Korean recipes:
Korean perilla in soy sauce (kkaennip jangahjji)
I heard that there is a huge Korean community in Flushing, so I went there the other day. It took about 40 minutes to ride the subway from Manhattan.
I was so excited about visiting there that my heart started beating before getting there even on the subway. Yes, it was surprising scene! I felt like walking around somewhere in Korea!
I bought some items that I can’t find easily in midtown Manhattan such as a long broom, cheap hangers, and I found them! Then of course I had to stop by the Korean grocery store, Han Arum mart.
I found a good bakery store “Koryudang” to order my favorite snack patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red bean and fruits). Almost all of customers were Koreans. I used to make it for my children when they were young. When they came home from school in hot summer afternoon, I used to be waiting for them with ready made patbingsu. Once they came home, I gave it to them and they were of course happy. So when I order potbingsu for myself, I can’t help thinking about my children and feel a little strange.
On the way back home to take the subway, I saw a woman sitting on the sidewalk selling so many different kinds of Korean vegetables that she grew in her home: lettuce, green chili pepper, cucumber, minari, small, cute pumpkins (for doen jang jjigae), and sesame leaves! I asked, “How much is it for all the “kkaennip” ? She paused some seconds and seemed busy counting quietly. She said, “20 dollars”. I said, “How about 15 dollars? I will make kimchi with them”. She paused again and “sure!” :) I know I should be generous to the seller. How dare I could ask for discount! But, it’s my life time bargain habit that I learned from my own mother.
When I came home, I made sesame leaves jang ah jji instead of making kkaennip kimchi because making jang ah jji is easier than making kimchi.
For those who may be interested in learning how to make this jang ah jji, I am posting my recipe here with pictures.
Korean perilla in soy sauce (kkaennip jangahjji)
Ingredients: 500 grams of perilla leaves, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water
1) Wash both sides of kkaennip thoroughly and drain them. Put them in a container or jar.
2) In a large skillet, add 5 cups of water, ¼ cup salt, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of soy sauce, and ½ cup of vinegar and boil it.
3) When the mixture of the liquid boils, pour it carefully, slowly, and evenly into the container where fresh kkaennip is placed.
4) Press it down with a spoon to help the sesame leaves get submerged. Then put something heavy on top to keep them down in the mixture
5) Close the lid of the container and let it sit for about 12 hours. (You can turn over to salt evenly)
6) Next day, when you open the lid, you will see lots of liquid came out from the leaves
7) Drain the salty juice into a pot and boil it for about 20 minutes. (Don’t boil the salted sesame leaves, leave them in the container without much liquid.
8) The amount of salty liquid will get less than before. Cool it down.
9) Switch the salted sesame leaves into a smaller container that fits them, then pour the cooled down salty juice over them.
That’s all!
Eat it with rice as part of your meal. First, get a spoonful of rice…
Maangchi!
I’m so happy to find your site!
July 12th, 2008 at 1:52 amI’m making ggaktugi right now. Unfortunately I found your videos on how to make kimchi just AFTER I finished. Anyway, I hope it comes out ok. My last batch had too much salt and never fermented properly. I’m a Korean ibyang-in who’s studying up on my hanguk-mal these days. I wish you much luck and fun in New York. I live in Brooklyn — I’d be happy to show you around these parts some time! Best, OkJin (aka sengang:)
Ginger!
Is that you that you used to send me email months ago? Oh, my! I was thinking about you because you told me you were living in Brooklyn! I was looking for your previous email to let you know I’m living in New York!, However, I could not find it. I must have erased the email.
Anyway, I’m so excited about meeting you! Send me email again and give me some ideas of getting together meeting with other blog readers.
July 12th, 2008 at 7:58 amThere is also a Korean community across the river in New Jersey. Palisades Park has on of the highest % in the country of Korean people. However you probably would require a car to explore it.
There is also a Japanese supermarket Mitsuwa in Edgewater, NJ. They have some korean items, but its mostly japanese.
http://www.mitsuwanj.com/en/product.htm
July 12th, 2008 at 11:22 amIt must be a different Ginger! To my knowledge, I’ve only posted once on your blog! I’m pleased to meet you! I hope you’re getting settled into the city well. The weather’s been great lately — not too hot.
My ggaktugi didn’t ferment in 20 hours so I’ll leave it out for a couple more days, I guess. I just opened up the jar and stirred it around with my hand so it ferments equally in the liquid. Do you ever worry about mold growing on the surface of the fermenting kimchi?
Annyeonghi jumesayo!
July 12th, 2008 at 9:53 pmGinger
Ginger,
haha, sorry about my previous message. What a coincidence! The ginger (blog id name) used to send me messages and she said she is living in Brooklyn! : )
hope your kimchi ferments well.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:34 amActually I never wait until kimchi ferments. I eat it right after making it.
Dear Joshua,
July 13th, 2008 at 9:37 amThank you for the useful information and the link. I have no car, so I should visit there by renting a car some day. Are you interested in coming for the meeting with my other blog readers? I have not decided when and where. Let me know if you are interested in coming.
Hey Maangchi
Looks like it is going to be fun in NY! I hv never seem sesame leaves before. They HUGE!!!! What do they taste like when made in kimchi?
July 14th, 2008 at 3:19 amHi Maangchi,
First of all, welcome to the USA! My family and I were in flushing just yesterday eating.. ’sam bab’? (?) Not sure of the term/name. It was very good though.
How is everything so far?
Also, for the New Jersey thing, you can easily take a bus from Port Washington.. I live in Closter and take the 20 bus but it passes through areas very close to Broad Ave. (the best place to find almost anything korean, really) in Palisades Park. It also passes through places such as Leonia and Tenafly, which all have a good Korean population.
My town, Closter, is I guess a more wealthier town and has those snobby korean ajuma’s lol. There are good korean places though - my parents actually own a Japanese restaurant in Closter called Mt. Kisco and yes, we’re Korean haha
So anyway, it’d be great if you can come visit NJ! It may not be as Koreanized as Flushing or Bayside, but it can hold its own
July 15th, 2008 at 12:13 amDizzle,
July 15th, 2008 at 7:45 pmThanks for all your information! haha snobby korean ajuma!
Maangchi!
You don’t look old enough to have grown children. I always thought you were a young spring chicken.
Thank you again for those egg recipes. Your efforts are always greatly appreciated…Our loss is New York’s gain.
July 19th, 2008 at 11:32 pmHi Maangchi! Welcome to New York!!
I'm an 18 year old, Korean girl born in the US that's going to start her first semester in college soon.
Unfortunately, I have to commute since it's in Manhattan.
Watching your videos inspire me a lot!<3 I'm not very good at cooking.
I can't wait for your next videos!! :]
P.S Omg! That picture was taken in Union Street! :] I live about 2 blocks from the Hanareum near there, which is now known as H-Mart. My mom goes there all the time.
-Rina Hyun
July 21st, 2008 at 9:25 pmRina Hyun!
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 amYou are living in Flushing! It took only 40 minutes from Manhattan by subway. We could have met there when I visited Flushing. Next time! : )
Hi Maangchi,
I have been watching your video on youtube quite often, and thank you for sharing yummy korean food with us.
I have some questions regarding this recipe:
1) Do I need to cook the seasame leaf at all?
2) Regarding #5, “Close the lid of the container and let it sit for about 12 hours. (You can turn over to salt evenly)”. Do I need to put it in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
August 16th, 2008 at 10:06 pmstella,
My answer about your questions
1: no, just follow the recipe, no need to cook for this recipe
2: no need to put it in the refrigerator and put it at room temperature.
It sounds like you are going to make this! Wonderful!
August 16th, 2008 at 10:15 pmI’m still enjoying the jang ah jji.
Hi Maangchi,
Woow, you are so fast!
I just made this 5 minutes ago… I am hoping for the best :-)
Thanks again & Have a great weekend!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:35 pmThank you so very much for sharing your Korean recipes. I love spicy Kenip. Could you share the receipe for spicy Kenip? Also, I love Korean jello made up of acorn with sauce on top. Somebody said it’s better to make it on my own rather than buying acorn flour. How do I make acorn flour from fresh acorn and how do I make ‘mook’ from scratch?
August 24th, 2008 at 10:43 amKate,
August 24th, 2008 at 7:16 pmSure, spicy kenip (steamed hot spicy sesame leaves side dish) dish is included in the list of my future recipes. jello made up of acorn powder is called “do to ri mook”. It’s also already in the list. I don’t know how to make acorn powder for mook. : ) Nobody makes it these days. Anyway I will post the recipe using a small bag of mook powder sold at a grocery store soon.
Thank you!
I’m a New Zealander living in Seattle with my two Korean adopted children (5 & 7 years).
August 29th, 2008 at 6:37 pmWe love cooking Korean food and your website is very helpful.
Thank you.
Cheryl,
August 29th, 2008 at 6:47 pmOh, yeah? nice! They will never forget about Korean culture! Say hello to your children!
Hi Maangchi, how long can you keep this dish in the fridge?
September 10th, 2008 at 7:54 pmYen,
September 10th, 2008 at 9:38 pmYou can keep it in the fridge for months! It never goes bad!
Dear Maangchi,
That’s so great to see your videos to learn korean dishes. I am a hk girl whom studying korean in korea right now, and i like cooking so much, so i would like to try different cuisine as well. And, i like to try to make dishes for my friends and relatives when i go back to HONG KONG. So happy to share your receipes in web, however, i would like to ask, this dish is a side dish? How can i get used it? Just goes with rice? or can make another dishes as well?Thanks again for sharing and answering my questions. Bless u
October 28th, 2008 at 9:31 pmAda,
October 28th, 2008 at 10:25 pmWelcome to my recipe website! This perilla leaves(sesame leaves) side dish is a little salty, so you will have to eat it with rice. It may also go with noodle soup, fried vegetable..etc. Mostly we eat it with rice.
hi ms. maangchi i m cristina, id discover your website when i was looking for the recipies of korean food, i was only got married this past month of april to a korean man, so i supposed to be learn about korean food, and i am so happy, because i finally found a website like this..and sooner i will tell this to all of my filipina friend here in korea…. thank you.. ill just wonder are you a filipina also????
November 1st, 2008 at 5:25 amChristina,
November 1st, 2008 at 10:19 amCongratulation on your marriage! Your husband is already lucky man because his wife is working hard to feed him good food! : )
I’m Korean! haha!
Hi Maangchi,
November 28th, 2008 at 5:31 amthanks for the recipes! However, I was wondering why you have to boil the sauce for 20 minutes the day after. just curious! thanks again
Truth,
November 28th, 2008 at 10:41 amBecause sooner or later liquid from perilla leaves will come out when they are soaked in salty soy sauce. Water may cause the vegetables to go bad easily, so boiling the juice one more time will prevent it from going bad.