Delicious Duck Bulgogi (Ori Jumulleok) – A Revitalizing Recipe
Recharge Your Energy with Delicious Duck Bulgogi!
This week’s featured dish is Duck Bulgogi! While many are familiar with pork bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum), duck bulgogi is a less common but incredibly rewarding dish. Duck meat is known for its health benefits, and even its fat is considered healthy. Stir-frying it like this, and then finishing with fried rice, makes for an unforgettable meal. Try this healthy and delicious meal using fresh duck loins!
Main Ingredients- Duck loin 700g
- Potatoes 2 medium
- Green onion 1 stalk
- Carrot a small piece
- Onion 1 medium
- Whole garlic cloves 10
- Chives 1 handful
- Rice cakes (tteok) 10 pieces
- Cheongyang chili peppers 3
Marinade/Sauce- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 30g (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 60g (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- Soy sauce 24g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Maesilcheong (Plum extract) 60g (approx. 4 Tbsp)
- Minced garlic 30g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Minced ginger 10g (approx. 1 Tbsp)
- Black pepper a pinch
- Curry powder 7g (approx. 1 tsp)
- Oyster sauce 30g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 2 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 30g (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 60g (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- Soy sauce 24g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Maesilcheong (Plum extract) 60g (approx. 4 Tbsp)
- Minced garlic 30g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Minced ginger 10g (approx. 1 Tbsp)
- Black pepper a pinch
- Curry powder 7g (approx. 1 tsp)
- Oyster sauce 30g (approx. 2 Tbsp)
- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 2 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the delicious marinade that will make your Duck Bulgogi shine. In a bowl, combine gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, maesilcheong, minced garlic, minced ginger, black pepper, curry powder, oyster sauce, cooking wine, and sugar. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
Step 2
Don’t forget this secret ingredient: curry powder! Adding just a small amount of curry powder is key to eliminating any gamey smell from the duck and enhancing its flavor, making your bulgogi exceptionally delicious. Be sure not to skip this step!
Step 3
Taste the marinade. If it needs a little more savory depth, add oyster sauce to adjust. If you have fish sauce (anchovy) at home, you can substitute it for oyster sauce to add a wonderful umami flavor. Feel free to adjust based on your preference.
Step 4
Cut the duck loin into bite-sized pieces and add them to the prepared marinade. Gently massage the marinade into the duck pieces, ensuring every part is well coated. This step is crucial for allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.
Step 5
At this stage, the marinade might seem quite abundant compared to the duck. Don’t worry! As you stir-fry the duck with the vegetables and rice cakes later, they will release moisture, and the sauce will thicken to the perfect consistency. So, it’s perfectly fine to have extra marinade now.
Step 6
Thinly slice the whole garlic cloves and the Cheongyang chili peppers. Adding these thinly sliced ingredients to the marinating duck will infuse them with flavor and add a pleasant spicy kick when cooked.
Step 7
While you can cook it immediately, marinating the duck in the sauce beforehand significantly enhances the flavor by allowing it to soak into the meat. If you have time, let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or ideally, marinate it the day before for an even deeper taste. (I marinated mine overnight in the fridge!)
Step 8
Soak the rice cakes (tteok) in water for a short while until they are slightly softened. Using pre-soaked tteok will result in a wonderfully chewy and tender texture after stir-frying. Be careful not to soak them for too long, or they might become mushy.
Step 9
Wash the green onion and cut it lengthwise in half. Then, chop it into large, approximately 5cm pieces. Cutting them into substantial pieces ensures a satisfying texture and visual appeal when served.
Step 10
Peel the carrot and slice it into wide matchsticks or half-moon shapes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into similar-sized half-moon pieces. This helps ensure they cook evenly.
Step 11
Peel the onion and cut it into thick slices or wedges. Slicing them somewhat thickly will help them retain a pleasant bite and prevent them from becoming too soft during cooking.
Step 12
Now, combine the marinated duck, soaked rice cakes, and all the prepared vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onion, green onion) in a large bowl. Gently mix everything together with your hands, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated with the delicious marinade.
Step 13
Duck naturally releases a lot of fat as it cooks, so you won’t need to add any extra cooking oil to the pan. Simply heat your pan and add the marinated duck and vegetables directly.
Step 14
Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the duck is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. The duck fat will render and create a flavorful sauce with the vegetables. You can check if the potatoes are cooked by piercing them with a fork. Just before serving, add the chopped chives and stir-fry briefly until they wilt slightly. Your delicious Duck Bulgogi is now ready!
Step 15
If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add a little more gochugaru or some additional chopped chili peppers while stir-frying. Customize the heat level to your liking for an extra kick!
Step 16
After enjoying the delicious Duck Bulgogi, don’t forget the essential finale: fried rice! Add cooked rice, kimchi, and seaweed flakes to the remaining sauce in the pan and stir-fry for a perfect, satisfying conclusion to your meal.
