On my half day off, I decided to "relax" by making my favorite (and the kids too) Korean meat dish--kalbi (marinated short ribs), which are tender, savory, sweet, and full of delicious flavors. These are best to be cooked on a grill (especially great for special occasions with friends and family) but they also taste good pan-fried off of the stove. The kids love kalbi too not only for its taste, but they get to use their hands and nibble/chew at every bit of meat from the bone (yes, it's that good). As for the actual technique (or secret steps) to making great kalbi is the marinade itself. Many people have their own variations (and I have tried all of them), but the key ingredient is the use ofAsian pears (don't worry American pears or apples will work too) and grating them or putting them through a food processor. The old-school Korean moms (and my mom included) don't use food processors (too high tech for them I guess). You can also substitute or use in combination with citrus drinks like 7-Up or Pepsi, not only bringing that extra sweetness, but the carbonation supposedly helps with tenderizing of the meat as well. Then make sure to marinate overnight and you will find yourself with some awesome marinated beef ribs the next day. This recipe and others can be found at www.oliviajasonkim.com. Please come and join! ^^