The Catskill Chronicle

By Jude Waterston

Banchan and Bibimbap in Bethel. Sounds like some weird Asian jazz riff, doesn’t it? But banchan and bibimbap refer to Korean food. In Manhattan, I expect to find any kind of ethnic food I desire, particularly those that are Asian, which are some of my favorites. Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants abound. Less familiar to many New Yorkers, though, is the food of Korea, and unbeknownst to many, there is even a Korean business district called Koreatown, or K-town as it is colloquially known, between 31^st and 36^th Streets, and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, a few blocks from Macy’s, where one can find more Korean restaurants than Korean residents.

It is there, at 10 West 36^th Street, that I found the thirty-year-old restaurant Woo Chon. Its authentic Korean barbeque is comprised of black angus beef or beef short ribs marinated in a savory mixture of sesame oil, soy sauce, cracked black pepper, garlic, ginger and wine. In the center of each table is a grill on which customers cook their meat before rolling the seared morsels, along with fluffy white rice and shredded vegetables, in lettuce leaves smeared with spicy soybean paste and dunking the bundles in a flavorful dipping sauce. The taste, a hallmark of all Korean food, is at once sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Besides barbeque, the quintessential Korean dish is bibimbap (also called bibimbab). The word literally means “mixed rice.” A bowl of hot white rice is topped with sautéed seasonal vegetables, sliced meat (usually beef), and a raw or fried egg. Soybean or chili pepper paste is added and the ingredients are thoroughly stirred together just before eating. A variation of this dish, and one I’m crazy about, is dolsot bibimbap. Dolsot means “stone pot.” This version of bibimbap is served in a piping hot stone bowl in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. The bowl is so hot, anything that touches it sizzles for minutes. Before the rice is placed in the bowl, the bottom of the bowl is coated with sesame oil, making the bottom layer of rice golden brown and crispy. Naturally, that’s the best part.

The best thing about Woo Chon, however, is that it offers the widest assortment of banchan in all of Koreatown. Every typical Korean meal includes anywhere from 2 to 12 of these side dishes, but here, courtesy of the restaurant, a much vaster array of banchan, each in its own small dish, is brought to the table at the start of the meal. These are provided to stoke the appetite and consist mainly, though not exclusively, of vegetables, the most important and well-known being kimchi, of which there are hundreds of varieties; fiery pickled Napa cabbage being the ultimate example.

At Woo Chon the banchan cover nearly every inch of the table. There are three kinds of kimchi: spicy mustard greens, daikon radish, and cabbage. Also, there are pickled cucumbers; paper-thin, almost transparent slices of pickled radish; a mound of glossy shredded nori seaweed; square pillows of fried tofu; tiny chewy and crunchy dried fish; pickled bean sprouts and scallions; cooked octopus; and crisp shredded green and red cabbage salad.

The city has everything you could ever want and that’s what I like about it, but I also crave the peaceful quiet and stunning scenery of rural New York, and I head there every weekend for the past fourteen years.

A few years back, I noticed a large sign by the side of the road on 17B, a few miles outside of Monticello, reading “Korean Restaurant.” After some investigation, I found that there is, indeed, a place hidden in the heart of Sullivan County, serving said authentic Korean cuisine.

Who would have thought that a one-lane country road leading into the woods would end at the Korean Arts Village, a getaway destination for Koreans and Korean-Americans living mostly in the boroughs surrounding Manhattan? They come to acquaint their children with their culture; to relax; fish the pond; enjoy the driving range on what was once Island Glen Golf Course; and eat traditional, authentic Korean food at the 4-year-old family-owned establishment.

I soon made my way there (2572 Route 17B West, Bethel, New York, phone: 845-583-1010; no reservations needed). At the entrance there are elaborately carved wooden poles that look like elongated masks. Across from the large open dining room, surrounded by a wooden porch overlooking rolling green hills and a still pond, are massive, deeply hued clay vessels and a gazebo sheltering mannequins in traditional Korean costumes. Inside the airy dining space, there is a gift shop against one wall where one can purchase crockery; the slim metal chop sticks used in the restaurant; beautiful paper fans; and jars of homemade soybean and red pepper pastes.

Though the restaurant offers a variety of traditional beverages, including beer, soju (a vodka-like spirit) and bek se ju (similar to sake), diners are graciously allowed to bring their own wine if they so choose.

Recently, on a balmy late summer night, my sister, Janet, and I brought a friend there to celebrate her birthday. A bottle of rose we brought was poured and set in a bucket to chill as the ban chan arrived. There were slightly spiced pickled cucumbers; aggressively spiced cabbage kimchi; chewy little black beans; small tender squash fritters; thinly sliced burdock root; and deep green seaweed to whet our appetites. We ordered one appetizer to share and that was mandoo, delicious lightly pan-fried  dumplings filled with pork and vegetables, followed by three main courses that we also split.

The hostess couldn’t have been more pleasant, warm, and informative, which made the dining experience even more enjoyable than it already was considering we were dining al fresco on a deliciously warm evening as the sky slowly darkened. Our entrees arrived along with bowls of seasoned rice. Jaeyuk bokeum consisted of a platter piled high with grilled pork loin strips that had been marinated in a mixture of red pepper soybean paste, sesame oil, chopped green onions, garlic, and sesame. The meat was tender and gently spicy.  Next was an outstanding galbi barbeque, juicy slabs of tender beef short ribs that had been marinated in Asian pear juice, rice wine, soy sauce, garlic, sesame seed oil, and a touch of sugar. We couldn’t get enough of them. That is, until the dolsot bibimbap, one of the “chef’s specialties” arrived sizzling in its stone bowl. I had the honor of gently stirring the bean paste into the mixture of vegetables, beef, egg, and rice and ensuring that each of us got a nice big portion of the crisp and crusty rice that lined the bottom of the bowl.

The bill came to an astonishingly low $68 and we were so sated from all the good, full-flavored food, we could barely move. I look forward to a return visit to the Korean Arts Village before it closes for the season sometime in November. Marinated boar meat, rainbow trout sashimi, eel barbeque, and roasted duck stuffed with two dozen herbal ingredients await. And then there’s always the ban chan and bibimbap.

Korean Spinach Salad

Serves 2

This full-flavored “salad” of quickly cooked and seasoned spinach would be a great side to any Asian-influenced meal. It is also a common addition to Korean banchan (vegetable side dishes).

4 ounces spinach

½ teaspoon Korean or Japanese soybean paste (miso)

1 ½ teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan over low heat until pale gold

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

½ teaspoon sugar

Parboil spinach in a pot of boiling salted water for 1½ minutes. Drain and immediately plunge the spinach into a bowl of ice water. Drain again and dry well on paper towel. Place the spinach on a cutting board and cut the mass into thirds. Pulling the pieces apart with your hands, lay them on a serving plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Make sure the miso, which is thick, is well incorporated. Pour the mixture over the spinach. Let sit for at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Korean Daikon (or Jicima) and Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

Daikon radish is more traditional, but I have used jicima in this recipe with great results. Korean red chili powder is actually flakier than most chili powders. It can be found in some Asian markets or at Kalustyan’s (123 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan) or at www.kalustyans.com for mail order.

½ pound daikon or jicima, peeled and julienned

½ – ¾ European (English hot house) cucumber, skin-on, seeded and julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or as needed

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon Korean red chili pepper powder

Toss the daikon (or jicima), cucumber, and carrot with the salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Gently squeeze out excess water from mixture, pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt and red pepper powder. Serve with grilled meats or as part of a banchan (Korean vegetable side dishes) assortment.

Korean Beef Short Ribs Marinade

Makes enough for 2 pounds of short ribs (which serves 2 – 3 people)

This marinade would work well with other cuts of meat, such as flank steak, pork loin, or even boneless chicken thighs.

2 pounds short ribs

¼ cup soy sauce

1 heaping tablespoon Korean chili pepper paste (gochujahng)

2 tablespoons Korean rice wine, Japanese rice wine (mirin), sake, or dry vermouth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 heaping tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 scallions, white and light green part, thinly sliced (reserve dark green part of scallions, if you like, to use as garnish)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 star anise pods, broke into points

Garnish: 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (plus reserved dark green part of scallions)

Marinate meat for a couple of hours or, preferably, overnight. Cook over a charcoal fire for 3 – 4 minutes per side for rare, or longer for medium. Serve with jasmine rice (or any type you like) seasoned with fresh chopped scallions or chives, mint, and Thai basil or cilantro.