KOREAN GOCHUJANG TOSTADAS
Deliciously marinated beef on a crispy tostada topped with a cabbage and mango slaw and drizzled with a gochujang crema
Korean food is in my top 3 favourite cuisines alongside Italian and Mexican. Gochujang is so versatile and packs major flavour so it has a dedicated space in our fridge and I even have a couple extra tubs on hand in the pantry.
This recipe is a fusion of Korean and Mexican cuisines and it is so so good! My 20 year old son declared its now one of his favourite recipes that I’ve made. You can play around with the marinade to suit your tastes by adding more or less Gochujang and sugar. If you are using a tougher or cheaper cut of beef, I recommend marinating the beef overnight to help with tenderizing.
Making your own tostadas is so easy! Just add an inch of oil to a cast iron pan and when it’s hot, fry a corn or flour tortilla for 30 seconds - 1 minute per side. It turns them into a deliciously crunchy base for whatever toppings you love.
GOCHUJANG BEEF:
2 lbs top sirloin or flank steak, cut into 1” chunks (I have also used whatever boneless roasts I have had on hand in the past, as the marinade ingredients help tenderize the beef)
MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
1 Asian pear, cored and chopped (if you can’t find an Asian pear, I often substitute it with a Fuji, ambrosia or honey crisp apple)
3 tsp gochujang paste (I usually buy mine from an asian market or Superstore but Amazon carries it too even though they are a bit pricier. I added a link in case your local store doesn’t carry it)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tsp of honey
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup rice mirin
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
BEEF DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (Unless you are planning on marinating overnight of course)
Add all of the marinade ingredients to a blender and purée well.
Add chopped beef to a shallow bowl or freezer bag and pour the puréed marinade over it. Stir well to coat all of the beef.
Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature if using right away or refrigerate up to 24 hours until ready to use. (It’s important to bring beef to room temperature before frying to avoid shrinkage and it becoming too watery when frying.)
While meat is marinating, assemble the Cabbage and mango slaw and the Gochujang Crema and refrigerate.
Heat 1-2 tbsp of avocado or vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large wok, or cast iron skillet. (Link for a great skillet!)
Working in 4-5 small batches, sear the beef for 2-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add to an oven safe baking pot. You may need to add a bit more oil with each batch.
When all of the beef is cooked and placed in an oven safe pot, add 1/2 cup of water and stir.
Cover and bake in 350 F oven for 20 minutes.
While the beef is baking, make the tostadas.
CABBAGE & MANGO SLAW:
2 cups coleslaw mix (cabbage/carrot blend)
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 large mango, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions, chopped
Juice from one small lime
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Add all of the slaw ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to assemble tostadas
TOSTADAS:
½-1 cup vegetable oil (or 1” oil in the pan)
12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
salt to taste
Heat 1” inch oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas one at a time for 30–60 seconds on each side, until golden. Place on a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
I like to make my tostada shells fresh, but you can make them up to 24 hours in advance.
Once they are completely cooled, just store in a resealable plastic bag to keep them crunchy until serving.
GOCHUCHANG CREMA
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tsp gochujang or more to taste
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Whisk crema ingredients together well and refrigerate until ready to assemble tostadas.