Bulgogi

It's hard to say which is better: the succulent meat or spicy side dishes that define bulgogi, the Asian barbecue style in which thin slices of marinated meat are quickly cooked over high heat on top of a perforated, round metal plate that covers the grill's piping hot coals.

The name of the dish stems from bool and kogi, Korean words denoting fire and meat. The earliest form of the dish originates from the Goguryeo period, when the meat was marinated before grilling, unlike the standard Chinese practice of seasoning the meat after it has been grilled.

The marinade traditionally consists of honey, sesame, soy sauce, garlic, and scallions, while the alternatives for beef, chicken, and pork can be either tofu, shrimp, or squid. Typical for Korean food, the meat always comes to the table with a variety of accompaniments and side dishes such as rice, lettuce leaves, scallion pancakes, kimchi, and the omnipresent gochujang.

What harissa is to Moroccan cuisine and what ketchup is to burgers and hot dogs in the USA, gochujang is to bulgogi, a fiery hot condiment made from dried chili peppers, soybean paste, and rice powder, all slowly fermented in huge clay pots, giving a pungent kick both to bulgogi, served at every Korean dinner party, and a variety of other meat and rice dishes.