat, particularly when the short ribs are left in big, chunky cubes. I prepared it while teaching at a school in Buenos Aires, and it came out mouth watering soft, the meat falling off the bone.
But when preparing it at home with the thinner short ribs found in supermarkets, the meat will dry out and toughen up if cooked for a long time, so I’ve adapted the recipe as follows:
Simplified Kalbi (Galbi) chim: Korean Short Rib Stew
beef rib cubes on the bone, soju (a clear Korean alcohol) or sake or rum, water, black pepper, kelp (if you have it), dried shitake mushrooms, honey (usually pear syrup* is used), soy sauce, garlic paste, sesame oil, dried red chillies, chopped onions, leeks, carrot chunks, potato chunks, fresh green chillies (there is also usually some chestnut thrown in)
– mix soy sauce, leek, black pepper, honey, garlic paste, red chillies, sesame oil, alcohol into marinade, mix/cover meat in it and leave refrigerated for 30 minutes to a couple hours
– soak dehydrated shitake and kelp (if you have it) in cold water for 20 or more minutes, until the mushroom stems are soft. reserve liquid and cut shitake into quarters
– heat kelp/shitake broth in a pot with onions on medium heat, until transparent
– increase heat a bit, add mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, stirring frequently
– when veggies are 75% cooked, add meat and marinade with fresh green chillies, stirring until meat is cooked tender (do not overcook!!)
*one of my friends blends Asian pear and adds that with sugar instead of honey. I’d go for the pear with a bit of honey if I could find it.
Enjoy!!
Food. - Not All Men Are Monsters - Sex. Travel. Food. Life. - Brian Johnston 
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