Toronto enjoys Seoul food

CHARLA JONES PHOTOS/TORONTO STAR
Manager Peter Shin, reflected in a car window in the Galleria supermarket parking lot, shows off an armload of Korean groceries. His grocery store works hard to attract Korean and non-Korean customers.
JENNIFER BAIN
KOREAN COOKING


The creation of a supermarket like Galleria is cause for celebration in a city rife with grotty Asian grocery stores.
Galleria, a 10-month-old Korean and Asian food shop in Thornhill, houses 10 businesses, including a restaurant, bakery and tea shops.

But it's the details that really impress. Non-Koreans are welcomed with English-speaking staff, a free personalized shopping service, bilingual product signs and bilingual, itemized receipts.

"We try to be the best to serve the customer - satisfaction guaranteed is our company policy," says manager Peter Shin.

The store opened at 7171 Yonge St., north of Steeles Ave., on Nov. 19 in a plaza with free parking. It's close to a Korean-Canadian community near Yonge and Sheppard.

At 25,000 square feet, the supermarket claims to be the biggest of its kind in Canada. (Its owners run Han Nam Supermarket in Burnaby, B.C.)

"The Galleria is what it would be like if you stepped off a plane in South Korea, and walked into one of the largest supermarkets in the country," its website boasts. "You'll see thousands of swirling colours, images, and lettering that may seem foreign to you."

Marketing hype, to be sure. But who's going to criticize a supermarket for trying too hard?

Maybe you enjoy stumbling around the casual clutter of smaller Korean supermarkets on Bloor St. W. in Koreatown, and believe that no-frills stores have cheaper prices. Perhaps you know exactly what you need to buy and won't leave empty-handed if you can't communicate with the staff.

For the rest of us who are interested in Korean cooking, a little guidance goes a long way.

In fact, the old Korean Central Market on Bloor St. W. has changed owners and is undergoing massive renovations. It's slated to reopen soon under the umbrella of the P.A.T. group of five Korean/Asian supermarkets.

"It (P.A.T. Central market) will be nice - I put everything in it," says owner Andrew Lee, who hopes the supermarket will give a boost to Koreatown and the popularity of Korean food.

"With Korean culture in general, there's a lot of apathy," laments Daniel Han, the Galleria's marketing manager for Western customers. "Beyond bulgogi and kimchi (two popular restaurant dishes), a lot of people don't know very much about Korean food. It's not just knowing what everything is, but knowing how to use it."

Korea does take a backseat to its neighbours, China and Japan, in culinary popularity polls. Some feel it's because Koreans enjoy spicy, pungent fare, and tend to enjoy 12 small dishes at once instead of a Western-style meal.

"I want to get the message out that there's a whole world of Korean food that people don't know about," says Han, a Torontonian who has embraced Korean culture and adopted a Korean name.

Some of the things we spot during a store tour: perilla leaves, curly cucumbers, jujubes (pitted red dates), peeled chestnut snacks and freeze-dried hot-roasted squid snacks.

In the electronics/appliance department, there are Korean rice cookers instead of the more well-known Japanese or North American ones, bean sprouters, "special machines for making bean curd," and clay cooking pots.

The freezers are full of rock cornish hens and honeycomb tripe, Japanese shabu shabu (thinly sliced) beef, chopped pork bellies and oxtails. At the meat counter, there's pre-sliced beef short ribs and boneless beef.

"In the summertime, Korean people like to eat galbi and bulgogi (two grilled beef dishes)," says Shin, pointing out homemade tubs of sweet soy and sesame seed marinade for galbi. "Beginning in the fall, Korean people take their soup with oxtail."

He's proud of the kimchi cooler with homemade, pickled cabbage and vegetables, and a 24-slot countertop cooler imported from Korea for sides such as seasoned seaweed and dried radish slices.

Fish paste snack tubes, dried mushrooms and seaweed, red pepper and soybean pastes, "round case tofu" for soup, and the essential Korean hot red pepper powder (both coarse and fine) are all accounted for.

"Korean tuna is very popular," says customer service representative Grace Jung. "We make tuna and kimchi."

Tucked behind the appliance area is a small bakery and the Galleria Snack for quick meals like beef bone soup or rice cakes with hot pepper paste. Just inside Galleria's entrance are stores selling computers, cellphones, videos, books, home d?cor and even clothes and shoes for pets. There's a trendy bubble tea spot and a shop for teaware and ginseng tea.

"When we opened our store, we didn't expect the Chinese and Western customers to come much," admits Shin. "But they are coming more and more."

Korean pop music is playing, but Shin quickly points out that the Galleria uses Chinese and Western CDs, too.

Chicken And Ginseng Soup (Samgyetang)

Considered the Korean equivalent to Jewish chicken soup, this dish is usually cooked and served in a tukbaege, a round clay pot with cover. Break up the chicken and rice in the pot, or let people help themselves from the pot. From The Korean Kitchen: Classic Recipes From The Land Of The Morning Calm (Chronicle, 1993, $19.95) by American food historian Copeland Marks.

1/4 cup glutinous rice, rinsed (or enough to loosely fill chicken cavity)

2 pieces fresh ginseng root

1 green onion, thinly sliced

6 dried pitted red dates (Korean jujubes)

2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise

1 rock cornish hen

2 cups or more water

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp Asian sesame oil

1/8 tsp black pepper

OPTIONAL SPICE BLEND:

1 tbsp each: salt, pepper, Korean fine red pepper powder

In small bowl, combine rice, ginseng, onion, 3 jujubes and 1 clove garlic. Stuff into chicken cavity. Sew or skewer opening closed.

Put chicken, breast side down, in small, heavy pot just large enough to fit. Add 2 cups water, remaining 3 jujubes, remaining garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil and pepper. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer 1 hour, until soup is thick and cloudy and chicken melts from bones. If rice in cavity isn't fully cooked, continue cooking 15 to 30 minutes, adding water if needed.

For spice blend, if desired, combine salt, pepper and red pepper powder in small bowl. Divide into 2 small serving dishes. (Dip chicken in this for extra kick.)

Makes 2 servings.

Beef Short Ribs (Galbi)

From Bulgogee House restaurant (39 Spring Garden Ave., Toronto, 416-250-6094). Korean grocery stores sell pre-sliced short ribs (about 8-inches long, 1/4-inch thick) for about $4.99 a pound.

1/3 cup each: soy sauce, Asian sesame oil

3 tbsp mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

1/2 onion, grated

1 tbsp minced garlic

2-1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1-1/2 tbsp ground pine nuts or roasted whole sesame seeds

3 lb (1-1/2 kg) short ribs, cut in thin, 8-inch long pieces (about 18)

In measuring cup or bowl, stir together all ingredients except meat.

In large, resealable zip-lock bag, combine meat and sauce. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours to overnight.

To cook, barbecue on high heat or pan-fry in lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, 3 minutes per side or to desired doneness.

Makes about 6 servings.

Korean Salad

Called Sang Meenari Muchim, this peppery salad also comes from Copeland Marks. Korean watercress (minari) has large, dark leaves and isn't regular watercress. Red pepper powder, a Korean cooking staple, comes in fine or coarse grinds.

1 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp roasted sesame seeds

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp Asian sesame oil

1/2 tsp Korean fine red pepper powder

1 bunch Korean watercress, ends trimmed, leaves halved

In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, sugar, oil and red pepper powder.

Put watercress in salad bowl. Add dressing; toss well to coat.

Makes 4 servings.

Green Onion Pancakes

Savoury pancakes (Pajon) are staples in Korean culture. Adapted from http://www.recipesource.com.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups cold water

1/4 lb (120 g) ground beef

4 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

4 tsp canola oil

DIPPING SAUCE:

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp Asian sesame oil

1 tbsp minced green onions

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

In large bowl, stir together flour, salt, water and beef. Stir in onions and pepper.

Heat 8-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high. Pour in 2 teaspoons oil. Add half batter, spreading with spatula to make 1/4-inch thick pancake. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp and browned. Flip; cook 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp and browned. Remove to plate; keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and batter.

For dipping sauce, combine ingredients in small bowl.

To serve, present uncut pancakes, or cut pancakes into 3-inch wedges, then reassemble pieces in original pancakes shape. Serve with dipping sauce.

Makes 2 main or 4 side servings.

Korean Carrot And Cabbage Soup

This light soup (Dangoon Kuk) comes from Flavors Of Korea: Delicious Vegetarian Cuisine via http://www.sweetbabymedia.com. Fermented Korean soybean paste is sometimes labelled "sunchang doenjang" and comes in a refrigerated tub.

3 large carrots, diced

2 cups shredded nappa cabbage

5 cups water

1 clove garlic, minced

4 green onions, chopped

1-1/2 tbsp Korean fermented soybean paste (sunchang doenjang)

Salt + pepper to taste

In medium pan, combine carrots, cabbage and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, onions and soybean paste. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Kimchi Fried Rice

From http://www.koreankitchen.com.

2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 cup packed nappa cabbage kimchi, squeezed to remove excess liquid, chopped

1 cup cold cooked rice

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Salt + pepper to taste

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high. Add kimchi. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add rice and onions. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 side servings.

Additional articles by Jennifer Bain

Sep. 8, 2004. 06:42 AM