Japchae (잡채) is one of the most popular dishes in Korea, typically made on special occasions. My husband’s friend D jokingly complained after a friend’s housewarming party that “they didn’t even have japchae. It’s no party without japchae!” Continue reading
[bausut: mushroom, kal: knife, guksoo: noodle]
Kalguksoo is a Korea noodle made of flour. It is traditionally made from fresh pasta, rolled out flat, then folded into layers before being cut into thin pasta or noodles with a knife, thus the word “kal,” which means knife in Korean. Continue reading
[Dak: chicken, Galbi: Korean BBQ]
Dakgalbi is a popular dish, especially amongst young Koreans. Unlike my “Mom’s Chicken Galbi“ that I posted a few months ago, this chicken galbi is the traditional spicy kind. Continue reading
[Dotori: acorn, Muk: jelly, Bap: rice]
I always stop by this small restaurant near my mother’s art studio in Gonjiam, 1 hour away from Seoul. This restaurant called “Waehalmunijip (외할머니집),” which translates to maternal grandmother, was the first place I tried Dotorimuk-bap (도토리묵밥). This simple light yet delicious one-pot meal has become one of my favorite dishes since then. Continue reading
[Gireum: oil, Ttuckbokki: marinated sautéed rice cake]
If you are on a diet, beware of this dish… fried rice cakes! Gireum-ttuckbokki (기름떡볶이) is sinfully delicious and simple to make, although probably not the best for those on diets. I love this version of ttuckbokki especially because it is crispy, soft and chewy. Continue reading
[jeon: Korean pancakes or dish cooked in oil with flour and egg batter, boochu: Korean or Asian chive]
Over the weekend, my sister-in-law requested that I post pa-jeon (파전), or scallion pancakes. Unfortunately, I used all my scallions to make pa-kimchi (파김치, scallion kimchi) so I decided to make jeon or Korean pancakes with kimchi and boochu (부추, Korean or Asian chives). You can replace the boochu with scallions to make pa-jeon (파전). Continue reading
[ojingau: squid, bokkeum: sauté]
I make my ojingau-bokkeum with my spicy BBQ sauce, the same marinade I use for osam-bulgogi and dubu-kimchi. I usually buy my squid from the farmer’s market, which is much fresher than squid from any other grocery store. Continue reading
[Dubu: tofu, Guyi: grilled dish, yachae: vegetables]
A friend of mine recently asked, “What’s an easy Korean vegetarian dish?” The first thing that came to mind was grilled tofu served with dipping sauce. This dish is extremely simple and delicious in itself but for the other day, I decided to add grilled vegetables as well. Continue reading
[Galbi: short ribs, jjim: braise, steamed dish]
Galbi-jjim (갈비찜) is every Korean’s favorite dish. This dish is often the main event on party and holiday menus. The marinade is basically the same as my Korean BBQ marinade, but the only difference is that I add a little more soy sauce.
[Jeon: Korean pancakes, or vegetables, seafood or meat fried in flour and egg wash]
Jeon is made on every special occasion in Korea such as lunar New Years, jaesa (ancestral memorial services) and parties. It can be made with any ingredient you like such as fish, shrimp, mushrooms, vegetables and meat by simply coating it with flour and an egg wash. Continue reading
