This week our Korean food fan is Chrissy Fisher from Cambridge, MA. She is a vegan, so she modifies almost all of my recipes to suit her lifestyle. I asked for tips for my vegan readers.
She says: “It’s actually very easy to make most of your recipes vegan, just substituting the fish sauce for soy sauce and using meat substitutes like seitan. There doesn’t seem to be much dairy in your recipes, so that’s easy! I also use dried shiitake mushrooms in my stock instead of anchovies and I make my own kimchi without fish sauce. My homemade kimchi pancake is also a hit, but sadly it doesn’t photograph very well!”
What is your name and where do you live?
I’m Chrissy and I live in Cambridge, MA.
Tell me about the first time you ever tasted Korean food. Where were you, and what did you eat?
The first time I ever had Korean food was at a Korean celebration in my state. I was singing in my high school choir; we sang some songs in Korean and ate delicious food!
How often do you cook Korean food?
I cook Korean food at least once a week! I LOVE it and I have full confidence cooking it from home thanks to your videos. Because I am vegan, I have had so much fun veganizing your recipes and proving it is possible to love Korean food and be vegan!
What are your 3 favorite Korean dishes?
To eat? I love gimbap, ANY type of pancake and sundubu jiigae.
What’s your best Korean dish, the one that everybody compliments you on?
My vegan gimbap has thrilled many! I have converted many first-timers to Korean food with it.
Vegan Kimchi Stew and Rice
Vegan Gimbap and Tofu Pockets
She says: “The brown stuff in the kimbap is seitan, a vegan meat substitute made with wheat gluten. I seasoned it just like your beef and it tastes amazing, and I also added avocado to the kimbap. My non-vegan husband goes crazy for it.”
Vegan Radish Kimchi (kkakdugi)
