Meat and Tofu Patties (Wanjajeon)
Wanjajeon are Korean-style beef patties served as a side dish with rice and soup, or made by moms for their children’s lunch boxes. The secret to their succulence is the tofu. If you’d like, use half beef and half pork instead of all ground beef. The egg coating gives the patties a beautiful golden color. […]
Seafood Scallion Pancake (Haemul pajeon)
Unlike the flaky, puffy Chinese scallion pancakes you may have had, this is made with a rich, light batter so it’s soft and fluffy inside and crunchy outside. It is filled with scallions, which give it a fresh sweetness. It’s popular as a quick meal or snack, or as a side dish with Korean Rice […]
Sautéed Zucchini and Shrimp (Hobak saeu bokkeum)
This eye-catching dish of soft green squash and pink shrimp goes well with Bulgogi, Grilled Pork Belly, or L.A.–Style Beef Short Ribs and rice. Traditionally it is seasoned with salted fermented shrimp, which lend a eep, savory flavor. They are available at any Korean or Asian grocery store, but you can use fish sauce in […]
Seasoned Fermented Sardine Side Dish (Jeong eo ri jeotgal muchim)
If you love stinky cheese, you’ll appreciate this dish, and you can classify yourself as a hard-core Korean food lover. If you’ve taken the time to make your own Fermented Sardines, you already have the main ingredient for this quick and tasty side dish. You can also make it with fermented salted anchovies from a […]
Roasted Porgy with Spicy Seasoning Sauce (Pogi yangnyeom gui)
Roast a whole fish and cover it with a spicy seasoning sauce, and it becomes very special indeed. The lettuce on the serving platter is not merely decorative: The juices from the fish and the sauce soak into it, turning the leaves into a delicious salad to eat once the fish is gone. Serve the […]
Braised Beltfish (Galchi jorim)
Flavored with aromatics and cooked with vegetables, this fish side dish comes with a broth that is satisfying and hearty. You can scoop the flesh from the fish with a spoon—it will come away from the bones easily. In Korea, this kind of dish is known as a “rice thief” ( bapdoduk)—it goes so well […]
Seasoned Oysters (Gulmuchim)
In the early mornings in the harbor city of Yeosu, I used to follow my mother to the open-air market. There was always a gaggle of women who came daily from a nearby island to sell oysters that they had harvested among the rocks by the shore. They squatted behind their bowls of very small, […]
Seasoned Dried Filefish (Juipo muchim)
When dried and shredded filefish is seasoned with a sweet and spicy sauce, it makes a great side dish. The hard dried fish softens and takes on a nutty sesame-oil flavor. You’ll need to get to a Korean grocery store to find dried filefish. You can substitute shredded dried squid or shredded dried pollock, if […]
Spicy Raw Crab (Maeun gejang)
In the southern harbor city of Yeosu, where I lived until I went to high school, every family has its own version of this dish—crabs marinated in a mix of seasonings. This recipe is my mom’s. I once made it for some Japanese friends who had never had it, and the husband couldn’t stop eating […]
Sweet Sour and Spicy Squid with Water Dropwort (Ojingeo minari chomuchim)
Water dropwort has crisp green stems and leafy tops. Its herbal, earthy flavor is a great match for squid with spicy seasoning paste. Outside of Korean markets, water dropwort can be hard to find, but you can use another green or vegetable in its place. Blanched watercress works well. Or try cucumber (a favorite of […]