Traditional Korean Recipes

Cooking Time: 105 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings Amount: 15

Recipe Lead: …for when you feel like wearing your mother’s kitchen gloves…

Ingredients

Fishy Sauce.

• 6 cups water
• 2 sheets dashima*
• 1 cup clamshell mushrooms
• 1 medium shallot
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp mirin

Kimchi.

• 2 lbs (5-6) Korean baby radishes`
• 1/4 cup course sea salt
• 1/8 cup sweet white rice flour^
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup Korean pepper powder
• 1/8 cup Fishy Sauce
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 onion (julienned)
• 1 cup garlic chives***
• 2 stalks scallions (chopped)

Fish Sauce.

1.  Place dashima, shallot, garlic (crushed), mushrooms and peppercorns in large pot and add water.
2. Bring to boil and then simmer for at least one hour.
3. Remove dashima, garlic, mushrooms, etc. and place liquid in medium saucepan.
4. Add remaining ingredients and bring mixture to boil.  Let simmer until sauce becomes concentrated and viscous.
5. Strain through mesh sieve into mason jar or other container.  Place in fridge or freezer and use as substitute for fish sauce.

Kimchi.

1.  Peel and rinse baby radishes.  Cut radishes lengthwise, without removing the greens.
2. Place radishes in a large bowl and add salt, ensuring that the radishes are evenly coated.
3. Allow radishes to sit for 30 minutes.  Flip radishes and allow them to sit another 30 minutes.
4. After about one hour, you will notice fluid at the bottom of your bowl and your radishes will be “bendy.”  Give them a thorough rinse to remove excess salt and dirt (from both the radishes and the leaves).
5. In a small saucepan, dissolve rice flour into 1 cup of water over low heat.
6. Once water begins to thicken, add 2 tbsp of sugar until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat.
7. Add minced garlic, Korean pepper powder, and Fishy sauce and stir, until you get a thick red paste.
8. Add kimchi paste, scallions (chopped), onions (julienned), and Korean chives to radishes and, using your hands (gloved!), coat each radish.
9. Place radishes and remaining kimchi paste into air tight container and store in fridge for several days (it can take 10-14 days) until “ripe.”

*Dashima is dried kelp.  You can get some here or at your local Asian grocery store.
**Do not confuse sweet white rice flour with rice flour.  You can get sweet white rice flour here.
***Korean chives are also referred to as garlic chives.  You can usually get them at your local grocery store.  If not, head over to your Asian grocery store.
^You can get Korean pepper powder here.
`Korean baby radishes look like this.

You may be able to get some at your local grocery store; otherwise, you’ll have to head over to your local Asian grocery store.

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Very Easy
Servings Amount: 6

Recipe Lead: …for that time you bought this green leaf but had no idea what to do with it…

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (to keep it GF)
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Korean pepper powder*
• 1/2 Fresno chili (sliced)
• 2 scallions (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 20-30 fresh perilla leaves**

1.  Mix all ingredients together to make brine/dressing.
2. Place one perilla leaf in an airtight container (like a large mason jar or tupperware).  Spoon a little of the dressing onto the top of the leaf.  It does not need to be neat and it does not need to cover the entire leaf.
3. Place a second leaf on top of the first one and repeat until all leaves are stacked and covered with dressing.
4. Pour any remaining dressing over the top of the stack.
5. Place in fridge for one day and enjoy with rice.

*You can buy Korean pepper powder here.
**This is what perilla leaves look like.  You can buy them at your local Asian grocery store.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Very Easy
Servings Amount: 4

Recipe Lead: …for when you don’t know what to do with that lonely box of tofu in your fridge…

Ingredients

• 1 13 oz. box extra firm tofu (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 tbsp potato starch (can sub corn starch)
• 3 tbsp sesame oil*
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (corn syrup, if you dare…)
• 1 tbsp Korean pepper powder**
• 1 1/2 tbsp gochujang^
• 1 tbsp Korean BBQ marinade
• 1 handful dried chilis`
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 scallions (chopped)

1.  Coat tofu with potato starch.
2.  Cook tofu in sesame oil over medium-high heat until all sides are browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In same pan, add 1 tbsp sesame oil and add garlic, maple syrup, Korean pepper powder, gochujang, dried chilis, Korean bbq marinade and stir.
4. Add back the tofu, together with 1/2 cup of water.  Cook over low heat until sauce thickens (should take about a minute).
5. Throw on some scallions as garnish and serve while warm.
6. Repress the urge to send me a thank you card for this recipe.  Or don’t. 😉

**You can get Korean pepper powder here.
^You can get gluten-free and vegan gochujang here.
`You can get dried chilis here.

Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Very Easy
Servings Amount: 20

Recipe Lead: …for when you want to impress your friends with kimchee….

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini
• 2-4 tbsp Korean salt* (you can also use sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, but use less salt)
• 1/4 onion (sliced thin)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Korean pepper powder**
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Split each zucchini lengthwise first, and then chop each half into half moons.
2. Place zucchini in a large bowl and add in salt.  Stir until all zucchini is well coated in salt.  Let sit for approximately 40 minutes until zucchini gets “bendy.”
3. Rinse zucchini thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt.  Squeeze dry with paper towel (zucchini should not be dripping water) and place back into large (dry) bowl.
4. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until well coated.
5. Place in jar for a few days OR eat right away.  Either way, it tastes so freaking good and you just made yourself some kimchee.  BAM.

You can watch me make this here.

*You can find Korean salt here.
**You can find Korean pepper powder here.

I grew up eating food that required large quantities of water to put out the fire in my mouth.  Tteokbokki–spicy Korean rice cakes–are right up there with chigae and kimchi as standard Korean comfort food.  This is the type of food you eat after working a 12 hour day with a bottle of makgeolli (Korean rice wine).  The rice cakes get tender and chewy, while the heat from the chili flakes keep you alert and thirsty.

Easy to make and delicious.

Make sure to have a gallon of water handy, though.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Very Easy
Servings Amount: 4

Recipe Lead: For mouthwatering fire. In your mouth.

Ingredients

• 1/2 package fresh Korean rice cakes (cylindrical)*
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil (plus more for drizzling)
• 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 carrot (chopped into discs)
• 4-5 florets of broccoli (chopped)
• 1/2 zucchini or Korean squash (chopped)
• 2-3 green onions (chopped)
• 4-5 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (reconstituted and chopped)
• 1 cup mushroom dashi (or vegetable broth)
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp Korean chili flakes**
• 2 tbsp gochujang^
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Optional: cooked ramen noodles

1.  Add 1 tbsp sesame oil, salt, and pepper to rice cakes and massage. Set aside while you prep your veggies.
2. Add 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp of soy sauce, and salt to mushrooms. Set aside.
3. Prepare sauce by adding Korean 1 1/2 tbsp of Korean chili flakes, 1 1/2 tbsp of gochujang, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, and 2 1/2 tbsp of maple syrup.  Stir together.
4. In a large pan, add 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. When hot, add marinated mushrooms, garlic, and onions and cook until onions are soft.
5. Add broccoli, carrots, and zucchini and cook until veggies soften.
6. Add rice cakes and sauce.  Stir until all veggies and rice cakes are evenly coated.
7. Add mushroom dashi/veggie broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to allow sauce to simmer.  Stir with wooden spoon as sauce thickens.
8. Optional: Before sauce thickens too much, add cooked ramen noodles.
9. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with a little more sesame oil before serving.

*You can buy rice cakes here.

**You can buy Korean chili powder here.

^You can buy my favorite vegan certified gluten free gochujang here.

Recipe Video

Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Recipe Difficulty: Very Easy
Servings Amount: 4

Recipe Lead: Healthy, paleo, vegan Korean comfort food at its best!

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried mushrooms
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups cauliflower
• 1/2 shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 tbsp quinoa flour
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1 spring onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp black beans
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

1.  Submerge 1 cup of dried mushrooms in 2 cups of cold filtered water.
2. Chop up cauliflower and place in food processor.  Using the “chop” button, pulse food processor until cauliflower looks like little “rice” or quinoa kernels
3. Mince shallot, garlic.  Chop shitake mushrooms, spring onion, and seeded jalapeño.
4. Add mushroom/water and sherry to small saucepan.  Bring to boil.
5. In a separate, saute shallots and deglaze with a splash of sherry vinegar.  Add garlic, cauliflower.
6. Pour mushroom dashi through sieve into cauliflower and bring to boil. Stir in quinoa flour until congee thickens.
7. In a saute pan, saute mushrooms until caramelized
8. Add beans, jalapeño, and soy sauce.  Stir well.
9. Serve in large bowl, and garnish with sesame seeds, spring onion, and drizzle of sesame oil.