Now Serving: Food Truck Flavors

Our chief innovation officer, Sam, is the person responsible for our love affair with Korean tacos. At a recent taco festival in L.A., the legendary Kogi BBQ Food Truck rolled in. Sam was adamant that we try them, and even though the line was long, it was well worth the wait. Rich and tangy, sweet and mysterious, it was love at first bite. Excited, we flew home and wrote this recipe with the idea of making delicious, food truck inspired flavors available to everyone, right at home!

Our version takes a cue from the Korean specialty bulgogi — thinly sliced marinated steak that takes on a delicious caramelized quality as it sizzles in a hot cast-iron skillet. Popping the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes makes it easier to slice super-thin. Look for kimchi in the Asian-food aisle or the refrigerated section at the supermarket.

Korean Steak Tacos

Prep time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (includes marinating time) | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound top sirloin, trimmed

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon mirin OR sherry

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

1 garlic clove, grated

1 kiwifruit, peeled and pureed

1/2 cup crema Mexicana

1/4 cup finely chopped kimchi – look for it in the Asian-food aisle or refrigerated section at the supermarket

1 package La Tortilla Factory Handmade Style Tortillas, Yellow or White Corn

1/2 cup bottled peach or mango salsa or our Grilled Pineapple-Mango Salsa

Thinly sliced green onion

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

Freeze beef  30 minutes or until firm but not frozen – this will make it easier to slice super-thin. Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, mirin, pepper, ginger, garlic and kiwifruit.

Remove beef from freezer. With a very sharp knife, cut beef across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Add beef to marinade, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Combine crema Mexicana and kimchi; chill.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Remove beef from marinade, discarding marinade. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, add beef to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove beef from pan; keep warm.

Warm tortillas on a hot griddle or directly over a gas flame, flipping as they begin to bubble. Transfer tortillas to a work surface and top evenly with beef. Drizzle evenly with kimchi crema. Top with salsa, green onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Number of servings: 4-8

Per Taco:

Calories: 270  | Total fat: 10 grams | Total carbohydrates: 22 grams | Dietary fiber: 2 grams | Protein: 23 grams