Lutong Bahay: Beef & Kimchi Burrito + Rice Bowl

If there's one food item I'd have a hard time living without, it would definitely be rice! While I've been trying my best not to go overboard with rice, there's no denying that it's the main fuel for my everyday activities. For breakfast, for lunch, for dinner, it's just hard to imagine life without this Asian staple food item!

Today, let me share with you this rice-including recipe which I've been making at home for a few weeks now -- Beef and Kimchi Burrito. It's healthy, filling and a perfect dish for people on the go. I've been having this for brunch, and carrying it out when I'm on field work. And it has seriously saved me from getting "hangry" while stuck on the terrible December traffic.

Beef & Kimchi Burrito

Ingredients:

• Tortillas (I used whole wheat ones)
• Kimchi
• Gochujang (Korean spicy soybean paste) or Ssamjang dipping sauce (I used the latter)
• Doña María Jasponica rice, cooked
• Lettuce, washed and roughly chopped
• Onions, chopped
• Sour cream
• Cooking oil
• Cilantro, optional (I used tomyao since this is what I had on hand)

For the beef:

• 200g beef sirloin or tenderloin, sliced thinly
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, marinade the thinly sliced pieces of beef in sesame oil, soy sauce, minced garlic, and salt and pepper at least 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator, if possible.
2. When ready to make the burrito, drizzle some olive oil on a skillet and sauté the beef pieces over medium heat for a few minutes until cooked through. Set aside.
3. Add a small amount of oil on the same skillet and sauté the onions on low-medium heat until soft and slightly caramelized. Set aside.
4. Next, drizzle some oil on the pan and stir-fry a portion of cooked Doña María Jasponica rice with kimchi and its juices (3:1 rice-kimchi ratio) over medium heat. Set aside.
5. Warm up the tortilla by drizzling some water on it and heating it up on a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side.
6. Assemble the burrito by laying your heated tortilla and spreading a good amount of gochujang or ssamjang, then layer the lettuce, kimchi rice, beef, onions and sour cream.
7. Fold, wrap and enjoy!

How I fold my burrito:

You can fold your burrito like I did -- placing the ingredients in the middle and folding all the sides. Or alternatively, you can place the ingredients near one end of the tortilla, folding the top and bottom before rolling to a cylindrical burrito. d(*’-^*)-☆

Tada! Beef and Kimchi Burrito is complete.

For easier consumption, I like to cut my Beef and Kimchi Burrito in half. It also helps me with portion control -- I can just eat half and save the other half for later, if I'm not too hungry.

If you plan to take the burrito on the go, I suggest wrapping it up in aluminum foil, then cutting it in half. Now, you can enjoy a healthy and filling meal even when out! ☆～（ゝ。∂）

Beef & Kimchi Rice Bowl

If you want to enjoy the dish as a heartier, heftier comfort food, you can also do away with the tortilla and make it a Beef and Kimchi Rice Bowl. It's basically the same recipe, but the beef is sliced into bite-sized cubes instead of thin strips. You'll also have to mix in the gochujang or ssamjang into the rice itself when you fry it with kimchi. Yum!!! (っ˘ڡ˘ς)

These 2 recipes are very easy to make, yet healthy and a complete meal in itself. It got carbs, protein and veggies, along with different flavors that will surely tickle the taste buds. Make sure though to use good quality rice to make your Beef and Kimchi Burrito or Rice Bowl the best it can be. Personally, I'm all for Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice.

And if you haven't read it yet, check out the 5 reasons on why you should #LevelUpYourRice!

Happy cooking! Wish you're all having a wonderful holiday season! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧