Korean Food & Cooking

The Best Cooking Trick That Doesn't Require a Tool

Lauren Bull — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 19:46:38 +0000

by Lauren Bull, CKC Writer

The secret? Plain ol' water.

The kind of cooking tip or trick I value most is the kind that's simplicity makes me feel embarrassed when I hear it. As much as I enjoy reading buzzy, shareable tricks like shaking a head of garlic between two bowls to release the cloves, or cubing an avocado in its skin, those aren't changing anything foundationally. I'll get the cloves out; the avocado will be cut, somehow.

I remember the first time I heard Mario Batali say to think of sauce as a condiment for pasta—that it should be applied the same way you'd put dressing on a salad. That simple tip changed something for me. Imagining spaghetti strands as lettuce leaves demands a different approach.

My favorite of these types of tricks involves something at the heart of so many dishes—sautéing onions. Onions are often put in the pan first in a recipe as a way to build layers of flavor. The only issue? Many recipes say something like this:

"Sweat the onions, but don't brown them."

"Cook the onions until translucent."

"NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ONIONS, SUSAN!"

These are nice thoughts, but the fact of the matter is, when you're juggling prep in a small apartment and regulating heat on a stove from 1995, those precious thirty seconds between sweaty and brown, and the next thirty seconds between brown and burnt, can slip away unwatched.

One day, as I was watching a Jacques Pépin video, the chef addressed this issue head on. To slow down the process, he said, simply add a few tablespoons of water to the pan with the onions and cover it for a minute. This works for two reasons, he explained. First, the moisture and steam will soften the onions while stopping the browning. Second, when you remove the lid, the water will have burned off, and you can continue sautéing until the onions are dry again. Of course, wine or vinegar would have a similar effect, but they'll leave evidence behind. Water disappears without a trace.

Water is used as a carrier, Jacques explains. The same method works when sautéing other vegetables, too. Once the water is gone, the olive oil does its job.

Sometimes you don't need to buy a fancy schmancy tool; you just need to buy some time.

WARNING: Water and oil are not friends. Be certain that your pan is not too hot when adding the water, and that you only add a small amount. Cover immediately.

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To the Moon and Back: A Lunar New Year Guide

Lauren Bull — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 15:40:01 +0000

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Korean Dining Practices and Etiquette

Lauren Bull — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 02:18:16 +0000

There's no denying that Korean food has made its mark on the American food scene, particularly in the last 5 years. Kimchi, once an obscure side dish, is now available in major supermarkets and local bodegas. Korean BBQ restaurants, with their fiery table grills and platters of meat, are popping up in city after city. As some of these Korean foods become more familiar and inspire fusion experiments (kimchi quesadillas are "a thing"), it begs the question: How do Korean people really eat? What are the hallmarks of this dining culture?

Here, we offer a brief primer on some of the most essential dining elements in Korea — foundational practices and other miscellaneous methods that distinguish it from Western cultures.

The heart of traditional Korean dining is communal. You won't find structured courses or progression from one part of the meal to the next. Think of this as an orchestra instead of a series of soloists. Dishes are set out simultaneously and shared amongst the guests. There is great effort made to integrate a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. And while there are no fixed patterns, harmony is essential. That's why rice (bap) is the drum in this ensemble — the starchy, neutral grain holds the beat for the rest of the meal. It's sacred.

Though the occasion and personal preference both play a role, on a typical table you'll find rice, a main protein, a soup or stew, and anywhere from two to ten side dishes, one of which will always be kimchi. In Western culture, it's common to have meals organized in a protein-starch-vegetable structure, but on a Korean table, it's not uncommon to see multiple proteins in various serving sizes. In other words, if pork bulgogi is the central protein, there might still be a smaller portion of a fish or beef dish somewhere on the table. It's better, in fact, to think of "mains" as slightly larger sides.

The big thing to remember is this: The dishes aren't for eating one by one. Take a bite of rice. Follow that with one or two bites of banchan. Then another bite of rice. Mix and match. Enjoy a flavor, take a break, and then come back to it.

Important Terms to Know

Banchan: Banchan translates to "dishes that complement rice," but the translation is often simplified to "side dishes." These side dishes are what accounts for Korean dining — all eaten in small bites and shared amongst people at the table.

Mit Banchan: Mit banchan are side dishes that are prepared in advance, often in large quantities, and then stored until mealtime. They tend to be saltier and more aggressively flavored than fresh banchan. Most mit banchan is served at room temperature. Three examples:

Myeolchi Bokkeum: Dried anchovies stir-fried in a sweet and salty sauce until crispy. A perfect introductory dish for people who are very nervous about
anchovies.
Ojinguhchae Muchim: Season dried shredded squid. (Trust us.)
Kongjaban: Braised black soybeans are a staple. Salty, sweet, and a little nutty.

Fresh Banchan: Fresh banchan are made just before mealtime. They tend to be less saltier than mit banchan. Three examples:

Musengchae: Spicy seasoned radish that will cut right through the savory grilled meat on the table.
Buchuhjeon: Garlic chive pancakes that may erase your memory of sweet pancakes.
Dubu Jorim: A recipe that turns tofu's blank canvas into a bright and vibrant work of art.

Namul: Namul is a subcategory of fresh banchan. Namul refers to vegetable side dishes that are raw, blanched, or lightly cooked, and then seasoned. Three examples:

Gosari Namul: If you've never had fernbrake before, a good way to experience this vegetable is covered in soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.
Hoback Namul: The pan-fried zucchini gets a welcome and wonderful kick from shrimp fish sauce.
Gaji-Namul: Forget eggplant parm for a moment. Steamed and seasoned eggplants are doused in a bright, vinegary sauce just before serving.

General Dining Notes and Practices

Preservation is a central part of Korean culture. To survive the winter, Koreans developed ingenious storage methods for food. What's important to note, though, is that these methods did more than just prevent food from rotting — they revealed how food can get better by getting older. Kimchi is the world-renowned dish that best epitomizes this idea, but other items, like dried squid, also showcase the importance of preservation, and how it can lead to new flavor profiles and thus new dishes. It's not just about saving — it's also about invention.

Dessert is not a "thing." Yes, there are sweet Korean dishes, but desserts are generally thought of as snacks. You won't be handed a dessert menu at a restaurant, and there isn't a specific time for desserts to be consumed in relation to a meal. If something sweet comes at the end of dinner, it will be fruit, always peeled. But even that is not considered essential.

Stews are shared, but soups are not. Soups are typically served in smaller individual bowls. Stews, which tend to be heartier and saltier, are served in larger bowls and are normally not transferred to smaller ones. (Yes, that means a lot of double-dipping, but there are still etiquette rules below. Make sure your spoon is clean!) A particularly hearty stew can even be a main dish.

Rice is not a dumping ground. It's normally taken in separate bites from the banchan. Don't top it with five different sauces and stir it into a mess. A lot of care and investment is put into each of those grains. Take the time to appreciate them.

Speaking of rice, you'll notice that the bowls are not filled with mountains of rice. The rice tends to lay flush with the edge of the bowl.

A Table Etiquette Guide

Be mindful of others. Small bites! No hogging bowls!

Sharing doesn't mean cross-contaminating. Even though the dining experience is communal, chopstick control is crucial. When you reach into the bowl, you should make a targeted pull without touching too much surrounding food.

Chopsticks are not for stirring, especially when you've already taken a bite with them. Don't leave any utensils in the rice bowl. They should go on the table after eating.

Though no one will kick you out for using chopsticks, rice is meant to be eaten with a spoon.

No hovering over shared bowls when taking and eating food. (This is a good rule at any table, of course.)

Leave the rice and soup bowls on the table. Tempting though it might be to pick up your bowl and take a big slurp from the side, resist the urge.

Before eating, it's customary to tell the person who prepared the meal, "jal-meok-get-seum-ni-da," which means, "I will eat well." It shows appreciation and respect for the food.

Make use of the spoon and chopsticks. Don't eat with your bare hands, unless you're eating ssam or a street food.

Take your time. When a meal is made with care, it's nice to pace yourself, and savor.

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Regrow Green Onions at Home

Lauren Bull — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:20:41 +0000

Green onions are a permanent fixture on my grocery list. They have a home in many Korean dishes, but I also chop them for salads, make relish for lettuce wraps, or roast them whole. They are fresh produce that have the spirit of pantry items I love best: high flavor impact with low effort.

But.

Green onions are typically sold in small batches, and the grocery store variety can be underwhelming. (Green onion slime is a very real problem.) By the time you cut off the scraggly roots and trim the hollow shoots up top, you're left with a few thin stalks that can easily be gobbled up if you're cooking for a group. There is a way, however, to take the edge off of this kitchen problem:

Regrow them in your kitchen. It takes a little over a week.

A friend recommended this to me, and she's made the process a regular part of her kitchen routine. Though it sounds like a Pinterest lifehack (and it is — you can find it on Pinterest), the ease with which you can regrow green onions should be enough to squash any feelings of preciousness. You're throwing out the ends anyway. You probably have a jar. And if you're someone who runs through green onions with any regularity, why not? It's especially appealing for fellow tiny apartment-dwellers who don't have much in the way of a garden.

The only "tools" you need are a bowl and some water. (I started with a small, shallow bowl and then transferred to a jar once the new onions got a few inches on them.) Let them sit out and watch the magic happen. You'll notice growth by the second day, but it took about ten days to get them back to their regular size.

Here's the step-by-step.

1.Cut the ends off the green onions, being sure to avoid most of the green.

2. Place the ends in a bowl of shallow water, covering the roots completely.

3. When you start to see some growth, change the water out.

4. Transfer the onions to to a mason jar once they're long enough to stay upright with the ends submerged in water.

5. Eat them. They will taste like green onions.

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Staff Picks: Quick Weeknight Dinners

Lauren Bull — Fri, 27 May 2016 16:02:21 +0000

by Lauren Bull, CKC Writer

Let's be honest — speed is the best secret weapon in a kitchen. While some recipes are designed to be long and leisurely, we all need a few options for those nights when time is limited and the urge to eat everything in sight strikes.

As a general rule, it's best make use of pantry ingredients and quick-cooking proteins. Flexibility is also key. If you don't have every single item for a particular dish, get creative. Swap parsley for chives. Use orange instead of lemon. It will probably work out just fine.

Here's what the CKC staff whips up when there's no time but lots of hunger.

Grace, CEO

"This is a really easy but delicious fish recipe. It works with any fish, but salmon is particularly good. Get your pan hot with oil. (It needs to be hot enough to sear it fast.) Sear both sides of the fish until golden brown. With the fish still in the pan, add equal amounts of soy sauce and sugar (although I really prefer maple syrup). Use 2-3 tablespoons per one serving of fish. Add any dried or fresh herbs (fresh dill is best), a hint of alcohol (white wine is the best), and some black pepper. Cook on high heat (lower heat if fish is frozen) until liquid disappears and sticks to the fish. Here is your 15-minute Korean inspired gourmet dinner. Serve with lemon if you have any."

Buy it here: Wholly Ganjang, Premium Gluten-free Unpasteurized Artisanal 3 Year Aged Soy Sauce (5.41 fl oz)

Gloria, Director of International Sales

"Gyeran Bap (egg rice). A bowl of warm rice, a pan-fried egg, soy sauce, and sesame oil. You can add gochujang to make it spicy. Mix it all together and break the fried egg. If you have seasoned laver (seaweed), break a sheet of it into small pieces and sprinkle on top."

Buy it here: Nishiki Premium Sushi Rice 5 LB

Victoria, COO

"Grill thinly-sliced Chah-dol-Bahk-ee (deckle in brisket section), or thinly-sliced Sahm-Gyup-Sahl (pork belly). Wash red leaf lettuce. Eat lettuce, grilled brisket, and rice with kimchi, Wholly Ssamjang — a dipping sauce made with gochujang and doenjang — and sesame oil dipping sauce, made with sesame oil, salt, black pepper. If you have some sweet mini peppers, green peppers, or garlic, slice them up, too. In Korea, when people don't have anything to cook with, or a group of people gets together, they say, 'Let's just grill sahm-gyup-sahl.'"

Buy it here: Wholly Gochujang, Premium Gluten-free Vegan Unpasteurized Artisanal Korean Hot Pepper Paste (Spicy, 9.8 oz)

Buy it here: Wholly Doenjang, Premium Gluten-free Unpasteurized Artisanal 3 Year Aged Korean Soybean Paste (9 oz)

Recipe: Ssamjang dipping sauce

Lauren, Writer

"Anchovy pasta is fast comfort food in my apartment. Cook the pasta according to the box directions and then drain it, but not too well — you want some of that starchy water. In a saute pan, heat a tin of anchovies with some olive oil, sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes until the anchovies have melted down. Add the pasta and stir like mad until it all comes together. If I have herbs, lemon, or even some nuts around, I'll add them. But it doesn't need it. Anchovies, garlic, and oil are the perfect trio. They don't need backup singers."

Buy it here: Agostino Recca Anchovies Fillet 3oz

Olya, Photographer

"For a lazy day recipe, I get sushi grade salmon from H Mart, fresh rice from the rice cooker and crispy seaweed. Fast and so yummy. It does help that H Mart is two minutes from my apartment."

Buy it here: Jayone Seaweed, Roasted and Lightly Salted, 24 Count

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10 Pantry Essentials for Korean Cooking

Lauren Bull — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:52:09 +0000

by Lauren Bull, CKC Writer

A well-stocked pantry is, in its own right, an essential kitchen tool. With just a few strategically-picked items on hand, you can create dishes on the fly and develop deep flavors in a short amount of time. We've compiled ten of the most essential pantry ingredients for Korean cooking, ones that would work for a seasoned chef or a novice cook. Each is versatile, and each has a long shelf life.

Sesame Oil
참기름 Chamgireum

The Enhancer

Like your favorite uncle, sesame oil is rich and nutty, and even in small doses, it makes its presence known.

As the steady heartbeat of Korean cuisine, sesame oil is used to enhance flavor and aroma of namul [nah-mool] (vegetable side dishes), bibimbap, and dipping sauces. If you're familiar with Korean BBQ (and if you're not yet, what's going on?), you may have seen it served alongside Samgyupsal (Korean Pork Belly BBQ) as a dipping sauce. It can also be used to treat minor burns, but let's be optimistic.

Sesame oil is the foundation of the house, the percussion section of the band—it's the roots of a tree that extend far beyond the crown. It's also an oil.

Sesame Seeds
깨 Kkae

The Greatest Garnish

Calling sesame seeds a garnish is like calling your guest a party decoration. Sesame seeds are not wilted parsley leaves dangling off broiled tilapia, nor are they paper thin limes plopped onto margarita glasses. Technically, yes, they are a garnish, but in Korean cooking, sesame seeds are used to impart a roasted and more complex flavor to a dish. They are often seen in namul [nah-mool] (vegetable side dishes), marinades, and dipping sauces to enhance existing flavors and to add that Punch of Nuttiness. They are a finishing touch, but the finish is strong.

Sesame seeds are available in a variety of colors, which range from light tan to black. Since the seeds can be used in a variety of sweet and savory applications, and have slight differences in flavor, it's best to taste before you sprinkle.

Koreans often use the expression, “Kkae ga sot a ji nae" ("Sesame seeds are spilled over") to describe a newly married couple, or a couple who are totally in love with each other. This refers to the harvesting of the sesame plant: When you shake it, the seeds fall of easily, making the process more fun. And we all know love and fun aren't just garnishes.

Soy Sauce
간장 Ganjang

The All-Star

Though soy sauce leads a strange double life in small plastic packets at the bottom of paper bags, it's important to recognize the complex and delicious flavor it adds to food. Ganjang is a soybean-based fermented sauce with a distinct umami flavor. It is a by-product of doenjang (soybean paste), and it contains beneficial bacteria when unpasteurized. Ganjang is widely used to season meat and vegetables, and is a staple in dipping sauces. The famous Korean BBQ marinade is mainly made with soy sauce. It's also found hanging out on your refrigerator door, waiting for its big moment.

Traditional Korean soy sauce, known as Joseon Ganjang, is made entirely of naturally fermented soy and brine. It is often used to season soups, hence the nickname "Guk Ganjang" ("soy sauce for soup"). Koreans today use both Whe-Ganjang (regular soy sauce) and Joseon Ganjang. Traditionally, however, all Korean cooking was done with Joseon Ganjang only. Joseon Ganjang is richer and saltier than common soy sauce, so smaller amounts should be used. But we understand if you can't help yourself.

Soybean Paste
된장 Doenjang

The Flavor Bomb

When you think of a pantry staple, you want something that has the aggression of a championship boxer, but the delicacy of a neighborhood florist. It should wake a dish up without overwhelming its other components. Doenajng (soybean paste) is that kind of staple, and it's also the main ingredient for Korea’s most loved stew, doenjang jjigae. Its salty and assertive flavor is great in soups, marinades, and as a seasoning for meat and vegetables. Doenjang is similar to miso (Japanese soybean paste) but has a richer and less sweet taste. For authentic Korean cooking, doenjang should be used.

Today, many Koreans buy factory made jang, but foodies in Korea seek out artisanal jang, which embodies traditional flavor and depth—the punch and then the pleasure.

Hot Pepper Paste
고추장 Gochujang

The Sweet Stinger

Gochujang's spicy/sweet flavor is unlike that of any other hot sauce—accept no substitutions. Fermented from gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes), rice syrups, rice powder, meju (fermented soybeans), and salt, gochujang has a depth and spiciness that adds heat as well as complexity. In Korean cuisine, it is often used to make dishes like Gochujang Jjigae (a spicy stew), Ddukbokgi (a sticky rice cake), and Spicy Korean BBQ.

Gochujang has become a hot item in today’s global culinary scene both for its pungency and its versatility. A little goes a long way, but it's the right way.

Hot Pepper Flakes
고추가루 Gochugaru

The Hot Spot

While gochujang is a spicy, sweet, earthy paste, gochugaru is a spicy, smoky, sweet powder. Made from sun-dried chilis, gochugaru adds major backbone to dishes. Koreans often describe gochugaru's flavor as "refreshingly spicy," especially when used in a soup. The spice is used to season many Korean dishes like spicy namul (vegetable side dishes), stir-fried meat and seafoods, and spicy soups.

Koreans are very particular about their chilis, and with good reason. Simply put, the freshest, cleanest peppers yield the best gochugaru.

As a semi-relevant fun fact, gochugaru apparently repels pests. "Pests" include friends or family members who can't handle spicy food.

Recommended: Organic Gochugaru

Short Grain White Rice
쌀 Ssal

The Backbone

The Korean equivalent to white bread, short grain white rice is ubiquitous in Korean cuisine, although health conscious Koreans prefer multi-grain rice. Most Koreans eat rice three meals a day, except for the occasional substitution of noodles or bread. Koreans do not season the rice because it is typically eaten with banchan (side dishes) which are seasoned. However tempting it might be to douse your rice in soy sauce, it is not the authentic Korean way. It is the late-night, I-don't-care way.

Vinegar
식초 Sikcho

The Balancer

Koreans use vinegar to flavor various types of banchan (side dishes) and dipping sauces. The vinegar's acidity perfectly balances the oily, fatty flavor of deep fried or pan fried foods. Koreans often use grain or fruit-based vinegar, the most common of which include brown rice vinegar, plum vinegar, apple vinegar, and lemon vinegar. Since they're very acidic, it is best to use sparingly, but hey, be brave.

Coarse Sea Salt
천일염 Cheon Il Yeom

The Brightner

"Does my months-old box of table salt count?" No. No, it does not. The difference is that naturally dried coarse grain sea salt contains no additives. Coarse sea salt is used during fermentation and brining, and to season clear soups, vegetable side dishes, grilled fish, and meat. Korean sea salt is famous for high content of minerals and supreme flavor. So, Koreans prefer Korean-produced sea salt even though it is more expensive.

Many essential Korean dishes involve brining, salting, or fermenting, and good sea salt is essential to the process. For example, when making Kimchi, coarse salt is used to salt nappa cabbages because it melts more slowly than the refined salt, so the saltiness is absorbed gradually. Also, the higher content of minerals and water in sea salt speeds up osmosis, allowing a faster and more effective salting/brining process. It creates an optimal texture in kimchi (or the right crispiness).

Korean Malt Syrup
물엿 Mulyeot

The Sweet Stuff

Though not the healthiest ingredient of the bunch (let's be real, it's basically liquid candy), malt syrup is used in Korean cooking to add an appetizing shine to food, or to give it a thick and sticky texture. Most common malt syrup in Korea is made with corn, but some use brown rice syrup instead for health reasons.

Corn syrup (different from high fructose corn syrup) is actually healthier than refined sugar. Because corn syrup is 100 percent glucose and the human body can metabolize glucose from every cell, it doesn't overload your body. Refined sugar on the other hand, is fructose, which only the liver can metabolize.

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Pink Gloves and Paddles: A Guide to Korean Kitchen Essentials

Lauren Bull — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:26:18 +0000

by Lauren Bull, CKC Writer

"I say, beware all enterprises that require new clothes," Henry David Thoreau once wrote. If you spend any time traveling on the Internet Cooking Train, passing stops called Pickle Picker, Strawberry Stem Remover, and Asparagus Peeler, you could easily swap Thoreau’s "clothes" for "kitchen appliances.” Is the secret to kitchen proficiency a multi-edge brownie pan? Yes. (Kidding, it's not at all.) But when attempting to master the cuisine of a particular culture, the tricks of the trade require a few specific tools. They're not gadgets — they're essentials.

Here is a list of the most important tools for Korean cooking, the ones that will give you an edge when you've long been working with dull blades.

1. Pressure rice cooker

It's hard to overstate the importance of rice in Korean cuisine, especially considering Koreans often use the words "bap" (rice) and "meal" interchangeably in conversation. Consistency and quality are paramount when you're eating something so frequently.

We'll be real: Rice cookers can get pricey, but it's best to think of this as an investment piece. The difference between good rice and bad isn't small — it's a giant chasm where lots and lots of ho-hum rice goes to be forgotten forever.

P.S. The benefits of a rice cooker extend far beyond Korean cooking. Spring for the sure thing.

2. Rice paddle

Put away the metal spoon, and hide your wooden spatula. Once your rice is perfectly cooked in the pressure cooker, a flip with a rice paddle keeps clumps at bay and prevents that annoying sticking when you scoop. Here's what we mean by flip: use the end of the paddle to cut into the rice and fluff. No squishing allowed! Don't skip this step — The Flip is essential for an even finish and proper plating.

3. Korean mortar and pestle

Mincing, smashing, chopping — however you slice it (ha! oh, man), garlic can be kind of a pain to prep. But because it is so ubiquitous in Korean dishes — and lots of other dishes, too, for that matter — having a tool that gets the work done quickly is worth the investment, especially when you've got ten or twenty cloves staring at you from the cutting board.

The secret to the Korean mortar and pestle is the combination of the ridged, plastic mortal and a wooden pestle. The friction between the two really breaks the garlic down and grabs at those pesky chunks that want desperately to live. They must be crushed.

4. Radish slicer

So, first of all, we're not talking about those small pinky-red radishes in the plastic bag. These are big boy radishes, and getting them properly julienned is the secret to successful kimchi and other Korean side dishes. An adjustable, multi-blade mandoline is ideal for achieving even slices of all kinds of vegetables.

Recommended: Benriner Mandoline Slicer

5. Dolsot (Stone bowls) and Earthenware Pot (Ddukbaegi)

With their cook-and-serve functionality, Korean stone bowls are the epitome of kitchen versatility. They can be used on an open flame, on an electric coil, in the oven, under the broiler, and right in the microwave — basically any way you can think of to get something hot. You can eat directly from the bowl once it's ready, and the stoneware actually keeps the food hot while you're chowing down. Though traditionally made with natural stone, it's common now to see ceramic versions, which are more practical for the home cook. Dolsot is more commonly used for rice dishes like bibimbap, while ddukbaegi is used for soups and stews.

Bonus points: Aside from withstanding high temperatures for cooking, the bowls are dishwasher safe.

Recommended: Korean Stone Bowl

6. Pink rubber gloves

These rubber gloves are the secret weapon of versatility for Korean mothers everywhere. They're ideal for everything from kimchi prep to cleaning dishes to keeping a family in line, and given their low cost, it's easy to have several pairs on hand. Consider this both a culinary and beauty tip. (And yes, they have to be pink.)

Recommended: Pink Rubber Gloves

7. Sesame seed grinder

Just as you might assume an American household will have a pepper grinder, you can figure a Korean household will have a sesame seed grinder. The nuttiness of sesame seeds is major flavor profile in many Korean dishes. The concept is similar to the pepper grinder: simply add whole roasted sesame seeds and crack them over your dish. Soups! Salads! Vegetables! Ice cream! Whatever you'd like. The point is, it's a low budget item with a high budget touch.

Recommended: Kotobuki Sesame Seed Grinder

8. Kimchi container

Kimchi is the sweet, sour, spicy, and aged condiment that's not only a staple of every meal in Korean households, but has also found fame in fusion dishes over the past few years. (Kimchi tacos, anyone?) The "special" odor kimchi acquires during fermentation is the trade off for its deliciousness, but there are ways to keep the stink manageable. The proper kimchi container allows the ingredients to work their funky magic without releasing the smell into the wilds of your refrigerator (and house).

P.S. To give you an idea of how important kimchi is to Korean cuisine, some people even have specialized kimchi refrigerators that hold the product at the optimal temperature. It's like a wine fridge, but funkier.

9. Cooking scissors

We still wonder why every person doesn't have a pair of scissors in their kitchen, as they are probably more useful there than in any other location in the home. Koreans have long seen the value in having scissors at-the-ready for cutting through meat, noodles, kimchi, and the like. They're cheap, fast, and effective. How many things can be described that way?

10. Stainless steel mesh for anchovy broth

Though a few floating anchovy heads might not intimidate true braveheart eaters, there are others who prefer their broth headless, and we shouldn't judge them for that. Anchovy broth is a Korean staple, and a mesh infuser will allow all that deep, rich, salty flavor in there while leaving the heads behind. It also creates an overall cleaner final product.

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Seollal: Korean Lunar New Year Traditions and Food

Debbie Wolfe — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 16:25:34 +0000

Seollal: Korean Lunar New Year Traditions and Food
by Debbie Wolfe, CKC Writer

Seollal, or Korean Lunar New Year, is a holiday I always looked forward to as a kid. My family in Korea would spend weeks preparing for the big event. We would all travel to my grandparent’s home in a small village north of Seoul, near the 48th parallel. Here I would see my many cousins, aunts and uncles. We played games, exchanged gifts and feasted on delicious food. I looked forward to this holiday every year.

Seollal 설날 is the most celebrated holiday in South Korea. It’s celebrated not only to mark the passage into a new year, but it is also a time for families to catch up with each other, pay respect to ancestors and to feast! Korean Lunar New Year marks the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the first day of the second new moon after winter solstice. The exact day of the lunar new year will vary from year to year.

Seollal’s celebration lasts for three days, starting the day before and ending the day after the Lunar New Year. It’s a public holiday in South Korea; many businesses are closed during this time and paid leave is given so families can travel. Nowadays many Koreans also celebrate the Gregorian calendar New Year’s day on January 1st; however, it is not as big of a celebration.

Korean News Year’s Customs

Gift Giving
During the week leading up to Seollal, Koreans shop for gifts to give family members. Gifts include fresh fruits, ginseng, honey, gift baskets (with tuna, spam, traditional sweets, dried fish) toiletries and cash.

Charye 차례 (Ancestral Rites)
The first day of the celebration begins with Charye. Charye is a memorial service that prays for the peace and good health of the ancestors. Family members will dress up or wear a hanbok (the traditional Korean dress). Everyone will then gather in front of a table prepared for the ancestral rite. The ritual dishes will vary by region, but the common ones are tteokguk (rice-cake soup), rice, meat, seafood, liquor, fruit and vegetables. The ceremony will begin with deep bows to greet the ancestors. The rite includes prayers and offerings for the ancestors. At the end of the rite, the ritual food, called eumbok, is shared; this passes the hopes and virtues of the ancestors to those who partake.

Sebae 세배 and Sebaetdon 세뱃돈
As a kid, my favorite part of Seollal was getting New Year’s money, called sebaedon. After the meal, the kids (or any young family member) perform a New Year’s bow, or sebae, to an elder family member in exchange for blessings and sebaedon. The bow differs depending on whether you are male or female. All the sebaedon received is then put into a fortune pouch called a bokjumeoni.

How to do a sebae bow.

Games
The rest of the holiday celebration is spent by visiting with family members and playing folk games. Yut-nori is a popular game that involves the use of 4 wooden sticks, tokens, and a simple game board. This strategy game has been a part of Seollal for hundreds of years. Some other common games played during this holiday are jegichagi (a hacky-sack type game), yeonnaligi (kite-flying), neolttwigi (see-saw) and paengi chigi (top-spinning).

How to play yut-nori.

Korean New Year’s Dishes
The biggest part of Seollal is the food! The New Year’s feast consists of several dishes, but there are a few that are absolutely essential.

Tteokguk (ddukguk)is the most representative of Seollal dishes. Eating a bowl of tteokguk symbolizes growing a year older, along with good health and a long life. A common question heard on New Years is “how many bowls of tteokguk have you eaten?” It’s a fun way to guess someone’s age and joke about how many more bowls they will eat.

Manduguk is similar to tteokguk, but with dumplings. Some areas will omit the sliced ddeok and only have the dumplings.

Ddeok is a category of rice cakes made from glutinous rice flour. There are hundreds of types of ddeok eaten year-round in Korea. However, it’s always on the the table for celebratory events like weddings, parties and especially holidays.

There are several types of jeon (pancakes) at a Seollal feast. Some popular jeon are buchujeon (garlic chive),kimchi jeon and saengseon jeon (fish).

Galbij jim is a popular meat dish prepared for special occasions. It’s beef short ribs braised in a sweet and salty sauce with carrots and potatoes.

Japchae, Korean glass noodles, is a delicious dish full of flavor and color. It’s enjoyed year-round as a healthy and light appetizer or side dish. Japchae is present on most special occasions.

Various Korean desserts for New Year’s

Su-jeong-gwa is a traditional fruit punch made from persimmons, cinnamon and ginger. It’s often garnished with pine nuts.
Photo credit: Naver.com

Sikhye is a sweet beverage made with malt barley, malt powder and rice. The drink is often consumed after heavy meals and helps aid in digestion.
Photo credit: Naver.com

Taraegwa is a twisted ribbon-shaped traditional Korean confection made from wheat flour and flavored with cinnamon, ginger, rice syrup and pine nuts.
Photo credit: Naver.com

Yaksik is a nutritious sweet rice bar with nuts and Korean dates. It belongs in a category of Korean “medicinal” foods which features healthful and flavorful ingredients.

Whether you celebrate New Year’s day on January 1st or the Lunar New Year, be sure to have plenty of delicious Korean dishes to share with your family and friends.

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The Crazy Korean Cooking Guide to Banchan

Debbie Wolfe — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:29:18 +0000

The Crazy Korean Cooking Guide to Banchan
by Debbie Wolfe, CKC Writer

You can find the recipes for banchan and more here.

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Korean Soy Sauces: Everything you wanted to know and more

Grace — Sat, 11 May 2013 04:22:57 +0000

Confused about Korean soy sauces? Here is everything you need to know about soy sauce in Korean cooking.

What are the types of Korean soy sauces and how are they different?

There are mainly two major types of soy sauce, and they are categorized by use: regular soy sauce and soy sauce for soup (Guk-Gan-Jang or Josean Gajang). The regular soy sauce is widely used in Korea and very similar to the soy sauce you see in Japan or North America. Soy sauce for soup (Guk-Gan-Jang or Josean Ganjang), however, is unique to Korean cooking. As the name suggests, soy sauce for soup is mainly used for soup today. But it is also used for “namul” (korean vegetable side dishes). Since it’s much saltier and lighter in color than regular soy sauce, you can use a small amount to season your soup while keeping the soup color nice and clear.

Most Koreans today use both whe-ganjang (regular soy sauce) and joseon ganjang (traditional Korean soy sauce) for cooking. Traditionally, however, all Korean cooking was done with Joseon Ganjang only. So, joseon ganjang can also be used for marinating and braising. In fact, it will give a deeper and cleaner flavor than Whe-Ganjang. Just remember to use smaller amounts since it is richer and saltier than whe-ganjang.

In addition to the two main soy sauces, another variation is called Mat-Gan-Jang (meaning “tasty soy sauce”). Mat-Gan-Jang is usually made by boiling regular soy sauce with different combinations of flavorful ingredients such as garlic, rice wine, sugar, lemon, mushroom or kelp, and then it’s saved for cooking various dishes.

Here are some facts about regular soy sauce and soy sauce for soup:

Here is more about the difference between Yan-Jo-Gan-Jang and Jin-Gan-Jang (both in the category of regular soy sauce):

1) Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang (translated as “naturally brewed” soy sauce)
Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang is brewed naturally using soybean, defatted soybean, and wheat. The quality goes up depending on how much soybean has been used. The fermentation takes usually 6 months to a year.

2) Jin-Gan-Jang (also called “Hon-Hap-Gan-Jang,” meaning “mixed” soy sauce)
Jin-Gan-Jang is a mix of chemically produced soy sauce and naturally brewed Yan-Jo-Gan-Jang. Some Koreans purchase Jin-Gan-Jang because it’s cheaper or because they are accustomed to the taste from their childhood. Jin-Gan-Jang became a big hit due to Sempyo’s (Korea’s largest soy sauce manufacturer) marketing campaign many years ago. The higher the amount of Yan-Jo-Gan-Jang (naturally brewed soy sauce), the higher the price.

Both are used for the same purposes: stir-frying, braising, marinating and grilling, as well as for dipping sauce. However, Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang is definitely better in quality and taste if you can spend a few more dollars. Some Koreans use Jin-Gan-Jang for braising and marinating which both require a greater amount and a longer cooking process, and they use Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang for dipping sauce, where people can enjoy the purer and richer flavors of soy sauce.

So, which should I buy for Korean cooking?

If you want to buy both types of ganging, here is our recommendation.
For regular soy sauce, we recommend Yan-Jo-Gan-Jang over Jin-Gan-Jang. Any brand of Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang should be okay, but make sure it’s 100% Yang-Jo-Gan-Jang. Also, if you read the label on the back, there is something called the TN number which indicates how much actual soybean protein is contained. The higher the TN number, the more premium the soy sauce is. (A TN number of 1% is average, 1.3% premium, and 1.5 - 1.8% super premium.) Also, try not to buy ones with additives such as para-hydroxyethl benzoate (synthetic preservatives), corn syrup and caramel coloring. You can also use Japanese soy sauce for regular soy sauce. If you’d like a specific recommendation, we recommend Sempyo Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce 501S or 701S (샘표 양조간장 501S/701S).

For soy sauce for soup (Guk-Gan-Jang or Joseon Ganjang), we recommend Wholly Ganjang which is made by a Korean jang artisan who has dedicated the past 20 years of his life in the art of fermentation. Wholly Ganjang is gluten free and chemical free, and made by a natural fermentation method. It has complexity and depth most store bought ganjang doesn’t have. You can use Wholly Ganjang for all types of cooking, just remember to use less than regular ganging since it is richer and saltier. You can purchase Wholly Ganjang here.

How should I store soy sauce? How long does it last?

You can keep soy sauce at room temperature, away from direct sunlight or heat. But, they say it’s better to keep it in the fridge once opened. Usually soy sauce has a two-year expiration period, but for ideal flavor it’s good to consume within two months after opening.

Sometimes you may see foam on top especially for Soy Sauce for Soup. This is usually not a sign that it’s gone bad as the reaction of amino acids can produce foam.

Can I just use regular soy sauce for everything?

Sometimes moms use just regular soy sauce or a mix of regular soy sauce and Guk-Gan-Jang for namul (korean vegetable side dishes). But for soup it’s better NOT to use regular soy sauce. You can season soup with salt or fish sauce if you can’t find soy sauce for soup.

Is soy sauce necessary? Can I use just salt to season?

Salt simply gives a salty taste. Soy sauce gives saltiness along with a hint of sweetness and other flavors that come from soybean and fermentation.

Why is soy sauce black when soybeans are not?

In making soy sauce, protein from soybeans breaks down into amino acids, and this reaction results in a black colored substance.

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Why do Koreans eat Pajeon and drink Mageolli on a rainy day?

Grace — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:53:38 +0000

Koreans crave Pajeon (korean pancake) and Makgeolli (milky Korean rice wine) on a rainy day. According to a Korean news article, sales of Pajeon ingredients actually increases on rainy days. They have a few theories on why this is true:

1. The sound of rain reminds people of the sound of making Pajeon.

2. When humidity increases, blood sugar level drops and people crave flour-based food that increases blood sugar level.

3. Makgeolli is usually paired with Pajeon. It's low in alcohol content (6%). It contains protein and vitamin B and has a sour kick to it. These characteristics make you feel like your thirst is quenched.

4. Both flour and Makgeolli contain lots of serotonin which elevates emotion and appetite. This may cheer people up when they feel down on rainy days.

Rainy or not, Pajeon is always a great snack!
See Hamul Pajeon recipe (Korean Seafood Pancake) here.

*content translated and summarized from: http://www.ebn.co.kr/news/n_view.html?id=386078

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10 reasons why garlic rocks

Grace — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 20:04:37 +0000

Here are some of the countless benefits of garlic. Is the bad breath worth it? We think so.
Find recipes with garlic here.

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