Korean Food and Recipes
Kimchi Ramon (Kimchi Mandu = 김치 만두) is one kind of Korean dumpling. Depending on what kind of ingredients you use for the main ingredients such as beef, garlic chives, kimchi, you can make various kinds of Korean dumplings. If you are a vegetarian, use tofu instead of beef for this recipe. If you have any questions, please ask me. *^^*
YangBaeChu MuChim (양배추 무침) is a simple Korean side dish recipe that I learned from one of my Korean friends in America. When you want to eat Kimchi, but don’t have it, this cabbage side dish can be a substitute. The taste is a little spicy, sour, and sweet. Depending on your tastes, you can add or reduce some of the ingredients such as pepper powder, vinegar, sugar, or salt. Cabbage is a very healthy vegetable; it is reportedly especially good for your stomach. So I want to recommend this easy Korean side dish for you.
Yield: 1 Quart
Kimchi Ramyeon (김치 라면) is one way to cook delicious Korean instant noodles. There are many different kinds of Korean instant noodles in the Korean or Asian store. Most Korean instant noodles have more flavor and they are spicier than American instant noodles. Adding kimchi gives even more flavor and makes it spicier. I love kimchi ramyeon. However, it is not very healthy, so I recommend not eating this delicious food too often. 😉 I know it is not easy to avoid this temptation. hehe … I hope you will try this someday. 😀
Yield: 1 Servings
EoMuk BokkEum (어묵 볶음) is a Korean side dish. EoMuk means fish cake and Bokkeum means fried. In the past, most Korean students brought their own lunch box to school everyday since schools didn’t have a cafeteria like they do nowadays. EoMuk bokkeum was a common side dish for our lunch box, and because of that, it brings back memories of my school days. It is also a common side dish for homemade meals. If you like spicy food you can add more red pepper powder. Keep this side dish in the refrigerator and serve it with rice. I hope you enjoy this food.
Yield: 1 Quart
Korean soy sauce, (called Joseon ganjang=조선간장, in Korean) is a byproduct of the production of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste). Joseon ganjang, thin and dark brown in color, is made entirely of soy and brine, and has a saltiness that varies according to the producer. Traditionally in Korea, we have different kinds of soy sauce, depending on the length of the fermentation time. Basically we use 2 types of soy sauce the most. One is normal soy sauce, which is fermented for more than 3 years. The other is soup soy sauce which is fermented for 1 or 2 years. The longer you keep the soy sauce the darker color, and the stronger flavor. Nowadays, many Korean people just buy soy sauce from the store instead of making it at home since it is difficult and time consuming.
- Use:
Seasoning, Sauce- Storage:
Keep in the cabinet.- Brand:
I highly recommend the Korean brand of soy sauce called
“Sam Pio.”
This is Sempio organic sesame oil. In Korea, you can buy sesame oil in any grocery store, but many moms like to make their own sesame oil at a mill. Before doing so, they will check the quality of the mill’s seeds first or they will bring their own seeds to make sure that only top quality seeds are used to make their oil. The check the seed quality for two reasons: for health (organic, etc.) and for better taste. Since moving to the USA, I have not had good sesame oil, but oh my, when I tried the Sempio brand of sesame oil, I can see why it is called organic. I liked the flavor, and changed the taste of my dishes in a good way. It is close enough to the one I missed from Korea. I’m not sure about the price, I just guessing it will be a little more expensive than others because it is organic, but I would like to buy this the next time. I’m happy to find a good product in that point. 😀
Sesame oil (also known as gingelly oil or til oil) is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is often used as a flavor enhancer in Taiwanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian cuisine. Sesame oil contains high proportion (41%) of polyunsaturated (Omega-6 fatty acids.) It also has natural antioxidants. Light sesame oil has a high smoke point, and is suitable for frying, while heavy (dark) sesame oil (from roasted sesame seeds) has a low smoke point, and is unsuitable for frying, instead being used sparingly for seasoning, particularly in East Asian cuisine.
- Use:
Seasoning- Storage:
Keep in the cabinet.- Types:
Korean Brand Name:
“李씨네” (First Picture) – A little better than “Assi” for flavor, but it is not the best.
“Assi” (Second Picture) – So so (It is a little too strong, and has a fake sesame flavor in it.)- Short Korean lesson: *^^*
In Korea, we use some fruits for cooking such as the Asian pear, apple, kiwi, and so on. Pears are especially good for marinating meat such as BulGoGi, since it gives a naturally sweet flavor, and makes the meat tender. When you can’t get an Asian pear, use a can of pear juice for your cooking. We drink this pear juice in Korea, but it can be used for cooking also. 😀
- Use:
To drink
To marinate meat- Storage:
Cabinet or refrigerator- Types:
Korean Brand names : “LOTTE” “HaeTae” “Assi”
Mirim is used to add a bright touch to grilled (broiled) fish or to remove the fishy smell. A small amount is often used instead of sugar or soy sauce. It should not be used in excess however, as its flavor is quite strong. The word Mirim (Mirin in Japanese) is used as a cooking wine in Korean and Japanese cuisine.
- Use:
For marinating meat or fish- Storage:
Keep in the cabinet.
JaJangMyeon uses thick noodles made from white wheat flour.
- Use:
For JaJangMyun or Udong- Storage:
Dried Noodles: Keep in the cabinet.
Fresh Noodles: Keep in the refrigerator or freezer.- Types:
Dried Noodles, Fresh Noodles from refrigerator or freezer
Dotorimuk, or acorn jelly, is a Korean jelly made from acorn starch. Although “muk” means “jelly”, when used without qualifiers, it usually refers to dotorimuk. The practice of making dotorimuk originated in mountainous areas of ancient Korea, when such regions were abundant with oak trees such that the amount of acorns produced each autumn were plentiful enough to become a source of food. Like other muk, dotorimuk is most commonly eaten in the form of dotorimuk muchim (도토리묵무침), a side dish in which small chunks of dotorimuk are seasoned and mixed with other ingredients such as slivered carrots and scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, red chili pepper powder, and sesame seeds.
Dotorimuk was widely eaten in Korea during the Korean War, when millions of people were displaced and starving. It consequently became associated with poverty, and most people who could afford them ate memilmuk or other jellies instead. However, in recent years it has been rediscovered as a health food.
- Use:
Side dish, Salad- Storage:
Powder: Keep in the cabinet.
Cooked Dotorimuk: Keep in the refrigerator.- Types:
You can buy already made dotorimuk in the refrigerator section.
You can also buy a powder and make it by yourself.
