Living in America, steak? Barbecue? All good.

But sometimes, nothing can replace the taste of warm white rice topped with a spoonful of stir-fried gochujang mixed in.

In fact, living in the U.S., it can be a hassle to find Korean ingredients, so I tend to go for simpler options.

However, this beef stir-fry with gochujang takes little time to make, and once prepared, it can easily serve as a side dish for a week.

Today, I'm sharing my beef stir-fry with gochujang recipe that I've refined over the years.

First, prepare a large bowl. Add ground beef, minced garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper, and mix well.

The key is to mix the meat thoroughly with your hands to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. Just stirring with a spoon won't yield the same results.

Once mixed, let it sit for a moment. This is the "marinating" step. About 10-15 minutes is sufficient.

Chop the onion finely. How finely? It should be small enough that it doesn't stand out when mixed with the meat. A rough dice cut of about 0.5 cm is enough. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion. The key here is to cook the onion until it's completely done. It should become translucent and slightly brown. This process brings out the sweetness of the onion.

Once the onion is cooked, add the marinated beef to the frying pan. Stir-fry over medium heat until the meat is fully cooked. Since it's ground meat, the point is to break it apart while cooking to avoid clumping.

Once the meat is cooked, this is where the real game begins. Lower the heat and add the gochujang. Mix well while cooking to let the gochujang soak into the meat. There's a reason for the low heat. If you cook gochujang over high heat, it will burn.

If it burns, it will taste bitter, and that's game over. The key is to cook it slowly over low heat, allowing the gochujang to coat the meat evenly.

Finally, add corn syrup and stir-fry for just 20-30 seconds more. The addition of corn syrup will enhance the shine and improve the visual appeal, as well as elevate the umami flavor.

What if you don't have corn syrup? You can substitute it with sugar. Just taste as you add sugar to judge the sweetness. If it's sweet enough, you don't need to add more. Cooking isn't about strictly following a recipe; it's about adjusting to your own taste.

In my opinion, the true charm of Korean cuisine lies in these side dishes. It's not about the fancy main courses, but rather a simple yet powerful spoonful that can clear a bowl of rice in no time. Beef stir-fry with gochujang is exactly that.

Top it with a fried egg, place a piece of kimchi on the side, and take a spoonful of the stir-fried gochujang to mix with the rice, and you'll see. Haha

Investing 30 minutes on the weekend to prepare for weekday dinners is one of the most efficient ways to get ready for meals.