All Koreans love their moms’ kimbap recipe, but what if you have to make it on your own? This was my husband’s dilemma as he weighed his love of kimbap with his aversion to cooking. Contrary to what Korean ajummas will tell you, kimbap takes a ton of work. I prefer to leave kimbap making…
Friday is my favorite day to make a yummy snack to kick off the weekend and there is no better Korean snack than rabokki. What is rabokki? Rabokki combines the words ramyun and tteokbokki and refers to a relatively new but very popular Korean street food that is commonly served in Korean bunsik restaurants. Tteokbokki…
My love affair with the Korean drink, makgeolli, started after a visit with a friend to Washington State. We were off visiting different restaurants and partaking in the various cuisines that Seattle is famous for. On one particular outing, we were dining at a restaurant that was notable for its homemade kombucha. My friend and…
Many Korean Americans have fond memories of church picnics where the foil is rolled out long and poked with holes to cook bulgogi on the charcoal grills of a public park. Mmmm. I can just smell the smoky goodness now. Everyone and their mother has her own bulgogi recipe and most of them are delicious.…
As surely as February 14th is Valentine’s Day, April 14th is Black Day in Korea, a day where singles wear black and gather to eat black food. Many people eat jjajangmyun on Black Day to soothe their lonely hearts and although I’m not sure how this tradition got started, I’m quite sure it’s a balm…
Grocery store checklist of essential Korean ingredients included. Korean food is the best!! And with just a handful of Korean ingredients, you can make dozens of wonderful meals. Don’t take my word for it, ask Morgan Stanley who stated in a recent report that Korean food exports have increased 10% every year for the past…
Galbi is actually not a single food, but rather a cut of meat that is tender and flavorful. Known as short rib in the states, galbi literally means ‘ribs’, and can be boiled in a soup, braised into jjim, or most famously grilled over charcoal. Most people think of beef when it comes to galbi…
What are Korean pears? Also known as Asian pears or apple pears, these large golden round pears are a superbly crisp, juicy and sweet fruit that is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. In Korea, Asian pears are just called pears or bae (배) because these are the only pears grown in Korea. They are…
What is janchi guksu? It’s a simple yet hearty noodle soup that is eaten so frequently in Korea that it’s often taken for granted. The word janchi means party or banquet, and at many Korean weddings or church events, janchi guksu is the go-to meal to serve a large crowd. Vats of soup along with…
When the weather cools down and especially after you’ve had a heavy western meal, Koreans crave a good old fashioned doenjang jjigae. We all have our special touches and secret ingredients, but sometimes it’s great to peel back the layers of improv and go back to basics. Here’s my classic version which includes potatoes, a…