Oi naengguk (오이냉국) is a classic Korean chilled soup. Oi means cucumber, and naengguk means chilled soup. It’s one of those dishes that remind me of my childhood summertime meals! My mother made this chilled cucumber soup quite often for us. It’s a refreshingly tangy soup that’s perfect on a hot summer day! 

Cucumber and miyeok (seaweed)

I use Korean cucumbers which I can easily find around here in summer. You can also use any crunchy cucumbers, such as Kirby, English, Persian, and Japanese varieties. 

It’s typical to add miyeok to this soup, which is a sea vegetable (edible seaweed). Dried miyeok is a pantry staple for making soups and side dishes. Once soaked, miyeok turns green, plump, and ready to be eaten. However, blanching it briefly in boiling hot water softens the texture and brightens the green color. The crunchy cucumber together with slightly chewy and slippery seaweed creates interesting textural contrasts and a flavor combination, making the dish far more interesting than the cucumber alone!

Depending on which ingredient is used more, the soup can also be called miyeok naengguk (미역냉국). Some people call it oi miyeok naengguk (오이미역냉국), recognizing both ingredients.

Simply use more cucumber if you are not adding miyeok. 

How to make Korean chilled cucumber soup

To make the soup, I season the cucumber and seaweed first with the seasoning ingredients. The soup soy sauce (guk ganjang) and vinegar are important for flavoring this soup. You can make ahead up to this point, and then add cold water and season with salt when ready to use. Don’t forget to drop a couple of ice cubes in right before serving. 

This oi naengguk recipe was originally posted in July 2011. I’ve updated it here with new photos and an improved recipe. 

More chilled soup recipes

Kongguksu (Chilled Soy Milk Noodle Soup)
Chogyetang (Chilled Chicken Soup)
Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles)

Have you tried this chilled cucumber soup recipe?  Please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram! Stay in touch by following me onPinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Oiji muchim is a simple side dish made with Korean pickled cucumbers, oiji! It’s crunchy, chewy, spicy and deliciously salty.

Oiji muchim (오이지 무침) is a simple side dish made with oiji, Korean cucumber pickles! Fermented simply in salt water, oiji is a traditional way to preserve cucumbers beyond their growing season. During fermentation, a deep tangy flavor develops, the color turns golden yellow, and the texture becomes crunchy and slightly chewy. Oiji is a staple in Korean cuisine.

As I mentioned in my oiji post, these Korean pickles are not meant to be eaten right out of the jar because they are quite salty. The pickles are soaked in fresh water to reduce the salt content before being served. Often, oiji is simply served in the water used to soak the pickles to be eaten like cold soup. Oiji muchim is another common way to serve the cucumber pickles.

For this recipe, you can use commercially prepared oiji sold in the deli section of Korean markets. 

To make this oiji muchim, you’ll need to thinly slice the pickles, and then soak them in water until the desired salt level is achieved, about 10 minutes depending on your pickles. The best way to know when it’s soaked enough is to try a piece and see if it’s not too salty to eat as is. Once you’ve achieved the desired level of saltiness, squeeze the pickle slices as tightly as you can to remove the water content. The rest is easy! Season with some gochugaru and other basic ingredients. 

I find 1/2 tablespoon of gochugaru to be a good amount for 1 pickle that’s made with a long Korean cucumber (2 pickles if they are Kirby cucumbers). You can, of course, use more or less gochugaru to adjust the heat level to your taste. 

The key to good oiji muchim is to squeeze out the water content as much as possible for a crunchy and chewy texture Koreans describe as odeul odeul (오들오들). 

More cucumber recipes

Oiji (Korean Pickled Cucumbers)
Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Side Dish)
Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)
Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)
Oi Bokkeum (Stir-fried Cucumber Side Dish)

Have you tried this oiji muchim recipe?  Please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram! Stay in touch by following me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Galbijjim (kalbijjim) is a Korean traditional braised beef short ribs dish in a rich sauce. You can make these tender, succulent short ribs at home with this easy, authentic recipe! 

Galbijjim (or kalbijjim, kalbi jjim) is braised beef short ribs, which is typically served on traditional holidays and special occasions in Korea. I make these ribs for my family quite often, especially for my elderly parents. It’s a definite favorite! I sometimes cook them in my slow cooker or Instant Pot. Here, I’m showing you how to make this dish over stove top. 

Look for short ribs with the most meat and less fat. Traditionally, this dish calls for bone-in short ribs. Regardless, meat cooked on the bone tastes better. However, use boneless meat if that’s all you can find. Even high quality short ribs will have some fat, which is expected for short ribs. Trim off any thick layers of fat from the short rib, but do not remove the thin, tough skin that holds the ribs together.

Cooking times can vary depending on the size and thickness of the ribs.

How to make Korean braised short ribs

In contrast to the braising method typical of Western cooking, Koreans traditionally do not sear the meat before braising them. The ribs are first parboiled in water with some aromatic vegetables before being braised in sweet and savory braising liquid. Parboiling is a technique used to remove excess fat and blood from the ribs. I boil the ribs in a small amount of water and use the resulting stock in the braising liquid after removing the fat. 

In modern Korean cooking, searing is commonly done. If preferred, feel free to sear the ribs to add that rich browned meat flavor. I do it sometimes as well. The results are equally delicious in slightly different ways.

I braise the ribs first in the braising liquid, and then add the vegetables later about halfway through to prevent them from turning too soggy. 

Chestnuts, dates, pine nuts, and gingko nuts are customary garnishes that make this dish look very elegant, but the ribs will still be delicious without them.

These succulent ribs, in a rich sauce, will be perfect for any of your special occasions! Then again, why wait for a special occasion to make this tasty comfort food?

This galbijjim recipe was originally posted in October 2011. I’ve updated it here with new photos and minor changes to the recipe.

Have you tried this galibijjim recipe?  Please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram! Stay in touch by following me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Songpyeon is a must-have Chuseok delicacy. These little rice cakes are stuffed with sweet fillings. Learn how to make songpyeon with natural food coloring options!

 

What is Chuseok

Chuseok (추석) is coming up! It’s one of the two most celebrated traditional holidays together with the lunar New Year Day (Seollal, 설날). Also referred to as Hangawi (한가위), it falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month – the same day many Asian countries celebrate a Mid-Autumn Festival. Families gather and celebrate the year’s harvest, giving thanks to their ancestors. Women of the house work hard for days leading up to this day to prepare a sumptuous holiday feast. See my 15 Chuseok recipes. In Korea, Chuseok is celebrated over 3 days. 

These little rice cakes are near and dear to my heart, bringing back so many fond memories of this special holiday. A couple of days in advance, we would go to the nearby woods to pick pine needles. Making songpyeon was so much fun!

I remember the excitement I had sitting in front of several colorful huge heaps of dough – as if I was like a child sitting in front of big piles of play dough. But, shaping and stuffing these little guys was also a serious business. There was always a little unannounced competition among us – whose songpyeon looked the best.

My mother used to say I would have a pretty daughter because my songpyeon was pretty. She was right! I developed this recipe, so you can start making these at home, creating a new family tradition and build special memories.

How to make songpyeon

Songpyeon dough: Songpyeon is made with short grain rice powder (쌀가루), NOT glutenous (sweet rice) powder (찹쌀가루). Traditionally, Korean home cooks soak short grain rice overnight, drain, and then take to a gristmill to get it ground into fine powder.

While that’s clearly not an option around here, there are bags of frozen wet rice powder for making rice cake (tteok) sold in the freezer section in Korean grocery stores.

I use boiling hot water to make the dough, and then knead until the dough is nice and soft. The longer you knead, the chewier the texture of the rice cake will be.

Natural food coloring: Songpyeon dough is typically flavored and colored with natural ingredients such as mugwort, kabocha, and dried fruit powders.  This recipe shows how to use mugwort powder and kabocha, I also played around with different natural food coloring and came up with a couple of other colors. You can choose any number of options I’ve given here, or use your own food coloring options. Also see my Beet songpyeon recipe for vibrant red color. 

Songpyeon filling: The most common filling is made with sweetened sesame seeds. Black soybeans and mung beans are also traditional. This recipe shows how to make it with sesame seeds.  

How to shape songpyeon

This recipe was originally posted in September 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, created a recipe card with minor changes to the recipe. 

More Chuseok holiday recipes:

Modeumjeon (Fish, Shrimp and Zucchini Pan-fried in Egg Batter)
Galbijjim (Braised Short Ribs)
Japchae (Stir-Fried Starch Noodles with Vegetables)
Nokdujeon (Savory Mung Bean Pancakes)
Sanjeok (Skewered Rice Cake with Beef and Vegetables)
Radish Soup (Mu Guk/Moo Guk)
15 Chuseok Recipes for more.

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Have you tried this songpyeon recipe?  Please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram! Stay in touch by following me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Sigeumchi namul is an easy Korean side dish (banchan) made with spinach. Simply blanch the spinach and season it. This recipe shows different ways to season the spinach.

More vegetable side dishes:

Watercress Namul
Putbaechu (Young Cabbage) Doenjang Muchim
Sesame Broccoli 
15 Korean Vegetable Side Dishes

If you tried this recipe, please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram! Stay in touch by following me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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What is Seolleongtang 

Seolleongtang is a milky beef bone soup that’s made by boiling down ox leg bones for several hours until the broth becomes rich and creamy white. This broth is a staple in Korean households, especially during cold winter months. 

Legend has it that this soup was created because King Seonjong of the Joseon Dynasty wanted to feed a large number of people after an ancestral worship ritual involving a sacrificial cow. Let me tell you — the King had the right idea!

You can feed your whole family with a few dollars’ worth of beef bones and still have some leftover to freeze for later use. The broth is also great as a soup base for many other Korean soups such as tteokguk, manduguk, doenjangguk, and miyeokguk.

In this post, I’m going to demystify seolleongtang to convince you to make this restaurant favorite at home. Yes, it takes time, but most of it is stove time. You can do other things around the house while this is boiling away in the kitchen. The result is totally rewarding! 

Which ox bones to use

Beef marrow bones, called sagol (사골) , is most typically used to make this milky bone soup, but other parts such as knuckle bones (dogani, 도가니) and ox feet (ujok, 우족). I usually use a combination of two or three different parts of bones for a rich flavor.

How to make seolleongtang

There are no hard and fast rules about how much bones or water you need to use or how long you should boil. A few pounds of bones go a long way, and you can use as much water as your pot can hold.

In making a Western-style beef stock or Vietnamese pho broth, the cooks aim for a clear, brown broth by simmering beef bones for many hours. In contrast, the goal of making Korean ox bone broth is to achieve a milky white broth.

What’s done differently? It’s the heat level! For a clear broth, the bones are gently simmered over low heat. Simmering, by definition, is cooking at the temperature below the boiling point with bubbles gently rising to the top. For a milky broth, you need to maintain a medium boil, not simmer, throughout the cooking time.

Tips for making Korean ox bone soup

Don’t throw the bones away after making the first batch of broth. Use them again to make another batch. The broth will be even milkier the second time around. I usually stop after the third batch.

It’s common to use aromatic vegetables, such as onion, garlic, and the white parts of large scallions. However, only using the bones will give you a stronger beefy flavor. It’s a matter of personal taste. Try both ways, and decide which way you like better.

How to serve seolleongtang

Seasoning is usually done at the table by adding sea salt. You’ll be surprised by how a little bit of salt brings out the complex flavor of the beef. The soup is also naturally nutty with a hint of sweetness. Delicious!

If you tried this recipe, please rate the recipe below by either clicking the stars or leaving a comment! Stay in touch by following me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in February 2013. It was updated here with new photos and more information. 

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What do you need to make anchovy broth

You can simply use dried anchovies (myeolchi, 멸치) for a quick and simple broth. Dried kelp (dashima, 다시마), aka kombu, is the most popular addition. These two ingredients together make deliciously savory broth you can use it in any dishes that require a broth. For more complex broth, we add various other aromatic vegetables and other dried seafood such as dried shrimp. Here are a list of some of the most common ingredients:

• Dried anchovies (myeolchi, 멸치)
• Dried kelp (dashima, 다시마)
• Korean radish (mu, 무)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Dried shiitake mushrooms (pyogo beoseot, 표고버섯)
• Dried shrimp (mareun saewu, 마른새우)

Buying dried anchovies 

Dried anchovies (myeolchi, 멸치) come in a wide range of qualities and sizes. The selection, however, is somewhat limited outside Korea. For best results, buy the good quality anchovies. Look for the ones that have clean silvery skins with a bluish tone. Typically, medium to large (about 2 -3 inches long) anchovies are used for stock as they impart more flavor. Dried anchovies keep well in the freezer for months. These anchovies are a staple in my freezer.

Preparing anchovies

Remove the guts by opening the belly and scraping them out, but leave the heads on. The stock tends to get a little bitter with the guts, especially with large size anchovies. You don’t need to remove the guts from small to medium anchovies.

If you are sensitive to a fishy taste, you can precook the anchovies for a few minutes in a heated dry pan before using in stock. This process will get rid of some of the fishy taste.

Buying and preparing dashima (kombu)

Quick Option – Packets

If you want more convenient way to make quick anchovy broth, you can buy a bag of anchovy packets from a Korean market. Keep the bag in the freezer, and simply drop a packet into a pot of water. These packets usually have some dried anchovies along with a small piece of dried kelp. 

How to make anchovy broth 

Once you have all the ingredients ready, making the broth is pretty simple. The only things left to do is to add water, boil and strain the solids. Here are some tips that are helpful then making any variation of anchovy stock:

1. Soak dried anchovies and dashima in water for at least 20 minutes if you have time. 

2. Boil, uncovered, so any fishy aroma that develops can escape.

3. Do not boil anchovies and dashima too long. If boiled too long, the stock will lose the delicacy of the flavors or even develop an unpleasant taste. Also, dashima will develop a slimy substance when over boiled, making the stock cloudy.

To illustrate the basic techniques and tips, I have chosen three classic variations here. 

Anchovy Broth I – Very basic

It is very common for Korean home cooks to simply throw a few anchovies in the water to make this simplest form of anchovy stock. It’s a convenient way to add another layer of flavor to a dish. You can use this broth in any recipe that calls for anchovy broth. Try it for:

kongnamul guk,
baechu doenjang guk,
mu guk,
doenjang jjigae,
kimchi jjigae,

Anchovy Stock II – Enhanced

I probably make this one the most. It’s as easy as the first one, but dashima, a natural flavor enhancer, elevates the anchovy stock to the next level. This will add great flavors to any dish you use it for.  In addition to the list above:

Tteokbokki
jjambbong
gyeranjjim

Often I add dried shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp to this third version. They add strong flavors, and the resulting stock is fairly complex. These optional ingredients can be boiled with the vegetables.

Any leftover anchovy stock can be refrigerated for 3 – 4 days or frozen for later use.

If you tried this recipe, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out for you in the comment section below.  Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This anchovy broth recipe was originally posted in June 2011. I’ve updated here with new photos and a recipe card.  

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This Korean rolled egg recipe is made with chopped carrot and scallion. It’s a popular side dish, especially for a lunch box, that you can easily whip up in no time!

What is gyeran mari?

Gyeran mari (계란말이), literally translated to egg roll, is Korean-style rolled omelette. It’s usually served as a side dish for any meal, not just breakfast, and hugely popular as a lunch box item. Today, these Korean egg rolls have also become a popular street food by vendors who roll up giant size gyeran mari with so many eggs. It’s quite impressive to watch!

To me, this Korean egg roll recipe is another delicious side dish that I can whip up last minute before the meal. 

How to make gyeran mari (Korean rolled omelettes)

Gyeran mari is typically made with one or two types of chopped vegetables, most commonly with scallions and carrots. The filling options are endless! Try with onions, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or garlic chives (buchu). You can also add ham, bacon, or cheese, if you want. Another popular addition is gim (dried seaweed sheet). 

Making gyeran mari is simple once you have the basics down. Simply pour a portion of the egg mixture into a thin layer. When the egg is set but still wet, fold it with a spatula and keep rolling. Pull the rolled egg to a side, and add more egg mixture to the open space to repeat. 

For 3 eggs, you can pour the egg mixture into the pan 2 or 3 times. For 5 eggs, 3 or 4 times. These are simply guidelines. There are no hard and fast rules. The first photo is made with 5 eggs. 

Tips for making the best Korean rolled eggs

1. Preheat the pan until it feels hot when you place your hand 2 to 3 inches above the bottom of the pan.
2. Do not overcrowd the egg mixture with the fillings. It would be harder to roll up. 
3. Be patient and cook the eggs over gentle heat. If the heat is too high, you’ll end up with tough eggs that will break when folded. If you don’t cook the eggs enough, the rolled egg will be runny inside.
4. Use both hands to roll, each holding a spatula, a spoon or a pair of chopsticks.
5. Use a small skillet if you want your rolls to be thick. 

Don’t worry, if it’s not perfect the first time, it will definitely come with practice. Once you get the basics down, try it with more eggs.

If you tried this Korean rolled egg recipe, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out for you in the comment section below.  Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Watch How to Make It

This gyeran mari recipe was originally posted in April 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

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This Korean kimchi recipe shows you everything you need to know about how to make traditional cabbage kimchi. With this small batch recipe, you’ll find it not that difficult to make good authentic kimchi at home. 

What is kimchi?

Kimchi (김치) is a collective term for vegetable dishes that have been salted, seasoned, and fermented. The history of kimchi goes back to ancient times. Originated from pickled vegetables, there are now hundreds of kimchi varieties in Korea. You can find some of the most common kimchi recipes in my 15 easy kimchi recipes. 

Over the last decade or so, Korean kimchi has gained a global recognition as a healthy probiotic food. Kimchi is a good source of useful lactic acid bacteria, has excellent anti-oxidation and anti-cancer effects, and helps prevent aging. 

This kimchi recipe is made with baechu (배추), known as napa cabbage, hence the name baechu kimchi. Because the cabbage is kept intact at its head, it’s also known as pogi kimchi (포기김치). Pogi means a “head” of a vegetable. 

In late fall, Korean households make this type of kimchi in large quantity for their kimjang (or gimajang, 김장), an annual kimchi making event in preparation for cold months. I grew up watching my mother make kimchi using over 100 cabbages with her friends in the neighborhood who rotated their kimjang schedules to help each other. 

I usually make it with 5 – 10 heads (pogi) of cabbages at a time because we eat kimchi every day. Also, I provide regular supply to my grown-up children. Both my mother and mother-in-law did that for us for a long time, so I am gladly continuing the tradition. 

In Korean homes, there can never be too much kimchi. So many Korean dishes are made with well-fermented kimchi, such as kimchi jjigae, kimchi mandu, kimchi bibim guksu, kimchi fried rice, kimchijeon, tofu kimchi, and many more.

Buying napa cabbages

For this pogi kimchi, it’s best to use a medium to large cabbage that weighs around 5 to 5-1/2 pounds with some light green outer leaves. When cut, a good cabbage has a nicely straight white part that’s not too thick as well as bright yellow inner leaves. 

Salt for making kimchi

Korean coarse sea salt (cheonilyeom, 천일염) is the best to salt the vegetables to make kimchi. It’s natural salt with a coarse texture that’s minimally processed. Commonly referred to as gulgeun-sogeum (굵은소금), meaning coarse or thick salt, this salt tastes good without bitterness, so it helps develop flavors in fermented foods.

When we first came to America, Korean sea salt wasn’t available, so we used normal salt to salt cabbages. Be sure to use less (about 1/4 less than the amount called for in the recipe) if using fine salt.

Kimchi seasonings

The taste of kimchi varies widely, depending on the quality, type and ratio of the seasoning ingredients. Each Korean household has its own recipes, often driven by the regional flavors of their hometown. I find myself making it differently each time. 

In addition to gochugaru (고추가루, Korean red chili pepper flakes), garlic and ginger, kimchi recipes typically call for various jeotgal (젓갈, salted seafood) for the distinct pungency and depth of flavors and to aid the fermentation process. Saeujeot (새우젓, salted shrimp) and myulchiaekjeot (멸치액젓, fish sauce made with anchovies) are the most common ones.

Sometimes, I also use fresh shrimp which is my mother’s secret ingredient for adding extra freshness to the kimchi flavor. If you can’t find saeujeot in your area, consider using some raw shrimp instead.

If you want to make vegan kimchi, skip shrimps and swap fish sauce with soup soy sauce (국간장). Or simply head over to my post on how to make vegan kimchi. 

Have you tried this kimchi recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in January 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

The post Traditional Kimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi) appeared first on Korean Bapsang.

This chicken stir fry recipe is a variation of dak yachae bokkeum (닭야채볶음). Dak (닭) is chicken, yachae is vegetable, and bokkeum (볶음) refers to dishes that are stir-fried or sautéed in a sauce. In this recipe, I stir-fried chicken with some kale and mushrooms. It’s a quick healthy one-pot meal that’s perfect for a weeknight meal!

With some steamed rice, your dinner will be ready in less than 30 minutes!  

Vegetable options for stir fry

I like to use lots of kale and mushrooms to make it a healthy one-dish meal. Some people don’t like kale because of its bitter taste. The slightly sweet and savory sauce in this recipe nicely balances out the bitterness of the kale. Remember to look for fresh deep colored kale with small to medium leaves and thinner stalks. Smaller kale is tenderer and sweeter. 

You can add some strips of carrot, red chili or bell pepper for a pop of color.

For other options, try other green leafy vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard and bok choy. Broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or zucchinis are all great as well. Vegetable options are indeed endless! If you’re using hard vegetables like broccoli, blanch or steam them before stir-frying with the chicken. You can do this in the same skillet you’ll be using for the stir-fry. 

Chicken stir fry sauce

This chicken stir fry sauce recipe is made with a few basic ingredients such as soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar and garlic and ginger. You can swap a tablespoon of soy sauce with a tablespoon of oyster sauce if you like. If you don’t have rice wine, use a little bit of fresh lemon juice. It’ll brighten up the flavor nicely. 

This recipe doesn’t yield a lot of sauce, but you can add a little bit of water to the sauce if you like the dish a bit saucier. Also, Korean stir fry sauces don’t typically call for a starch to thicken the sauce, but feel free to add it if preferred. Regardless, the sauce is so versatile! You can use it in any stir fry dish. 

How to make chicken stir fry

The actual stir-frying process goes very quickly, so prepare all of the ingredients and sauce before you begin cooking. 

• Heat a large skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of cooking oil until very hot.
• Add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Do not touch for a minute or two until the chicken is nicely seared. Flip them over and sear the other side.
• Add the kale, mushrooms, optional red pepper. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables, and sprinkle with crushed red pepper if using. Continue to stir-fry until the kale and mushrooms are softened.

More chicken stir fry recipes

Stir-fried chicken and baby bok choy
Stir-fried chicken and summer vegetables

Have you tried this stir fry recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in December 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

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Have you tried this Korean spicy radish salad recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in November 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

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If you like spicy food, this Korean spicy soup made with leftover turkey will become your favorite recipe to use up all that leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner! 

Thanksgiving is coming up! Every year, I prepare a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner for my extended family. There isn’t much Korean flavor on our turkey day table, but my family enjoys Korean dishes made with leftover turkey, such as porridge (juk, 죽) and this spicy soup that’s similar to dakgaejang (spicy chicken soup). 

They all start with making turkey stock! The morning after Thanksgiving, it’s a tradition for me to make turkey stock with what’s left of the turkey carcass. Then, I make turkey porridge for breakfast. Within the next day or two, we love to have a spicy bowl of turkey soup, which is nothing like Western-style turkey soup. 

This soup is made similar to yukgaejang (육개장), which is a popular spicy soup made with shredded beef and lots of scallions and other vegetables. Dakgaejang (닭개장) is a variation of yukgaejang, made with chicken. 

The chicken version is traditionally made with boiled chicken. I often make it with leftover of a roasted whole chicken (store bought or homemade). Those leftover bones are perfect for making chicken stock, and the whole chicken is too much for two of us to finish. Turkey remains work equally well. 

As such, this recipe also works with chicken remains. 

How to make stock with turkey carcass

• Remove as much meat as possible from the turkey carcass and save them to use in the porridge or soup. 
• Put the turkey remains in a large stock pot filled three-quarters of the way with water. Break up the bones if they are too big to fit in the pot.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat and skim off any foam. Add the vegetables, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. Cool and pour through a strainer into a large bowl or pot.
• You can use a fat separator to remove the fat or keep it in the fridge until the fat solidifies to spoon off the fat.

Vegetables for the soup

This type of spicy soup calls for lots of scallions. The large variety of scallions (daepa, 대파) is typically preferred for soups if you can find them. They are more flavorful! In this recipe, I also used mung bean sprouts (sukju namul, 숙주나물) and shiitake mushrooms, but you can of course omit them if you like. You can add gosari (fern braken) as we typically do for yukgaejang (beef version). Some leafy vegetables like napa cabbage or bok choy will be a good addition as well. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Have you tried this spicy soup with leftover turkey recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in November 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

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Rice for kimchi fried rice

Koreans typically use short grain white rice for everyday use. However, any other rice you’d use for fried rice, including brown rice and mixed grain rice, is fine for this recipe as well.  

As with any fried rice, day old rice is best to use, if available. The rice can get hard after being in the fridge. Heat it up in the microwave to soften it a little and break it up before stir-frying with kimchi. 

You can, of course, make fresh rice for this dish. Simply use a little less water than the usual amount to make the rice slightly drier and cool before using. 

How to make kimchi fried Rice

The basic technique involves stir-frying the kimchi typically with some aromatic vegetables and seasonings until the kimchi turns soft and deep in color. This step brings out rich flavors of the kimchi.

If you’re using uncooked meat, cook the meat before stir-frying with the kimchi. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked through. When I use bacon, I cook it until it turns slightly brown and crispy. 

It’s much faster if you use cooked meat or canned tuna (drained). Simply throw it in while the kimchi is being stir-fried. 

After adding the rice to the pan, stir constantly over medium low heat, breaking up the rice clumps, until everything is well incorporated. This will keep rice from sticking to the pan too much. Once the rice is evenly coated with the seasoning, turn up the heat high and stir only occasionally so the rice can get nicely toasted.  

Tips for making good kimchi fried rice

• Whenever you cook with kimchi, it is best to use well-fermented kimchi for the rich and robust flavor it develops. No exception here.
• If the leftover rice is hard after being in the fridge, heat it up in the microwave to soften it a little and break it up before stir-frying with the kimchi mix. 
• If you are using raw meat, season it with salt and pepper. A small amount of garlic and/or ginger to flavor the meat will be great too. Cook the meat before stir-frying with the kimchi. 
• To make it spicier, add gochugaru instead of more gochujang. Too much gochujang will make the dish too salty. 
• Use high heat to cook the kimchi, medium low heat while breaking up the rice clumps to keep the rice from sticking to the pan too much, and high heat to get the rice nicely toasted at the end. 

Have you tried this kimchi fried recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in December 2010. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.  

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Haemul pajeon is a popular Korean savory pancake made with scallions and seafood. With this easy scallion pancake recipe, you can enjoy your restaurant favorite at home.  

Pajeon is a Korean savory pancake made with scallions. Pa means scallion, and jeon means pan-fried battered food. The most popular variation is made with seafood (haemul), hence the name haemul pajeon. Along with other savory pancakes such as kimchi jeon, buchjeon, and nokdujeon, it’s one of Korea’s favorite snacks or appetizers. 

In Korea, haemul pajeon is often paired with makgeolli (Korean milky rice wine). Koreans also say that when it rains outside, just stay home and enjoy some jeon (savory pancakes). Pajeon is a popular choice. 

How to make Korean pancake batter

Commercially available pancake mix (buchim garu, 부침가루) is a pantry staple in Korean homes. The mix is seasoned and typically includes wheat flour and other ingredients such as corn starch, rice flour and sometimes baking powder. Koreans look for a slightly chewy and crispy texture in savory pancakes. 

Sometimes, Korean home cooks combine pancake mix with frying mix (twuigim garu, 튀김가루) for extra crispy pancakes. Frying mix typically contains more rice flour and baking powder for a crispy result. Try it if you have a bag of frying mix (1:1 ratio). 

Don’t have a bag of pancake mix? Not to worry! You can simply use all purpose flour. For a chewy and crispy texture, you can basically create your own mix similar to the commercial version by adding rice flour and/or corn starch along with a little bit of baking powder. Regardless, season it with salt, and add some minced garlic (or powder).

How to make seafood scallion pancake

Look for thin scallions for making pajeon. If the white parts are thick, cut in half lengthwise. 

Usually, a combination of seafood, such as squid, shrimp, mussels, oysters and clams, is used, but you can simply use any one (or two) of them. Fresh seafoods are always good, but a bag of frozen seafood mix works well for this recipe. 

There are different ways to pan fry scallion pancakes. Sometimes, I combine everything together in the mix before pan-frying. Other times, I only mix the seafood in the batter and then later add the scallions on top when frying. Some people put the scallions first in the pan to crisp up and then spread the batter and the seafood on top. Try these different techniques and see which one you like.

Flipping the pancake is somewhat intimidating for a lot of people. The key is to wait until the bottom is nicely golden brown and flip it fast with confidence. And flip only once! You can also make the pancake smaller for easier flipping. 

Tips for making crispy pajeon

The most frequently asked question I receive from the readers is how to make pajeon extra crispy. Here are a few things you can do for crispy pancakes. 

• Drain the scallions and seafood well to remove excess water.  
• Add corn starch and/or rice powder to wheat flour if making the pancake mix from scratch.
• Try mixing pancake mix (buchim garu) with frying mix (twiguim garu) – 1:1 ratio.
• Use icy cold water to make the batter.
• Use a generous amount of oil. If you want it extra crispy, use more oil for a deep-frying effect.   

More Korean savory pancakes recipes

Buchujeon (garlic chives pancakes)
Kimchi jeon (kimchi pancakes)
Nokdujeon (savory mung bean pancakes)
Gamjajeon (potato pancakes)
Hobak buchim (zucchini pancakes)

Have you tried this seafood pancake recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Every country has some sorts of meatballs. In Korea, meatballs are called gogi wanja (고기완자) and used in soups or hotpots, egg-battered and pan-fried (wanjajeon, 완자전), or braised in a sauce (wanja jorim, 완자조림). This recipe shows how to make wanja jorim. The meatballs are first pan-fried and then finished in a deliciously sweet and savory sauce. 

These Korean-style meatballs are tender, moist and packed with lots of flavors! They are child-friendly, great as cocktail meatballs for your holiday parties, or simply as a side or a main dish for any meal. In Korea, the meatballs are highly popular as a lunch box item. 

Traditionally, meatballs were an essential ingredient in Korean Royal Court dishes such as sinsello, an elaborate Royal Court hotpot. Today, wanja jeon, egg-battered and pan-fried meatballs, is highly popular for every day meals or for lunch boxes. Also known as dongeurangddeng (동그랑떙), they are commonly served on holidays and special occasions as well. These braised meatballs are enjoyed for the sweet, savory, and salty taste. 

How to make Korean meatballs 

For the meatballs, I like to use equal parts of beef and pork. Of course, you can use all beef or all pork depending on your preference or change up the ratio around to your preference. Pork will give the meatballs a softer texture, which some Koreans tend to look for in their meatballs. 

Typically, Korean meatballs also include tofu, carrots, mushrooms, onions and/or scallions. I used mushrooms, onions and scallions in this recipe. These vegetables add a lot to the flavor and texture of the meatballs. Whatever you use, take extra time to finely chop the ingredients for a smooth meatball texture. Then, your children will never know there are mushrooms and onions in the meatballs.

For a tender and moist texture, mix the meat with other ingredients by your hand. Using all your five fingers, move it around the bowl in quick circles until the mixture is well blended together. 

I pan fried my meatballs, but you can bake them if you want.

The sauce I used here is a soy based sweet and savory sauce (jorim jang, 조림장) commonly used in Korean cooking. You can add a little bit of gochujang for a little spicy kick if you want. 

The meatballs can be prepared ahead of time and pan-fried and braised on the day of serving.

Have you tried this Korean meatball recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This recipe was originally posted in March 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

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More New Year recipes:

Gul tteokguk (Oyster Rice Cake Soup)
Tteok Mandu Guk (Rice Cake Soup with Dumplings)
Kimchi mandu (dumplings)
15 Korean New Year Recipes

Have you tried this tteokguk recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

The post Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup) appeared first on Korean Bapsang.

In Korea and many other Asian countries, the holiday season is not over until after the lunar New Year, which falls on January 25 this year. Called Seollal (설날) in Korea, it’s one of the most celebrated traditional holidays. Along with tteokguk (떡국, rice cake soup), nokdujeon (녹두전) is a must for the New Year’s Day feast. As for my family, these crispy golden brown savory pancakes are a favorite year round! 

What is nokdujeon (nokdu bindaetteok)?

Nokdujeon is a type of savory Korean pancake made with ground mung bean batter. It’s also called bindaetteok (빈대떡) or nokdu bindaetteok (녹두 빈대떡). While nokdujeon is a classic holiday dish, it’s highly popular also as a street food as you may have seen in the Netflix Street Food episode of Gwangjang Market in Seoul.

Are you thinking you’ve never heard of mung beans? Actually, you might know these beans better by their sprouts — those bean sprouts which are common in many Asian dishes. The most well known Korean dish made with mung bean spouts is the side dish called sukju namul (숙주나물).

Importantly, mung beans are highly nutritional and provide many health benefits. In Korea, they are well known as a detoxifying food. Hope you add more mung beans and their sprouts to your diet this new year. 

How to make mung bean pancakes

To make these pancakes, you’ll need to soak the dried mung beans in water for a few hours, and then ground into a batter. I usually buy pre-hulled and split ones, so soaking and preparing the beans is fairly simple. 

Growing up, we used to have a stone mill, called maetdol (맷돌), to grind soaked beans. We now use an electric blender. Do not over blend the beans. The batter should be creamy but slightly coarse and sandlike. 

Typical additions to the batter include ground pork, bean sprouts, gosari (fern brakes), scallions, and kimchi. These add tons of flavors and textures to the pancakes. I blanch the bean sprouts before adding to the batter, but you can add fresh sprouts if you want. 

For a vegetarian or vegan bindaetteok, you can simply omit the pork and use vegetarian/vegan kimchi. 

This recipe makes quite a few pancakes, but it’s very easy to cut the recipe in half if desired. These pancakes freeze well. Simply defrost them at room temperature, and then reheat in a pan over low heat or in the microwave.

More Korean pancake recipes

Haemul pajeon (seafood pancakes)
Buchujeon (garlic chives pancakes)
Kimchi jeon (kimchi pancakes)
Gamjajeon (potato pancakes)
Hobak buchim (zucchini pancakes)

Have you tried this nokdujeon recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

This mung bean pancake recipe was originally posted in December 2011. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

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Agu-jjim (아구찜), also called agwi-jjim (아귀찜), is a spicy fish dish made with agu (monkfish) and kongnamul (soybean sprouts). The white flesh underneath the red spicy sauce is tender and moist, and the crunchy bean sprouts nicely complement the white fish with a burst of spicy flavor!

Jjim (찜) in Korean cooking refers to the dishes that are steamed or braised. Jjim dishes involve various different cooking techniques, which includes long braising used for dishes like galbijjim (braised short ribs) and short braising used to cook vegetables and seafood.

What is agujjim?

Agujjim (or agwijjim) is monkfish braised in a red spicy sauce with kongnamul (soybean sprouts). Actually, it’s a variation of haemul jjim (spicy braised seafood). They are made similarly, but haemul jjim is made with a few different seafoods, such as crabs, shrimp, clams, fish, etc. 

The dish originated from the southern coastal city of Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. In the past, this not so good-looking fish wasn’t consumed as a food item in Korea due to its ugly appearance. However, some fishermen didn’t want to waste their catches, so they brought them to a neighborhood eatery and ask the cook to make a tasty dish. That was in the 1960’s. The dish is now enormously popular all over the country in Korea. 

Monkfish is a firm, white fish with a texture similar to lobster meat. Here in America, it’s known as “poor man’s lobster”. Korean markets around here sell trimmed monkfish so I don’t have to deal with the huge, ugly head. The fishmonger will cut it into small pieces for you if you ask. 

They are usually bone-in and skin-on, which is fine for us Koreans because we usually cook fish with bones and skins intact. But, you can also use fillets for this dish. 

At restaurants, agujjim is usually sold as a large dish that’s meant to be shared. It’s also pretty pricey. I remember my first time ordering this dish at a restaurant around here, many years ago. The expensive, large dish we ordered to share was just full of soybean sprouts and not enough fish to go around. My family was disappointed, and I started to make the dish at home. 

How to make spicy braised monkfish

Agujjim typically includes lots of soybean sprouts, minari (Korean watercress) and mideodeok (sea squirts). Sea squirts are hard to find and expensive, so I usually substitute it with shrimp or clams. You can use monkfish only.

First cook the fish for a few minutes, and then stir in the seasoning mix until the fish is tender.  Continue cooking for a few more minutes before adding the starch slurry and stirring well until the sauce thickens. Add the vegetables. Gently toss to evenly coat the vegetables with the sauce. Stir in the sesame oil and sesame seeds at the end. Serve with a bowl of rice.

The soybean sprouts play an important supporting role in this dish. Keeping the sprouts crunch for the final dish is the key. For that, you cook the sprouts briefly, plunge them into an ice bath immediately after, drain, and add to the dish at the end to combine with everything. 

Have you tried this spicy monkfish recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

This agujjim recipe was originally posted in November 2013. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information and minor changes to the recipe.

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Here’s a collection of 10 Korean party or snack dishes for your game day. Try some of these recipes for a nice change or a great addition to your standard Super Bowl fare.

1. Yangnyeom Chicken (Spicy Korean Fried Chicken)

2. Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Chicken)

3. Korean-flavored Baked Chicken Wings

4. Galbi Taco (Korean-Style Taco with Beef Short Ribs)

5. Seafood Cheese Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)

6. Glazed Korean Meatballs (Gogi Wanja Jorim)

7. Gochujang Shrimp

8. Mini Gimbap

9. Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Pancake)

10. Mandu (Dumplings)

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This instant noodle dish, called Jjapaguri, from the movie Parasite is getting highly popular all over the world.  It’s easy to make with the two types of Korean instant noodles. 

I know I’m a little late to this Jjapaguri (or Chapaguri) party. After seeing this dish with steak in the movie Parasite (Gisaengchung, 기생충), I was curious about reactions to this steak version in Korea. Lo and behold, it took Korea by storm in 2019 because it was featured in this award winning movie. And it’s rapidly spreading to the rest of the world. So, let’s jump on the Jjapaguri bandwagon and try it!

Movie Parasite and Jjapaguri (Ram-don)

Parasite (2019) became the first Korean film to win the Cannes Palme d’Or. The film won the Golden Globe Best Foreign Language Film and became the first non-English film to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

I can’t wait to find out next Sunday what happens with the film’s six nominations at the Academy Awards. Go Parasite!

The movie tells the story of two families — the rich and the poor. This cheap instant noodle dish gets upgraded with expensive beef, Hanwoo (한우), as a class subtext. Hanwoo means cows grown in Korea. Hanwoo beef is considered the highest quality beef and very expensive. The rich mom asked the housekeeper to make Jjapaguri with Hanwoo top sirloin cut for her son, although the subtitle simply called it sirloin. She ended up eating the dish alone, which was served in a high-end china (Juliska), at a big wooden dining table. 

What is Jjapaguri 

Jjapaguri is a dish created by consumers by combining two highly popular instant noodle brands —Chapagetti (짜파게티) and Neoguri (너구리). Actually, its popularity started in 2013 when this brilliant combination of two distinct noodles was featured in a Korean TV show. 

Chapagetti is an instant noodle version of the popular Korean-Chinese noodle dish, jajangmyeon (also spelled chajangmyeon). Interestingly, while there’s nothing Italian about it, the company came up with the name “chapagetti” which is a portmanteau of the words, chajang (blackbean sauce) and spaghetti. 

Neoguri, on the other hand, is a spicy seafood flavored instant noodle soup with thick and chewy udon-style noodles. According to Korean news media, Neoguri is Bong Jun Ho’s favorite instant noodle brand. 

The combined dish is instant jajangmyeon with a spicy kick and extra flavor from the Neoguri soup base.  

Apparently, the translator of the movie couldn’t translate Jjapaguri into something non-Korean speaking audience could relate, so the movie called it “ram-don” in the subtitles from the words “ramen” and “udon.” 

How to make jjapaguri with steak

Here, I used the recipe on the Korean website of the company that makes these instant noodles, and simply added some beef as the movie showed. 

The beef actually adds a nice twist to the dish while making it more substantial. I tried to stay true to the movie, short of using Hanwoo quality beef, but you can, of course, add any protein you’d like.

You simply cook the noodles with the veggie flakes from the packets, drain the water off except for about a cup, then add the sauce mix and stir for a minute or two. Stir in the cooked steak and the oil from Chapagetti, and serve. 

The company website says to use the entire packet of the Chapagetti sauce and 3/5 of the Neoguri spicy sauce. Adjust to your taste. It also suggests a fried egg or cucumber slices as optional toppings.

Have you tried this jjapaguri recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

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