When I lived in Korea, whenever I saw fresh chwinamul in the open air market for the first time in spring, I felt that spring was really in the air! And when I tasted chwinamul for the first time that year, I felt revitalized with energy from its slightly bitter taste and distinctive flavor. …Dried chwinamul is very tough and hard, and each stem looks like a thin thread. How can you possibly make it edible? It will never get softer by soaking in cold water for only 30 minutes. You’ll have to soak it overnight!
Collard greens are not a familiar vegetable in Korean cuisine. However, since the vegetable is nutritious, healthy, and delicious, I wanted to use it in my cooking. First I tried to make kimchi with it, but it turned out too tough. Then I tried cooked collard greens at a BBQ restaurant in New York and […]
Musaeng-chae is one of the easiest and most common Korean side dishes. A good quality Korean radish is firm, and the taste is juicy, sweet, and crunchy! Choosing a good radish is very important to make good musaeng-chae. How can you know if it’s firm and juicy? The outer skin should look smooth and shiny, […]
Kongnamul-muchim is one of the most common Korean side dishes, and it’s included in almost every meal. It’s very popular among Koreans, and they never seem to get tired of it. It’s very economical and also good for you. The soybean sprouts used in this video were grown at home, but you can also buy […]
Sometimes incorrectly labeled as mung bean flour (probably because mung beans look like green beans when they’re in the pod), this is a finegrained starch extracted from mung beans. It is used to make noodles and side dishes. With one small package, you can make a huge amount of jelly. Use what you need, then […]
Ingredients 1 medium size Korean radish, kosher salt, garlic, toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil, shredded red pepper (silgochu). Cut radish into thin strips. Make about 5-6 cups. Heat up a pan and add the radish strips, 1tbs vegetable oil, 1 ts kosher salt, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Add […]
Gaji-namul is a simple, delicious, everyday Korean side dish, meant to be eaten with other side dishes and rice. It’s one of my favorites. I love the fresh taste, soft texture, and the beautiful vibrant purple color of the dish on the table. It’s refreshing and goes well with oilier items to offset their texture […]
Are you looking for something refreshing, light, healthy, and cold cold cold? This is it! These cool cucumber matchsticks in an icy, garlicky, sweet, sour, and salty brine are just the thing.
Sigeumchi-namul is a Korean side dish (banchan) made of blanched spinach seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. The spinach is only slightly cooked, leaving it a little crispy, but still soft and tasty. Because it’s so easy to make and so delicious, it’s a very popular and common side dish among Koreans. […]
Which to get? Both are best sellers and either one is a good choice if you want to learn Korean home cooking. Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking has all the recipes for all the essential Korean pastes and sauces, but my second book Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking has more recipes, more photos, and more variety.