Category: Recipes
My recipes represent who I am. While I focus on Korean recipes, I have much more than just Korean here as I love all cuisines, including Indian, Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese, Ethiopian, Chinese, and more! They have changed and have (hopefully) improved over the years just as I have. However, I have tried to keep two factors constant throughout this evolution: taste and simplicity. Every recipe I create or adopt as my own must be delicious (to me), and relatively easy to make. I hope you will find my recipes to be just that. Please try them, personalize them, and let me know how you liked them!
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Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl: Fresh Greens and Crisp Veggies
A miso glazed salmon bowl offers a light yet satisfying alternative to traditional rice bowls, featuring perfectly glazed salmon atop a bed of crisp mixed greens and fresh vegetables. This health-conscious interpretation maintains all the umami-rich flavors of miso while increasing nutritional density through varied vegetables. What makes this version particularly special is its emphasis… Read more
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Authentic Korean Seaweed Soup: Traditional Miyeok Guk Recipe (미역국)
Korean Seaweed Soup (Miyeok Guk 미역국) holds a deeply special place in Korean culture, particularly known as the traditional soup served to new mothers during their postpartum recovery period. This nourishing seaweed soup, enriched with dried pollack, represents the Korean understanding that food is medicine, combining mineral-rich seaweed with protein-rich fish to create a healing,… Read more
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Traditional Korean Jujube Tea Recipe: How to Make Daechu Cha (대추차)”
Korean Jujube Tea, Daechu Cha 대추차 represents one of Korea’s most cherished traditional teas, where dried jujubes (Korean dates) are gently simmered to create a naturally sweet, warming beverage with deep cultural roots in Korean wellness practices. In Korean traditional medicine, jujube tea has long been valued for its calming properties and ability to promote… Read more
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Easy Korean Glass Noodles: Delicious Japchae Recipe (잡채)
Japchae (잡채), Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry, holds an honored place in Korean cuisine, originally created as a royal dish during the Joseon Dynasty but evolving into a beloved celebration food that graces tables at every major Korean holiday and celebration. This colorful medley of glass noodles and vegetables represents the Korean culinary principle of… Read more
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Korean Rice Cake Soup: Authentic Duk Guk Recipe (떡국)
Duk Guk (떡국), or Korean Rice Cake Soup, is a beloved traditional dish enjoyed by Koreans during celebrations, especially the Lunar New Year. This comforting soup features chewy rice cakes (tteok) in a savory beef or anchovy broth, garnished with tender beef, egg, and seaweed. Duk Guk holds a special place in Korean culture, symbolizing… Read more
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Korean Spicy Chicken Stew: Authentic Dakdoritang Recipe (닭도리탕)
Korean Spicy Chicken Stew (Dakdoritang 닭도리탕) represents the heartier side of Korean cuisine, where chunks of tender chicken and vegetables simmer in a rich, spicy-sweet sauce until the flavors meld into something truly extraordinary. This beloved stew, also known as dakbokkeumtang (닭볶음탕), has long been a favorite for family gatherings and casual restaurants alike, where… Read more
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Jook: Korean Rice Porridge, Comfort in a Bowl
Jook – Ever since I was little, if I was ever sick, my grandmother would make me this dish – it became my comfort food, my chicken noodle soup. This Jook Recipe (Korean Rice Porridge, Congee) is prepared the way she used to make it. There are several variations, but this is the one I… Read more
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How to Make Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls: Easy Kimbap Recipe (김밥)
Kimbap (김밥) represents the perfect fusion of convenience and flavor in Korean cuisine, where seasoned rice and colorful ingredients are rolled in dried seaweed to create a portable, satisfying meal. Once primarily known as picnic food or a lunch box staple, these Korean rice rolls showcase the Korean talent for transforming simple ingredients into something… Read more
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The Ultimate Guide to Kimchi: Authentic Baechu Kimchi Recipe
Baechu kimchi represents the cornerstone of Korean cuisine, where humble Napa cabbage is transformed through fermentation into a complex, flavorful dish that graces every Korean table. This fundamental preparation of kimchi has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, acknowledging its profound significance in Korean culture. In Korean households, the making… Read more
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Mandoo Ssam: Korean Dumpling Lettuce Wrap that Amazes the Tastebuds
Mandoo ssam represents a delightful fusion of Korean flavors, where seasoned ground meat and vegetables are wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves, creating a light yet satisfying meal. This dish takes inspiration from both Korean dumpling (mandoo) fillings and the traditional Korean practice of wrapping food in lettuce (ssam), offering a quick and healthful way to… Read more
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Four Essential Korean Kimchi Varieties
Kimchi represents a cornerstone of Korean culinary heritage, where different vegetables are transformed through fermentation into complex, probiotic-rich delicacies. While most people are familiar with the classic Napa cabbage kimchi, Korean cuisine boasts hundreds of varieties, each showcasing different vegetables, seasonings, and fermentation styles. This diversity reflects both Korea’s agricultural abundance and the cultural importance… Read more
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Gosari-namul: Discover the Meaty Delight of Korean Bracken Fern Banchan
Korean Bracken Fern Banchan, Gosari-namul 고사리나물, represents one of Korea’s most distinctive and traditional namul (seasoned vegetable) dishes, where bracken fern shoots are transformed through careful preparation into a uniquely flavorful banchan. This dish speaks to the Korean connection with foraged ingredients, as bracken fern has been harvested from mountainsides for generations, particularly during spring… Read more
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Sundubu-jjigae: A Comforting Korean Spicy Soft Tofu Stew
Korean Spicy Soft Tofu Stew, Sundubu-jjigae 순두부찌개, represents the comforting, soul-warming side of Korean cuisine, where silky soft tofu simmers in a fiery, flavorful broth that’s both nourishing and deeply satisfying. This beloved stew has become a cornerstone of Korean comfort food, particularly cherished during cold weather or when feeling under the weather. The dish… Read more
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Six Essential Types of Banchan Explained
In recent years in my travels and restaurant experiences, I’ve seen a rise in (x) Tapas, with (x) being Spanish, Mexican, Italian, and even Ethiopian. Around the world, there are many similar styles small-dish foods in the name of Pupus, Hors d’oeuvres, Izakaya, and Antipasta to name a few. In a Korean home or restaurant… Read more
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Exploring Kimchi Jjigae: Korean Soul Food Explained
Kimchi Stew, Kimchi Jjigae 김치찌개, the true 101 of stews made from the iconic kimchi, usually well-fermented kimchi making the best stews. This is the chicken noodle soup of Korea. As ubiquitous as rice in nearly every region. Kimchi Stew is Korea’s ultimate comfort food – a hearty, soul-warming stew that transforms aged kimchi into… Read more
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Korean Jangjorim: A Flavorful Braised Beef Banchan
Korean Braised Beef Banchan, Jangjorim 장조림, holds a special place in Korean cuisine as a premium banchan that transforms humble cuts of beef into a deeply flavored delicacy through a careful braising process. This dish exemplifies the Korean cooking philosophy of patience and preservation, where time and technique elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary. In… Read more
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Kongnamul-muchim: Easy Korean Soybean Sprout Recipe
Korean Soybean Sprout Banchan, Kongnamul-muchim 콩나물무침, is a beloved Korean side dish that has graced Korean tables for generations. These tender-crisp soybean sprouts are quickly blanched and seasoned with a perfect balance of garlic, sesame oil, and mild heat from Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru). As one of the most essential banchan in Korean cuisine,… Read more
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Delicious Soondubu Jjim: Korean Spicy Soft Tofu Recipe
Korean Steamed Spicy Soft Tofu Banchan, Soondubu Jjim 순두부찜, represents the gentle, nurturing side of Korean cuisine, where the delicate nature of soft tofu is elevated through a perfect balance of spice and seasoning. This warming dish holds a special place in Korean winter dining traditions, offering comfort and sustenance during cold months. Unlike many… Read more
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Korean Braised Potatoes: Authentic Gamja Jorim (감자조림)
Gamja jorim represents the everyday comfort of Korean home cooking, where humble potatoes are transformed into a flavorful banchan through careful braising in a soy sauce-based liquid. This dish exemplifies the Korean cooking principle of transforming simple ingredients into something special through patience and technique. In Korean households, these glazed potatoes are a beloved banchan… Read more
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Refreshing Sigeumchi-namul: Korean Spinach Banchan Recipe
Korean Spinach Banchan, Sigeumchi-namul 시금치나물, represents the elegant simplicity that lies at the heart of Korean banchan culture. This vibrant green spinach dish, with its perfect balance of sesame, garlic, and soy, has been a cornerstone of Korean home cooking for generations. In Korean households, the preparation of sigeumchi-namul is often one of the first… Read more
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Posole Verde
Posole Verde Recipe – One warm Austin afternoon, my good friend Sisco brought over some of this wonderful soup for me as his grandmother had just made a batch earlier in the day. I loved it so much, I decided to try and recreate a version for myself. Posole Verde represents the beautiful fusion of… Read more