Fernbrake with Garlic and Soy (Gosari namul)
Similar to fiddleheads in taste and texture, fernbrake is foraged in the mountains of Korea in the spring. My grandmother picked it every year with her friends. She would dry it in the sun and it would keep for a full year, until she went again the next spring. These days most people buy fernbrake […]
Braised Lotus Root (Yeon geun jorim)
Lacy white lotus root attracts attention on any party table. All Koreans love its texture, which is crisp-tender, like a cross between a radish and a cooked potato. Cooked in soy sauce and rice syrup, the slices become shiny, sticky, salty, and sweet. It is a popular addition to Korean lunch boxes, because it retains […]
Steamed Shishito Peppers (Kkwarigochu jjim)
Shishito peppers are light green, thin-walled, small, and sweet. In Korea, we use them whole. Coating them with flour before steaming them gives them a nice chewy texture. The little bit of dried anchovy broth used to finish cooking the peppers makes them so tasty. Served with rice and soup, they can be a complete […]
Braised Dried Sweet Potato Stems (Mallin goguma julgi bokkeum)
In Korea, sweet potatoes are harvested in the fall, so that’s when we get the freshest sweet potato stems. The stems are long, narrow, green, and very succulent and sweet, and Koreans use them in soups, stews, side dishes, and even kimchi. Farmers also dry some of the stems until they look like hard threads. […]
Steamed Eggplant (Gaji namul)
I’ve been making gaji-namul for so long that I can’t remember where I got the recipe. The steamed eggplant is soft, sweet, salty, a little spicy, and meaty. It’s a Korean staple. My version is pretty traditional, except for the amount of garlic I use. When I was a kid, I overheard my grandmother telling […]
Cooked and Seasoned Soybean Sprouts (Kongnamul muchim)
Because it is so easy and good, this is probably the number-one Korean side dish. It’s served every day on Korean tables, as well as on special occasions. If I’m making it for just four, I put it together right before serving. But if I’m making a big bowl for a party, I cook the […]
Stir Fried Kale with Soybean Paste (Keil doenjang bokkeum)
It was only after I came to America that I started to cook with kale. It was so readily available and inexpensive that I thought, “Why not try using it in Korean cuisine?” My first experiments were terrific, and I soon realized that kale is a great substitute for less readily available Korean vegetables. This […]
Blanched Spinach with Scallions and Sesame (Sigeumchi namul)
This is one of the most common Korean side dishes, along with Cooked and Seasoned Soybean Sprouts. Most people eat it at least once a week. It’s mild, soft, salty, and garlicky but not spicy. Many of my readers had never heard of this dish until I posted the recipe. Now they tell me they […]
Cold Cucumber Soup (Oi naengguk)
With just a hint of spice, this cool, sharp, salty soup is great for stimulating the appetite in the summertime, when the heat is oppressive and you don’t feel like eating much. My Western friends say it is a Korean version of gazpacho, but it doesn’t have a tomato base. (I loved gazpacho so much […]
Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi muchim)
Try this instead of your usual salad when you’re looking for something cool, crisp, and spicy. The dish should be assembled just before serving; if you have to prepare it ahead of time, keep the cucumber and seasoning sauce separate from each other and mix them together at the last minute. Also, it’s best to […]