Appetites: What's 'authentic' anyway?

Let's get one thing clear: Thomas Kim is not cooking authentic Korean food. Kim is the chef and owner of The Rabbit Hole — a Korean-inspired restaurant in the Midtown Global market — and he's got a bone to pick with the word "authentic" when it comes to evaluating food.

"People's idea of authenticity tends to be a really, really subjective opinion, as opposed to realistic expectations," says Kim.

Kim spoke with All Things Considered host Tom Crann about how he differentiates between authentic and traditional food, some of the global influences on current Korean cuisine, and what happens when people come to The Rabbit Hole looking for traditional Korean food.

Recipe: Kalbi kimchi cheesesteak

By Thomas Kim

Here is a recipe that I like to whip up for get-togethers: Korean flavors in cheesesteak form. The marinade adds a sweet, salty touch while the kimchi adds a nice funky crunch.

• 6 sourdough or hoagie rolls
• 12 slices of American cheese
• 12 ounces of Napa kimchi (Found in most well stocked stores)
• 1 sweet onion such as Walla Walla or Maui, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, cored, sliced (Adding sliced mushrooms would be a good move also.)
• 3 pounds Kalbi-marinated beef (recipe below), divided into 6 equal portions

Sauté the onion, bell pepper and mushroom if using. Cook until the onion turns translucent but still holds its shape. Cook the beef. Grilling or cooking in a pan both work. Once the beef is 90 percent cooked to desired level, top with sautéed vegetables then layer with cheese. Cover and steam so that the cheese melts. Transfer the cheesesteak to hoagie roll, top with kimchi and enjoy with soju or a crisp light beer.

Kalbi marinade

• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 stalks of green onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled and cleaned
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (1 cup of pineapple orange juice is good, too)
• 1/2 cup Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine; sub out a dry sweet white wine in a pinch)
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed
• 3 pounds short rib or flank steak, sliced into 6 equal portions

Blend the first eight ingredients then mix with the sesame seeds. Marinate the beef for four hours or overnight.

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