Bulgogi Vetkoek Sliders with Kimchi Mayo (South African × Korean)
Bite-sized vetkoek split like bao and stuffed with sweet-savoury Korean bulgogi beef, creamy kimchi mayo and crisp cucumber.
Method
Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl, add the lukewarm water and knead for into a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough.
Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 180 gSugar 10 gInstant dry yeast 1 tspSalt ½ tspLukewarm water (about 40 °C) 110 ml
Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for , until doubled. Meanwhile, mix the beef with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil and spring onions, cover and marinate in the fridge. Half-frozen beef is much easier to slice thinly.
Add in this stepBeef sirloin or rump, sliced paper-thin 200 gSoy sauce 2 tbspBrown sugar 2 tspGarlic cloves, grated 2Toasted sesame oil 2 tspSpring onions, thinly sliced 1
Knock back the dough and divide it into 6 pieces the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, flatten to about 1.5 cm, place on a floured tray, cover loosely and rest for .
Pour the oil into a 20 cm heavy pot at least 4 cm deep (no more than half full) and heat on medium heat for about , to 170 °C. A small piece of dough should rise within seconds and sizzle steadily.
Add in this stepVegetable oil for deep-frying 800 ml
medium heatFry the dough rounds for per batch, turning halfway, until golden and hollow-sounding. Keep the oil at 165–170 °C on medium heat and fry in 2 batch(es), without crowding. Drain on kitchen paper. Never leave hot oil unattended.
medium heatStir the chopped kimchi, mayonnaise and gochujang together in a small bowl. Taste, and add a little more gochujang if you want more heat.
Add in this stepCabbage kimchi, finely chopped 80 gMayonnaise 3 tbspGochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1 tsp
Heat a 24 cm frying pan with the oil on high heat until very hot. Add the beef with its marinade in a single layer and stir-fry for , until browned at the edges, cooked through and the juices have reduced to a sticky glaze. Work in two batches if the pan is crowded, or the beef will stew.
Add in this stepOil for the pan 1 tsp
high heatSplit each warm vetkoek three-quarters of the way through. Spread with kimchi mayo, fill with cucumber slices and bulgogi, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve straight away while the bread is still crisp.
Add in this stepCucumber, thinly sliced ½Toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp
Cook's tip
Slice the beef against the grain as thinly as you can, about 2 mm; thick slices turn chewy. Pork shoulder or chicken thigh work too, but cook chicken until no pink remains. The vetkoek can be fried an hour ahead and re-crisped in a 180 °C oven for 4 minutes.
Cooking it at camp
Marinate the beef at home and keep it in a well-iced cooler. At camp, fry the vetkoek in a deep, heavy pot on a stable burner, then sear the bulgogi in a hot pan or on a griddle over the grill. Keep the kimchi mayo cold until serving.